Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-01
IBy Arthur II. Taylor

marked by the successful accomplishment
" q political revolution. That Is to say,
The new organic law Of The State. making
Z Nd one. was quietly and peacefully made
Effective and the old Underwood consttu-
ion discarded after thIrty-two years ser
dee
The new constitution was brought forth
liter nearly year OF labor and travail.
many Of the abiest men iu the State par
actpating in the labors ana deliberations
Incident TO the nlonentoEs work. The
lnished constitution was ordained July
9th as the organic law OF the State,
mail majority OF the members favoring
aromuigation rather than submission with
Eli the expense thereto and the danger
~ the undoing Of all the work by al, I'M
favorable vote Immediately upon ordain-
ing the constitution. the convention.
through the medium of Governor Mon
fague. called the General Assembly to
meet In extraordinary session for the
purpose of giving political recognition to
I The new instrument. The issue OF the
RECLAMATION and the response thereto by
he General Assembly afforded the desired
recognition, the members with one cx-
reptton taking the oath under the new
constitution without serious objection.
CUT OUT OBJECTIONABLE VOTE.
Consequent upon and pursuant to the
Erection Of the new constitution new
registration Of voters was had in Sep
iember and October. under the provisions
pf The suffrage article of the new con-
ftitution. The result of that registration
Was to materially abridse the electorate
Ind to practically eliminate the negro as
p. serious factor in politics. It is con-
eervatively estimated that not more than
10 per cent. of the negro suffragans under
The Underwood constitution were retained
rn the voting rolls and that the white
Electorate was diminished only about or
10 per cent
The other provisions OF the Constitu-
ton, or many of them, do not becoE1e eff
fective until the year 1908. The new ju-
3fciary plan is one of these, and the cor
poration commission, for the granting
and supervision Of all charters and the
control and regulation of all public ser
vice corporations is another. The new
commission has been constituted by the
telection of Messrs. Henry Fairfax. Henry
c. Stuart and Beverly I. Crump as the
three commissioners.
SPRING AND FALL ELECTIONS.
The municipal elections in the spring
and the congressional elections in the
fall engrossed a large share Of the at
tention Of the people of Richmond and
those Of Virginia. In the municipal cleo
lions the most exciting contest for the
salarted officers was that between Messrs.
J. G. Smith and H Claiborne Epps for
city sergeant, in which Mr.. Smith won
after an exciting contest, involving q re-
count and the discovery of gross clerical
errors In two wards. These were fully
investigated. but all concerned were exon
Grated from any suspicion OF wrong-do-
Ing. Mayor Taylor was opposed for re-
.lection by Captain Carlton Mccarthy,
and memorable stump campaign en-
sued, in which Captain Mccarthy, by his
bold utterances and his caustic criticisms
Of men and institutions and customs W.
the pseudonym of the Live Wire" Mayor
TayIor won out easily in the election.
though the contest served to develop
considerable opposition to him. The other
salaried officers were reelected without
opposition.
a COUNCIL CONTEST.
a quiet and determined campaign was
waged against certain members of the
old Council and Board of Aldermen, with
the result that several who had served
long in those bodies were beaten at the
polls. Many changes were made In the
personnel of the two bodies, and the new
Council had to choose q new president in
reelection. Mr. Sol l.. Bloomberg was
chosen, and re-arranged the committees
of the Council in such way as to cause
the announcement to be regarded as
shake-up Of that body. Many of the
changes were necessitated, however by
The declination or defeat of number or
the prominent old members.
n GRAND JURY INQUIRY.
The most notable development Of the
a., local r,olitjcS tha exposure
by q grand jury investigation OF the
existence il this city in recent years OF
municipal corruption and widespread sus~
picicns concerning certain city officials
ar er- off Gals, and the organization there's
sftLr Of non-partisan organization Tor
good government. known as the C!u-
sens' Union. The union was organized
Iurirg the early fall, with Mr.. Alfred B.
Williams as president, and with an ex-
scutive committee of twenty prominent
citizens. Many men influential III the
business and political life Of the city are
earnestly enlisted IN the new movement,
which Is simply and entirely in the IN
jerest of good government and the se-
lection OF the be: men for oft1ce. The
union has been quietly at work ever since
It was organized. increasing its member
Shjn and acquiring power in municipal
sffairs Its work is in the future and
It promises to be a potent factor IN local
sifairs during the coming year. The mem-
heIehip Of the union is already large and
It IS steadily growing.
A NEW PRIMARY PLAN.
Il, the congressional contests the new
Democratic party plan Of primary for the
reelection Of all candidates for State and
Federal offices. recently drai,ed. was
given its first trial, and the result Of the
experirnent is yariously regarded. In
rnrne sections the plan is popular. but in
Others there is objection on the score OF
The expense to the candidates. The plan
was drafted by the Democratic State
Central Committee by authority from,
enf under instructions OF. the State DEM
ocratic Convention. 1t will remain in
force as the party law OF the State until
rcnealed by State convention. No con-
seption will be held until the early sum
nor OF 1904. The plan promises to be
Amended In some particulars. but it Will
hardly be repealed.
TIGHTS FOR CONGRESS.
under the operation of the plan several
exciting contests for Democratic con-
rreesional nominations were had. In this
district Captain Lamb was opposed by
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