Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1921-07-02
j. G. CARTIER ON "BACK TO TIE
CONSTITUTION"
Danvillc, Va. June. 1921.

Danville, Va, June, 1921.
| sometimes wonder what kind of
4 political campaign would or could
be conducted in this State if the
candidates for the offices to which
they aspired were compelled to omit
entirely any reference TO the NsgHo..
My dear boy, it wouhl be like at
tempting to "shoot craps" with no
dice.
Here we have going on in this old
burg known as the Mother of
States and Statesmen" contest
between or among, certain gentle
men for various and sundry offices,
and we hear a whole lot OF Junk"
about good roads, better roads, pub
lie schools, pensions, issuance Of
bonds, and anything else that Il gull
lible people can be persuaded into
believing that any one man can do
for them and people seem to forget
that no governor whom they might
elect can build one foot Of road, open
Il single public school, issue one lit
tie bond or pay one nickel ill pen
sions; and SO forgetting, the people
go to mass meetings, listen at and
cheer the pure and unadulterated
bnncomb and straightway goeth
home and forgetteth it all till the
next spell-binder arrives to whose
clap-trap they listen just as eagerly.
cheer as Justly and forget just as
quickly.
The slogan of one candidate is
Back to the Constitution, and be-
Ing candidate for the highest office
III the gift of the people Of this state,
1t seems that he should tell the peo-
pie for whose votes he is striving,
~ Nyhn
have the people of Virginia departed
from the Constitution of Virginia,
for that Is what I presume he is talk
ing about, for if he has no reference
to the Constitution OF Virginia, and
If his slogan does not mean "back to
the constitution" OF this state, then
his war cry" is without meaning;
and II he mcakS back to the ConSti-
tuition of. the United States, then it
would be pertinent to make the in
curry, where have we gotten away
| from the Constitution OF the United
States and when? and what was Con-
greSs thinking about while passing
so many unconstitutional laws and
when it had Oh its roster from this
very state some as good lawyers as
can be found anywhere, two OF whom
have been governors and one is now
filing with conspicuous ability
place on the bench Of our State
Supreme Court of Appeals.
Anr the candidate OF whom | am
spctking has failed also to tell the
people what unconstitutional law
has been enacted by Congress and
has found its way into the Supreme
Court Of the United States and has
not been, by that court declared
void. The gentleman recently said,
II believe that in return to the
Constitution lies the salvation of the
people. The Constitution gives GER.
tain powers and prerogatives to the
Federal government, enumerating
seventeen Of them. Everything else
is reserved to the states, police DOW
ers among them" I should like to
ask, If seventeen only OF the rights
reserved to the states are enumer-
ated in the Constitution OF the
United States, who is. there to say
what are the reserved powers" not
enumerated? but our friend could
not we'll get along till he had put the
Negro in it and this he did by refer
ring to a bill now before Congress
the passage Of which will prevent
railroads doing interstate business
from making Negroes pay first class
fare and then made to ride in cars
not much better in appointment, in
many instances, than second rate cat
tie cars. On many of the roads do
ing business between this state and
the states farther South, the smok-
INF car i'll one state becomes the Ne
gro passenger car in the other, and
1t is almost as easy in some places In
the South to get transportation to