Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-02-18
THE COST OF CRIMES.
e. eveN BILLS PASS THE SENATE
LOOKING TO iTs REDUCTION.
propositIon to Let the People Vote on tho
Question Of Limiting Funding-srueh
Other ESriness.

tsp. Hon. John L. Hurt. No prayer.
The Senate agreed to the amendment
proposed by the House to the bill extending
Tho time for the collection of taxes in the
county of Mecklenburg for the year 1889.
large number Of bills were reported
from committees. One Of the number was
the measure that originated in the House
IN nreyent selling or furnishing cigarettes
or tobacco in any form. or pistols, dirks,
or bowie-knives to minors under sixteen
wears of age, which was reported without
| amendment.
On motion of Mr.. Lovenstein the four
| House bills Passed on Saturday authorizing
tho consolidation Of tho street-railway
| lines of Richmond were directed to be
communicated to the House, 80 that they
may go to the Governor without delay.
PRESENTED AND REFERRED.
Nv Mr.. Harrison: To incorporate the
Winchester Street-Railway Company.
By Mr.. Little: TO amend and reenact
section 245S of the Code of Virginia, in re-
card TO fraudulent acts that are void.
| fThe design of this bill is to prevent any
person who has made conveyance which
| Il proven TO have been fraudulent from
coming in and claiming tho homestead ex-
| emption.l u,
By Mr.. Roberts: For the relief of the
sureties of John g. Gray, late treasurer OF
Washington county.
| PRESENTED AND PUT ON THE CALENDAR.
BY Mr.. Roberts (by requesD: To
| authorize the Board Of Supervisors Of Rus
sell county to issue and sell or otherwise
| dispose Of bonds of the county fol. the pur-
pose Of building bridges, &c.
BY Mr.. Turner: To regulate the time OF
taking oysters in the waters of Broad bay,
&C., in the county Of Princess Anne.
WEST VIRGINIA LAND-BooKs.
| Mr.. Jones called up the Joint resolution
| offered on the Sd of January by Mr.. Hurt
| directing the Auditor of Public Accounts
| TO turn over certain land-books Of the
| counties Of West Virginia. The four amend
| ments proposed by the Committee for
! Courts Of Justice were agreed to, and after
| some considerable discussion, INDUCED IN
by Messrs. Heaton. Jones, and others the
| resolution was passed by and made the
4 special order for tomorrow at o'clock.
| As amended the resolution authorizes the
Auditor of Public Accounts TO deliver to
the Governor Of West Virginia the land
| books Of the several counties of that State
! except those of such counties as lie con-
| tiguous to or adjoin the State of Virginia,
| which latter shall be copied at the expense
of the State of West Virginia and i'll such
manner as may be Indicated by the Auditor
of Public Accounts of this State, and be
certified by him. IL further provides that
the Register of the Land Office shall cause
to be copied any and all records now on
file in his office pertaining to the State of
| West Virginia, the expense Incidental TO
such copying to be betrayed by West Viz
GINA.
Mr.. Heaton thought it would be bad
precedent for this State to surrender any
of her original LANDLORDS. They should
be copied, and by home clerks at that. He
thought copies of these books, which were
made by the commissioner of the revenue
of the several counties of West Virginia,
should be found in the county clerks
| offices.
Mr.. Jones said he was not welded to the
resolution, but in his judgment there could
not result to the State any harm from its
adoption. The old books were filed away
in the garrett covered with dust and are OF
no practical value to the State.
The subject will be further ventilated to-
| morrow.
PRINCE EDWARDS COURTHOUSE.
The bill to authorize the qualified voters
of the county Of Prince Edward to vote on
the question of removal of the county
| courthouse, clerks Office. etc, to the vii
lage of Worsham came up on its passage,
and the question required on the motion OF
Mr. Hubbard to indefinitely postpone tbs
bill
This proposition Mr.. Woods, the patron
of the bill, vigorously opposed. The ,peo-
pie of the county, he insisted, should have
the right conferred upon them to vote upon
this question in which only they are inte-
rested. The subject was discussed pro and
con for nearly half hour. and then at the
suggestion of Mr.. Heaton the bill was re-
committed to the Committee on County,
Cty. and Town Organizations. This was
done in order that an amendment may be
placed on the bill providing that MAORI
ty Of the registered voters shall vote in
favor of the change before removal should
occur. MIR. Moore. who opposed the bill as
it now stands, said he would vote for it
with such an amendment. and this change
| was agreeable to the friends Of the measure.
but the bill had reached stage where it
could not be amended without being re-
committed. Hence this course.
CRIMINAL CHARGES,
The hour of o'clock having arrived, Mr..
Blackstone called for the special order
the eleven bills looking to a reduction OF
the criminal expenses of the state. Three
of these bills were presented by the
Finance Committee and eight by the Com
mittee for Courts of Justice. The provi-
sions Of all of them have been fully ex-
planned in the Dispatch. They were taken
up seridiim, commencing with those of the
Committee for Courts in their numerical
order. Most of them were passed without
opposition, but two or three of them pro-
voked prolonged and spirited discussion.
| TRANSPORTATION or coNvIcrs.
The one most opposed was that of the
Committee on Finance providing that the
Superintendent of the Penitentiary shall
| send guard or IL necessary more than
one guard out for convicts instead OF
having them brought to the penitentiary
by the county sheriffs and city sergeants
as now.
Mr.. blackstone led the opposition to this
measure. and Mr.. Stubs supported the
views Of the gentleman from Accomac,
and gave some additional reasons of his
own why in his judgment the change
would not result IN economy.
Messrs. Moore, Harrison. and others sup
ported the proposition, and the bill passed
by the following vote:
AyRs-Messrs. Barnes Harrison, Heaton.
johnson, Jones, Little, Lloyd, Lovonsteln, Moore,
Peasants, Sands, smoot, Turner. Wickham,
Woods, and Yarrell-l6
NoEs-Messrs. Blackstone. Echols, Hubbard.
Lawless. Mcdonald. Nance, Rawlins. Roberts,
aud Stubbs-9
l. WHAT HAS BEEN DONE.
When the bill providing that no fees
shall be allowed witnesses for attendance
before magistrates and police justices in
felony cases come up there was some OBJ
lection raised, but it passed. While
speaking ON this branch 81 the subject Mr..
Moore, the patron of the resolution Of in
curry which had much TO do with these bills
being prepared. said he wished to call at
tention to the fact that the Senate had not,
as had been charged elsewhere, been
unmindful of the strong popular demand
and imperative necessity for an economi-
cal administration of the government
and that the Senate, whether sue
cessful or not III its effort to
reduce expenses. had at least worked
diligently to bring about that result.
Certainly some scucess had already attend
ed these efforts. A Senate bill amending
the statute under which convicts are hired
will save large amount. ASenate bill re-
| curing the payment of tax on charters
not measure to economize, but to add to
the States fnances--has become law, and
will doubtless raise considerable revenue
| in way that will not put further burdens
| on those who have the main burden of tax
alton to bear now. The Senate to-day
passes eleven bills that are designed to cut
down criminal charges. Some OF them
may prove ineffective, but several
| Of fbem havond oil nfiaefiOn will