The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-01-14
NORFOLK AND WESTERN ROAD
Bill For Reorganization Passes
Both Houses.
Other Work OF the State Legislature
Neutrality-suspicious. TO Keep the Public
Library Opep at Night-BM for Horse
Racing and Pool Selling and Soldiers,
Home-BaiI in Criminal oases-Leets.
Iative Notes.

RICHMOND, Vs., Jan. 13.-The COM
mistee on finance will tomorrow morn
Ing consider the matter of making an
appropriation to keep the library open
at night. 1t is said there will be OPP
position to the scheme. The advocates
OF the night opening arc willing to cut
OIL the appropriation for running the
elevator, but they will fight for keep
ing the library open. The city OF
Richmond pays the salary Of the as
aistant librarian, who service the inc
stit9tion at night, and the Stase will
be put to very little expense. The
keeping OF the library open ct night is
not only Of advantage to the people of
hichmcnd, but to many students and
other seekers after knowledge who
come here from other partH Of tho State.
Inc house to-day passed the bill al
thorlzinR the reorganization of the Nor
folk and Western railroad. This
measure has passed the senate and now
goes to the governor for his approval.
IL 10 expected that the bill offered by
Mr; heooy on Saturday, making horse
racing and pool selling lawful for fifteen
days In the spring and fifteen days in
the fall, will come up In the morning
before the committee on counties, cities
and towns. A number of horsemen will
appear In Its behalf. The governor sent
3 special message to the legislature in
transmitting the report of the board of
visitors of the soldiers home. The
boards ask for an additional appropria-
ton OF $4,000 this year and Sl0, 600 next
year; $4,000 of the SIG. 600 to be used in
greeting new buildings. Governor
o,Ferrall hopes the general assembly
VIII grant this increase, especially when
the additional amount will not exceed
three -tenths OF one cent on the hundred
dollars this year and only one-hfth Of
one cent next year..
There wss O somewhat lengthy dis.
cussion In the house over Mr.. Parker's
BILL amending section 1920 of the code
with reference to bail in criminal
cases. This measure Ia intended to
meet such cases as tho celebrated
"Rolo brick" case. It provides that
when q county or corporation Judge
refuses bail. appeal shall be made to a
circuit judge and to the court of sp-
peals. In other words, 1t seeks to pre-.
vent q person from applying for bail
TO eseounty or corporation Judge when
Dali has been refused by q Judge Of q
similar court. Mr.. Diggs opposed the
btl! and Messrs. Saunders, Parker and
MoRse favored 1t. The bill was ordered
to its engrossmeut.
"A BILL YVES offered in the house by
nr' winston to authorize and empower
the several boards of visitors to the
institutions Of this State to investigate
the management of their institution or
the conduct Of any of it's officers or EN-.
ployea.
mere Is q strong and gro wing senti-
mene In favor OF requiring all public
officers OF trust in the State to give bond
through some guarantee company. The
hntiquated unbusinesslike method of
giving surety by having officers hand in
bonds signed by their cousins and aunts
ana friends and neighbors liz fast grow.
ing into dlsrepute. All the argument
seems to be in favor OF the guarantee
company bond, and an examination of
the records under the old method will
snow q very black spot on Virginia
State history. The loss to the State
during Inc past decade foots up exceed
ing half a million dollars while the loss
20 the coulties exceeds this amount.
Many counties show uncovered losses
by defalcation of officers of as much as
hfty Thousand dollars. Bedford county
shows q loss Of exceeding sixty thou
sand dollars.
The Walton election law advocates
arc counting noses, and If they find
enough will boldly demand q caucus on
the election laws. The advocates of
the Walton law are 8 solid, %unshakable
body. Those who are opposed to the
Walton law are 80 divided as TO the real
needs in the line of an election law that
they have but little strength. There
are caucus Democrats here who are as
much In favor Of an honest election law,
and as much opposed to the Walton law
as any of the honest election members,
but the Walton law crowd have the
party whip we'll in hand and do not
hesitate to use 1t to scatter this ele-
ment and prevent them from getting
together on an election measure.
Senate Claytor's Roanoke iuh bill has
passed the senate and Is now in the
house.
a home IN ASHES.
The House of the Clerk of King George