The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-09

I bouptlcss more would nave Joined In
! the request were 1t not for tho fact
that only small number of ncwspa-
pcrs in ths State havo posted them
selves thoroughly on this intricate con-
stitutonal matter.
The Newport News Daily Press re-
marks that there arc five gentlemen
In ths Senate OF Virginia whose votes
trust yesterday" and declares with
pride that Senator Saxon w. Holt was
once of the immortal i've" Continuing,
our contemporary saye:
! Thtrty-four Senators cast their
votes in the interest of tho oflicehold-
| ors trust. and unless Governor Mann
re'oes inc measure, and that Is what
! no should do. the people must vote
J again on an issue which they decisiveIy
| defeated less than two years ago.
| There has been no demand for an
other election on this question from
any source save the oficcholders' trust
| certainly the people were not clamorsI
ing to vote OIL the issue. They had de-
| cided it for what they supposed to he
Tor once and all time. and were sur
prised when II was brought up again."
Even IL the Governor signs the bill,
the Daily Press cannot understand how
II will benefit the treasurers ana com
| missioners of the cities. for hereto
| fore" TO amend the Constitution II bns
De- en- necessary for the General Assem-
hlN to pass resolution nj one session,
. publish 1t and repass It at Its second
session and submit il to vote by tn
people. lf this course Is followcd--and
1t is the only lawful course that can
be followcd-ths amendment will not
DC voted OH until 1914 before which
time city treasurcrs and commissioners
VIII have gone out of Office The Daily
Press pcrceives that the only thing this
General Assembly can do with tho
amendment Is to begin Il all over
again. Any effort OF tho component
parts of tho ofHceholders' trust to rid
roushshod over the Constitution will
be unavailing, for the people Will rise
up and block it at the polls"
The lndex-Appeai declares that the
senate has voted 10 ride roughshod
over the Constitution of Virginia" and
has recorded itself in favor vt ille-
Eally amending the State Constitution
Moreover, in this instance. "the few
commissioners and treasurers in III. |
cities have proved themselves more
powerful than the State Constitution.
Ihcn says our contemporary with much
force:
What are you going 10 do about It, !
GoNsrhor Mann? Are YOU going to
prove a friend or foe TO the Consiitu-
ton of the State OF Virginia?
"A veto Al the hands of the Coyc-no-
would fastcn the eyes of the people on |
the State Legislature. |, would throw
a searchlight onto the proceedings of
that body. Only five men dared TO defy
the mandates or the trcasurcrs- COM
nissioners. Would that many dare
defy outraged public sentirrnt ana |
vote for the passage OF the resolution |
over the Governors veto?
1t is doubtful. But whether they !
would or not is a matter entirely bs-
yond the control or the Governor. How !
ever others may regard the Cunstitu- |
ton, II is his duty TO see that II is |
upheld His veto is confidently exp .ct-
ed by all who believe that he holds |
that document binding and who believe |
he knows the nature and meaning of an |
oath TO uphold it"
1t Is to BE- most seriously doubted # |
more than a handful OF members Of the |
General Assembly inquired into the |
constitutionality of this measure. Few
read any cases or texts in connection
before making mp their minds, ana |
there are great many membcrs who are
not lawyers and who would not. in the |
nature of the case, understand the con-
stitutional questions Involved unless |
they were fully threshed out in discus
sion. Such debate was not had in the
House; in the Senate there was pre-
scented preponderant evidence as to the |
unconstitutionality of the act The
measure was regarded in it's political
rather than its constitutional light. !!
Governor Mann will doubtless keen |
these facts in mind. In 1910 It was he |
who proclaimed the passags ~ this
amendment b.! the people. No QUESTION !
vas then made of its contravenins the |
Constitution. An interval Of Two wears |
OF unbroken silence passed without n |
inNrinur as 10 the validity OF the
amendment II was not an issue I'm
the campaign last summer. The const,.
iutional point was not raised until the
General Assembly convened. Tho Of
hc"noidcrs trust knew fui we'll thai
tha smaller the publicity given 20 this
measure, III" briefcr the discussion ana
the better the chance Of it's passage. |
! The whole matter requires rcconsid ~
alton. ana Governor Mann could not
err in rccommitting this measure to
lie General Assembly.
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one of INC North Carolina ncwspa,,.s
! Tersis,eH,iy claims the great men Of