The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-03-09
SESSIONS WORK
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT NEW LAWS.

The Debt Question, which l. Regarded n
Settled and Uu-ettled-rabor Law
Lee. BIrthday-The Acts Inapproved
by the Governor.
Now that the General Assembly has adj
iourned, a brief review OF it, legislation will
be Of interest. especially as opinions of
what was done are so varying.
The convict labor law Is regarded with q
great deal Of favor, and it will. il is thought.
bring in about $4,000 or S2j,ooOper annum.
The tax bill has been so adopted that more
revenue than usual will be reaped from the
ordinary sources. The law TO tax charters
was capital measure, and has al
ready brought in about $1,000. II
is thought that it will pay about 100000 q
wear. The bill 90 enable tax collectors 90
take timber rs well as personal property
for taxes. will certainly have tendency 10
reduce the delinquent tax ny IN tne cvuh
Try. The appropriation nil' when con
lains all the appropriations maue lor tn'
next two wears. except some few triilinl
appropriations in private acts. was framed
with much care. and shows a reduction al
State expenses in the criminal and other
departments.
fhe Legislature did full justice 10 char
tiers. and more acts Of incorporation were
passed hs it than any previous Assem-
bly. This looks well Tor the growth Oh the
enterprises and the development OF the re-
sources Of the state.
The military bin got through The Senate.
but not the House. The oyster. and pay
patient bills ran the gauntlet through BOTH
but failed before His Excellency.
STATE DEBT.
Ast0 the State debt, this statement was
made few DAYS ago by Senator Moore:
early in the session the Council OF
Foreign BOndhOlders in London sent COM
municatiOn % the authorities here pro
posing a further conference on the DEBT.
The letter clearly showed that the council
looked for better terms than those Of the
Rddlehcrger act, and that this expectation
was founded on the assumption that there
il a great increase OF taxable values IN
virginia. and is about TO be. therefore. a
great increase Of revenue. There being
nothing to justify such am assumption, ana
there being no reason 10 hold out 10 the
council any hope Of a. material departure
from the Riddleberger act. new con-
ference was thought undesirable. 30 mucn
for the London council.
"But there has been some legislation Of an
important character Bills have been
passed 10 locate the Jurisdiction Of coupon
yerihcatiOn cases in the circuit courts, di-
yesting the corporation and county courts
Of jurisdiction; TO provide for different lu-
ries 10 try the cases; 20 put the granting of
liquOr-liceuses i'm the hands Of excise board,
i'm the cities. and 20 require the payment OF
license.taXes i'm installments. These mea-
silres will work. and however pending cases
may be decided, coupons Will not flow into
the Treasury.
The position now is just this Inc
State offers the Riddleberger settlement
and she offers it in such good faith that for
the present the Legislature has declined 10
nut "A limit 20 the time Of acceptance; she
cannot offer more. and she viii not. As
long as her offer is declined she will in self
defense prevent the use of coupons, and this
she can do successfully. She is able 10
make provision for the interest ON the entire
Riddleberger debt when all bonds are fund.-
cd. i'm spite Of statements to the contrary,
for there are one or two subjects OF taxation
10 which she can at any moment easily fe-
sort and beng able t0 do this, bat not % go
beyond this. she has raised commisslos
made up OF the Governor and others who
are authorized 90 deal with the creditors of
the state. or any one who comes forward
empowered TO bind the creditors Of his ac-
ton