Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-01-30

The House was called to order 81 noon
(dr. Ryan In the chair). Rev. Dr.. Kerr
offered prayer.
roans m yArnrAx AND ALEXANDRIA.
Mr.. Hume offered the following JOINT
and IL was placed on the calendar:
Rssolred bp tlas House of Delegates (ths Sen:
ate concurring), That full permission and
authority are hereby granted TO the Gov
eminent of the United States to inn
pyoye. repair, and keep in repair
bv macadam,zing or otherwise any
Of the followine-named public high
ways in the counties OK Alexandra
and FAirfax--to wit The road connecting
the Aqueduct and Chain bridges and the
roads running into the said counties or
either of them from the Aquednct BRIDGE.
the Chain bridge, the Long bridge. or any
OF them, and to that end and for that p'ir-
pose the officers and agents Of ssid Govern
ment, acting under authority OF the Con-
cress Of the United States. shall have
RIGHT at such time or times as they may
elect TO be in said counties and cntor upon
SAID roads.
COMMISSIONER OF AGRIcUrTuRr-
The bill to amend the Code In relation to
the election of the Commissioner of Agrl-
culture so az 10 make that official elective
by the General Assembly came up on JUS
passage with an amendment proposed oy
the Senate which provides that the commits
sioncr "shall be q practical farmer. whose
chief occupation at the time of his election
shall be and previous thereto shall have
been the cultivation of the soil, but any
commissioner elected under this act shall
be qualified for reelection"
The House Committee on Agriculture
and Mining proposed an amendment. 20
the Senate amendment which proposed 10
strike out oil except "shall be practical
farmer"
Mr.. J. T. Coleman ably advocated the
committees amendment. Reclaimed that
the object of the Senate amendment. &C
cording to his Interpretation, was TO force
the present incumbent out OF office: he
believed in fair play and did not think 1T
right to attempt to legislate out of office
gentleman who has made such on excellent
officer as has Colonel Whitehead.
he WAS FOR THE FABMIBs.
Mr.. Silver. of Frederick, claimed that he
was farmers representative and was one
of the committee appointed by the Farm
ers' Assembly TO urge the passage OF reso,,
luton providing that the Commissioners OF
Agriculture shall be n practical farmer.
The agricultural people. he said, were
clamoring for thislegislation. and he warm
" advocated the passage OF the Senate
amendment.
CLASS LEGISLATION.
Mr.. Saunders. of Franklin, made an ex-
celient speech in favor of the House
amendment. He said no was opposed 10
the Senate amendment on the ground thar
If was class legislation and individual dis-
elimination. Its effect was to exclude
from competition for the Office of Commis-
49,. fha nrpGpDt IncIlrn-
bent. This, was certainly very unfair
treatment of the Commissioner to adopt an
amendment so worded that while IT rem
Sered all future incumbents eligible FOL
reelection. it precluded the present ofhclai'
Mr.. Saunders declared this was tying the
hands of the Democratic caucus In al
vance. IL was in substance saying
to the friends of the incumbent, You
may hereafter be able to satisfy us by you'
testimonials endorsements, and papers II
his favofthat he would make the best com
missioner in the State. and il would be the
wisest thing to reelect him, but by JONI
resolution we have declared him to be III
eligible, and therefore it Is useless TOR yor
to present bis claims" =,
MIR. Saunders said he did not take thu
floor as a friend and champion OF Colone
Whitehead. He did not vote for him two
wears ago. and had given no friend OF hi
any reason to say he would vote tor nm
again. He was perfectly willing TO leave
the selection of a commissioner 10 th'
farmers of the House and Senate, but tina
the question at issue was one o.
simple Justice, not to exclude o.
condemn any man unheard. Let the eau
ems. he said, hear the claims, testimonials
and endorsements of all the candidates ant
then elect man who will be acceptable Il
the farmers of the State.
MIR. Saunders said he represented q larg'
farming county and would endeavor in al
his official action to promote their int
rests. Above everything else, he wanteC
fair play, and the constituency which III
represented believed in the same thing
Entertaining these views. he would vot
against the Senate amendment and In favo
Of the report of the House Agriculture
Committee.
THE FARMERS WERE ron 1T.
Mr.. Flood, of Appomattox, was in favo
| of tho Senate amendment. de was N
enemy of Colonel Whitehead, who wa
| from his section and was beloved o.
| the people of his county. He fayore'
| the bill because the farmers of the Hous
were for il. The question was, Should tn
| Senate amendment or the amendment Q
| the House committee be adopted! II In
latter the Senate will defeat the Dill. i
| the HOUSE MuulS W NnhAC VIZ ~
| the Senate they must concede to them Tn
| terms they prescribe. :,
MIR. Byrd of Allegheny, advocated tn
! House amendment.
MIR. Shepperson. of Charlotte, favore
| the Senate amendment because he though
| il was best for the farmers. He did not car
whether Colonel Whitehead was turne
down or turned up. He wanted Legislation
for the good of his people:
Mr.. Wright, of Isle of Wight. was in favo
| of the House amendment.
| FARMERS COMMITTEE.
| Mr.. Tyler, of Prince William. urged tn
| massage of the House amendment. II
claimed that q great deal had been sal
about the Farmers Assembly and Farmers
| Alliance. IL any members on this foo
| had the right and authority to speak TO
those bodies they were the committee al
| pointed by the Joint meeting Of those OF
| CARNATIONS. There were nine members al
pointed by this meeting TO look after tn
iarmers' interests. Two of these members
| MIR. TYLER said, are absent. OF the seve
present six are opposed. to the Senat
| amendment. They think by requiring IN
Commissioner to be practical farmer Is
sufficient prerequisite. lApplause;l
MIR. Hay, of Madison, said he did not bt
long to the Farmers Alliance. but be repre-
| scented "A farming community. He abb
urged the passage of the Senate amend
| ment.
| WANTED FAIR PLAY.
Mr. Downing declared that the Senat
| amendment would exclude the preser
Commission forreelection. he wanted tn
bill so amended that II would be fair I
Colonel Whitehead and to everybody els'
Mr.. Kent, of Wythe, and Mr.. Hunley, {
Mathews, advocated the House ament
| nent.
After much discussion MIR. Downin
moved to amend the Senate amendment b
making il read who was practical farm
er when elected"
This amendment was defeated.
When the name of Mr.. Gibson, OF Gu
pepper. was called. he said
MIR. Speaker, The gentleman from Gu
peper is paired with the gentleman froI
Orange. If be were here l don't kno'
how he would vote. and don't know ho
i would vote. only know we would voi
against each other" lLaughterl.
THE VOTE
The vote now required on the amen'
| rnent proposed by the House committee
| and resulted MS follows:
YkAa-hessrs Anderson. Arnolc, beSe
Berkley, Blakemore, Boss, Bolen, Booth, DO
! Kin. Br1dgeforth, Brodwater, Browning. Bur
| burton. Butler, Byrd. Cabeli. Clements, Cocl