Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-11-11

| Annual II the Only publlcatlOn winch rep
| resent. all branches Of the Lutheran Church
| in The United States, and its contents, en-.
| cravings. typography and complete sta
tstics merit for it place among the best OF
| church ANIMALS.
For sale at the bookstores.
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Nelson's for an Extra session OF the
Legislature.
| 10 the Editor Of the Dispatch:
Whether it is 10 the interest Of the Com
monW cath and OF the Democratic party to
| have. in the near future, an extra session OF
| the General Assembly Is the question we
wish 10 consider. Under The Constitution
Of 1916 and 1S29.'30 all the meetings OF the
General Assembly were annual. The pol
lev Of biennial sessions wac inaugurlted
nv the Constitution Of 1Sj0-'5l, and during
the period Of ten years, up TO the COM
mencement Of the war, there were hNe
regular sessions of the Lcgislature-mO>t
81 them extended beyond the regular period
4 ninety d1yS--wlth one or more extra
.cs,i0rs. Under the Alexandria Co1stl'u-
ion, when it remained in force IN the
wholc state. there was one regular session
Nh'ch was followed by an extra session.
Aitcr the interval OF the reconstruction
criod, during which We had no Lcgisll.
umr, the present Constitution OF 1859
was adopted. which established annual
SESSIONS with biennial elections, and
his continued until the amendment
IN 1876. which did not 90 INTO elect
until he session Of lSSl-'S2, since which
ime ne have had three regular sessions
with two extras. Thus in period OF one
hundred and ten years, with the policy oil
biennial sessions established by two Consii-
iuionS, we have bad only nine biennial re-
gular sessions with four or five extra ses-
sions. Hence bv the record it is cOnclu-
siyelv shown that the system OF biennial
20. sons has not IN practice proved sue
| cess in the past, and il it has proved fail
IRE, then how much greater the failure for
| the future, when the Old Commonwealth
| has renewed her youth and commenced
upon new development. The hopes OF
| Washington and the fathers have nov been
realized, and one grand trunk railroad has
J united the waters Of the ONE with the
waves OF tire Atlantic. another the Mis-
| si-Sippi with the SeabOard. while Others
| traverse the lenetlkof the state from north
| to south and all theSe with their cXten.
! .ions are developing the coal, the iron, an
the copper, ard other mineral Interests, and
transporting them to the markets OF Anne
! ricI.
| In 1897, while the Federal Constitution
WAS in the hands OF It's trainers, il required
all the talents and abilities OF Hamilton,
| Madison, Randolph. and others 10 reconcile
TIE small Ststes, by equality IN the senate,
10 the great power 1t was conceded on all
| sides would be given 10 Virginia in the
House Of Representatives 10y reason OF her
superior climate, her soil, and her mlneru
snd maritime advantages. But now, a. all
the causts which have prevented this result
Lave been removed, Virginia has startled on
the race of progress and development. ana
i'm the future her great natural advantages
will realize the fondc,t hopes Of the fathers
Of the republic.
For several distinct reasons II j. Tor the
mtDc,t Of the Commonwealth and Of the
Democratic party, whose Governor and
whose members OF the General Assembly
will lie held responsible ioI il by thc pcO'
ple, that an extra session should BE- called
%, an early day. In the first place. the ma
tcTisl progress OF the state requires il,
Foreign capitalists, seeing our great natural
advantages, stand ready TO invest theil
means In various ways, but, " ia tlc pro-
verbal timidity Of capital, they wall unit
tLey obtain special charter, Of incorpOra
ton TO suit the ends they have m view
While something has been already done fol
tbc establishment Of railroads and ON
mining interest, nothing ha, been done "a
develop or dormant watcrpDwer and Il
: foster the manufacturing Interests Of Ia,
| tatc. Ii is wcll-c,tabljshed tradition
that upwards OF q half century ago
body.of large capitalists from Mas
,acbuselts, DESTROYS 10 invest their
means in the mlnuiactory Of cotton
5 lOod,. came 10 Richmond To Inspect IN,
, Watcr-pONer Of the falls OF james river
I and were actually in the progress 81 con-
| tracing foI the necessary wdter.rlghl-
> when the Richmond Enquirer, then one OF
the leading psperS in the state, mcrciinSsiy
attacked them, and they forthwith abln
doned their projected enterprise and in
vested their capital at Lowell in the sam
business, which Is now one Of the LARGE
manufacturing centres in the Union. Whl
Lowell hss been and Is now Richmond
might have been and can yet be in tn
future. The Legislature should, even b!
an amendment Of the Constitution, IL neceS
l sgry, which can b. done by an amendmtn
= | without the expense Cf the call OF a con
o ycution, encourage The manufacturing in
, terCsts by eXemptiug these investment
here (rom taXatiOn) for such period a
4 their wisdom might dictate. With Oh
= great need for population, We are dom.
> sothiug, while agents from western IN,
northern States are found IN all the coun
irie. u Europe showing them advantage
i and Inviting Immigration 10 them.
C The present General Assembly is, in Go
% talents and abilities OF It's members, "a
better than an average one. Al the mem
hers were selected = candidates and clecte'
AZ members in the recent sharp politica
C. contest for The supre macy OF thc stat
IS when both IaItieS put forth before Tn
). people their best men.
Tie settlement OF the State debt upon tn
p tasisnOw recognized hy both parties must b
> further enforced 10y legislation shown o. b.
e necessary by the recent progress Of events
4 Federal courts have made new decision
, against Us. \ tender OF coupons has beef
decided TO be 4 payment u taxes, and Tn
Journals asd their correspondents are nov
discussing, To whom do the rejected C0u
/ / p0us belong after the tax has been leyic
I Tor and collected by the treasurer. ana
has been collected out Of hil by the tax
payer in the shape Of damages? Surel
: this matter ought 10 be settled by law.
Several treasures who collect larg
amounts OF taxes from the cities wher
coupons can be readily obtained have m
nounced their determination, which the
are acting on, TO receive all the coupons tina
are offered, in justice 30 themselves and thci
surehes, who do not like 10 be put to tlr
I. annoyance Of suits before Federal courts
aud their course is commended by respecta
BILE journals. The supreme struggle be
tween the State and the bondholders Is q
hand, snd she should prepare for it. Shal
the Democratic party in the Legislature
plead "nOR c0mpOs meEtis"2 IL Ia
pledged itself before the people to carr
out and enforce this settlement. In view
OF The contest for the next regular session
foiesbsdOwed by our losses in the recen
election, shall We imperll the State b.
giving The Republicans the excuse 10 Fais'
the cry that we have not redeemed Ou
pledgef II Is not the object OF this pape
, 10 suggest or recommend how this shoult