The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-03-15
Members of Constitutional
Body Gather at Their
Second Banquet
CHANGES OF TIME.
RECEIVE COMMENT
Progressivism of Decade Ago
Has Now Become Conser-
vative Is the Opinion
Expressed

The progressives of yesterday are
the reactionaries of today, according
to the mi-humorous and half seri-
GUS comment of the various speak ers
at the second banquet of the surviving
members of the constitutional conven-
ton of 190l-02, held at the jefferson
hotel last evening, following a bust
ness session in the afternoon.
More than one speaker remarked
on the fact that convention regard
ed as radical in that day would not
be considered conservative, some re-
joicing in the fact and others frank
ly regretting the tendencies Of the
times. Walton Moore, of Fairfax
Eppa Hunton, former attorney gen
eral and Rufus A. Ayers voiced the
progressive spirit OF the survivors,
while Hill Carter of Richmond. and
Alexander Hamilton, of Petersburg,
boldly proclaimed themselves re
dictionaries"
OfYicers Elected.
The second meeting Of the surviv-
ors of the Virginia constitutional con-
vention of 190l-1902 began at 4
o'clock yesterday afternoon in a room
on the sixth door Of the Jefferson ho-
tel with a business meeting. at which
accumulated business was wound up,
officers elected. preparations for the
banquet completed and a memorial
to the departed members of the con-
vention read Charles Y. Meredith. of
Richmond, was elected president to
succeed Henry C. Stuart, of RUSSELL
William A Anderson, of Lexington,
succeeded Alexander. Hamilton as vice
president, and James w. Gordon. of
Richmond, succeeded John Thomp-
son Brown, of Bedford, as secretary
and treasury.
The banquet was held in the Flem-
fsh room of the hotel at s O'Clock and
lasted until shortly after midnight.
Present were about half of the sur
yivins members of the convention and
an equal number of honorary and in
vited guests Speakers on the pro-
gram were selected from members
and non-members and when these
had closed, various other members
were called upon for short talks.
John S. Barbour, of Culpeper: Thorn
as Lee More, OF Christiansburg; Hal
y. Flood, Of Appomattox; d, Tucker
Brooke. Of Norfolk. and Walter A.
Watson, of Nottoway, who were sche-
duled to make addresses were unable
to be present and their places on the
program were filled by extemporan-
eous speakers
Governor William Hodges Mann re-
sponded to the toast Virginia" in
which he omitted all reference to the
history of the State and spoke only
Of the present and its possibilities of
the future. He recited as one result
of the labors of the constitutional
convention that it had enabled the
State to collect a larger sum by taxa
ton without increasing the rate.
speaks of Difficulties.
John S. Barhours subject was THE
xs1Nkn fftfFi re : "a NJ
as he was absent, the toast was re-
sponded to by r. s. Parks, of Page
county. MFR. Parks told of the diff
culties under which the convention
labored, the criticism to which 1t
was subjected on account of its de-
lay in completing it's work and TO the
final verdict of approval which he be-
lieved was bestowed upon the con-
vention by the great majority OF peo-
pie.
John Stewart Bryan. of the Rich
mond News Leader in responding to
the toast, THE Press" took occasion
to put IN few words Of defense
against the criticism generally hurled
at his profession and to voice a note
of progressivism. He was the first
to call attention TO the fact that the
radtcalism of twelve years ago had
become the conservatism of today.
anu LIE Nol n bA It's III >
pointed out some of the things ii had
forgotten TO do He closed with a call
to service OF the trainers OF the con-
stitution and all the people of the
State. Senator. A. T. Lincoln spoke
In response to calls from those pres
ent, and in a witty speech spoke
on The Minority in the Convention. F"
He said that members of the minority
had the satisfaction OF knowing that
the cause TO which they gave
allegiance was growing and that ii
had now become the minority in al
most every State in the Union, He
closed with the recitation OF a piece
OF improvised verse ending I'VE are
coming. Father Woodrow. We are
coming for the pie"
William A Anderson, substituted
for D. Tucker Brooke. speaking on the
suffrage" article in the constitution.
Judge Anderson praised the work OF
the suffrage committee, especially
Continued on Second Page,)
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