The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-12-26
WITH OUR LAWMAKERS.
SOME OF THE WORK TO BE DTsP0s-
ED OF BY THE LEGISLATURE
The judges OF the Court OF Appssls-Ths
oyster Indnstry-Proper Care OF Lu-
n,tics-war Against Fertilizers.

Nil ~
sirst week. however. will be taken up will
w~Irc-puIing and log-rolling, although
Is pretty wei! understood that the SLATE
Tor the Judges OF the Supreme Court o.
Appeals has been practically agreed upon
As far as j have been able 10 ascertain
;hc Democratic majority OF the tive
houses have agreed on Speaker Cardwel
md Judge Mann. Of Nottoway, to nh two
u the Ave seats. II Is also almost de-
ciced that Mr.. Horsley. OF Lynchburg'
win be the third judge. while 1t IS con-
ceded by all that Judge Rhea, OF Bristol
will be Judge No. 4. II he so desires.
The present law makes 1t obligatory
FOR one Of the Judges 20 reside IN the city
OF Richmond. and la consideration OF TINS
provision he receives a salary OF N,OOO'
while the other Judges receive only 5000,
and the presiding judge 500. A law mas
already been introduced which intends 20
do away with the obligatory provision
Tor a resident judge, and the salary OF the
presiding judge Is 20 be fixed at $40,
while his associates are TO receive WV.
The Oyster Question.
There are at present only comparatively
few bills before the various committees
and the calendars Of the two houses were
cleared before the recess was taken. Va
rious parts Of the Governors message
have been referred 10 the proper com
mittees. with a view Of securing some
wholesome legislation. The oyster question
will again take Up q good portion OF the
time Of our lawmakers. and an attempt
viii he made 20 secure q uniform rental
Of the oyster beds AZ the rate Of 81 per
acre. II IS also intended TO bring the
oyster industry under the control OF a
spocial department. with a shell-fish com
missioner at fits head, whose headqudr-
ters are 10 be somewhere in the lid
water district. Heretofore all matters
concerning the oyster industry have been
referred 10 the BOARD OF the Chesapeake
and its Tributaries. That body consists
Of the Governor. the Auditor of Public
Accounts. and the State Treasurer. All
three officials are kept busy with their
other office duties. and It has been next
20 impossible for them TO give the neceS-
sary time TO the oyster industry. IN all
probability. therefore, that board will be
abolished and it's authority conferred on
The shell-fish commissioner
Proper Care of Lunatics.
Another department which Will require
a good deal Of attention and a thorough
revision Of the existing laws. is the main
tenance and care Of the lunatic asylums.
IfIlflIE TIC IAEl SESSION OF the 1HElSll- |
ture q special commission was appointed
by the Governor. with Dir. w. w. Parker.
Of this city. as presiding officer. IT was
the duty Of thc commission 10 look into
the administration and management of
the various institutions 10 ascertain
whether the method Of receiving patients
might be improved upon. The commits
sion has come 10 the conclusion that the
present system Is greatly at fault, and
that there are "A good many inmates I'm
the various asylums VINO should have
never been received. 10 will also be re-
commended TO have the serious and in
durable cases concentrated in one insti-
futon, and have the other asyIums set
aside for the reception Of ~lunatics Of a
less serious character. In view OF the
fact that the numbe of these unfortu-
nate patients Is steadily increasing, il viii
be necessary TO increase the appropriation
made two years ago. and i'm several in
stances the facilities Of housing the in
mates will have to be enlarged.
Reducing Criminal ENptnse..
A subject which will give ample food
10 the brains Of the many lawyers in
the two houses will be the question Of
securing the best possible legislation TO
reduce the criminal expenses. Some two
years ago the Court of Appeals decided
that under the existing law each accused
could insist In criminal cases upon his
right 10 be tried by a jury. This dccis-
ion OF course greatly added to the ex-
penses TO be incurred by criminal pro-
cedures. 10 is uow the Intention Of the
lawmakers 60 change the law so as 10
admit OF the trial Of minor criminal Of
fences in other ways than by juries.
Hitting at the Fertilizers.
For the next two weeks the Commit
tee on Agriculture and Mining will have
10 wrestle with the fertilizer bill. which
has been introduced in the House by Mr..
Cabeii, by request. The bill is consid-
cred an obnoxious one by the manufac-
turers OF fertilizers. and it is understood
that the measure originated with persons
who are interested in the sale Of lime
I'm lieu OF fertilizers. The opponents of
the bill claim that the tax Of ten cents
per ZOO pounds provided for in the bill
would hit the wrong parties, for It would
not be paid for by the manufacturers,
but by the farmers who purchase the
fertilizers. Another great injustice. II
t. claimed, would be imposed by the pro-
vision which cOmpels manufacturers to
attach t~aX-tags To the various packages.
il. for instance. a mistake should be made
by attaching Georgia tags TO packages
destined 10 South Carolina, a good deal
Ni NtiaN NRhft ne tdhStHt 80f the EethS |
could only be delivered after the mis-
take had been rectihed.
Another great injustice would be the
requirement Of having the fertilizers come
at least lG per cent. of the analysis
published by the manufacturers II Is
by the latter that their articles
may fully come up TO the conditions pre-
hcrlhed i'm the hill. and yet the small
sample selected for an official analysis
no. show the various ingredients i'm
their actual proportions.
Tax nE Mineral Lands.
A biz is being prepared by Senator
Sands and MIR. Fentress. Of the House.
based on the report OF the special COM
mittee on taxation Of mineral lands soon
90 be submitted TO the legislature. The
bll Will of course. he severely opposed
by the owrers OF mineral lands. whose
taxes are 20 be raised I'm order 20 bring
about a better equalization of the taxes.
II Is 10 be hoped. in the interest Of
the State. that the labOrious work Of the
committee shall not have been ia
vain. In all likelihood the bill will also
Tor a State board Of equalization.
whose labors have been very successful
In other States.
other Measures.
Among other bills Of a general charac-
ter 20 be introduced during the present
session will be those increasing the sala-
Of the circuit judges. corporation
etc. An EFFORT Will also be made
TO secure the passage of some general
road law and general game law. The
great difficulty, however. has been hereto
that whenever such a bill OF a gen.
eral character has been introduced some
great wiseacres from the backwoOds have
risen fearing that the prODOsed hin mieht