Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-12-09
HAVE PLENTY TO DO.
MATTERS VOW uPpERMosT IN THE
MINDS or LAWMAKERS.
THE EXPLORERS LIABILITY BILL
mn. Committee WIN Hoid a Special
yse,,uE 10 Consider i'--A Ne"
p,,n for pccrcnsing Cs'imin"i EN-
us,.cs-Lone and short Biiis.

,,y.rfv-fonr members NJ TINS pouy' an"
On are LAWYERS. consequently the delioera-
lions ~ tbc committee are not conducted
o,,e as Quaker meeting would be-
Mr. Dlges. OF King William. in the alb
senee Of she chairman. Mr.. Saunders
presided.
The biz introduced by Mr. saunders. 10
regulate how joint stock companies. re-
ceivers. assgnees. trustees and creditors
shall proceed g. collect subscriptions OF
aoek from the subscribers. was taken
IN. and after some discussion was re-
ported fayorably. General Hundiey ap-
neared btfore the committee In advocacy
~ The measure. The General was the
patron Of q similar bin, which was enact
ed into a law az the last session out
there were some defects In the measure
as recently decided in case before ms ,,
court Of Appeals. and Mr.. SAUNDERS Dill
proposes 70 correct these' -.
senate En No. p. in regard TO the sale
Of delinquent lands, was next presenter
IN tba committee for action. and the
measure WIS referred TO a subcommittee,
,orsistins, of Nessts. Watkins, Winborne,
Darker and Hicks. Upon motion OF MT.
willard. Alr. Diggs was also added TO
the committee Senate Bill No. -.
companion measure, was also referred 10
this committee.
EMPLOYERS LIABILITY BILL.
Mr.. Reddy. OF Richmond. then stated
that he had introduced a rather important
bill. and desired that il be acted upon by
the committee as soon as possible, as
mere was likely 10 be considerable OPP
position TO Il from certain quarters. Inc
measure in question was known as the
employers liability BILL II was eX-
actly similar 10 q measure introduced at
the last session. and which was faVorabiy
reported by the committee then. III was
suggested by Mr.. Parker that as num-
Der OF persons would probably desire TO
nnpear before the committee when this
bin was considered that a special meet
ing be held FOR that purpose. lie MADE
"A motion that this meeting be held next
Monday AZ =. ~, in the hall OF the
House of Delegates. when all persons IN
terested In the measure would be accorded
a heariHg. This motion was agreed 10.
The committee then decided 10 meet
regularly on Monday, Wednesday. and
T~lday 70 ID a. H.
The committee then adjourned.
LONG AND SHORT OF IT.
some bills which are introduced in the
two houses OF the General Assembly
cover page after page of typewriter
manuscript, and appear quite formidable
indeed. but which when carefully scrlti-
nized. are found 10 be. as Mr.. Pitcher
would express Il, "full Of wind" They
are gotten out Of the way without hair
a dozen members being aware of their
introduction. But the shortest bill pre-
scented at this session OF the legislature
and probably az any, will no doubt cause
a fight quite out Of proportion IN COM
parison to the length OF the measure The
bin referred TO was introduced yesterday
In the House by 1Ir Il. W. l.. Blanton,
and reads as follows: 1T is hereby en-
acted that demurrers 90 evidence are
abolished in Virginia. This act shall take
efiect from its passage" a prominent
member Of the House, when he glanced at
'.the text OF the bill. predicted tho scenes
which would soon follow. The measure
he said. would place the power of deciding
cases when suit for damages is brought
entirely in the hands Of the jury. NOW
look out for the railroad lawyers, he said,
nd see how kindly they take to the mea-
lure.
THE RAPPAHANNOCK CONTEST.
Hon. George W. Settle and Captain r.
A. Parks. delegates from Rappahannock
.ountv have declared themselves in
,ayor Of the nomination of Mr.. a.. NJ
Dudley to the county judgeship, and the
latter's supporters seem conhdent. Judge
James $. StrOther, who has for twenty
seven years held the position OF Judge
has a strong delegation here. which
claims 10 represent a large haJoil'y VI
the Democratic voters of the county. TIE
lta fuyn
strong ana came near resulting in per-
sonal encounter in the lobby at Murphy
yesterday.
TO REDUCE EXPENSES.
Mr.. ]. c. Parker, Of Southampton, mas
a plan for the reduction of the criminal l
expenses OF the state. which he will soon
formulate into a bill. He proposes that
the burden of payment of salaries Oh
county iudges. shcriffs. and Common
yvealths attorneys. be shifted from the
counties 10 the state, and that the otheI
criminal expenses now paid out OF tho
State Treasury, be paid by the couhues.
He thinks the latter VIII be very hlu0u
reduced because Of having to pass uhuei
the eyes Of the supervisors, whicn Is no'
now the case He also thinks that by
0Otng tho salaries Of Judges according 10
the population of their counties, or as
tricts the total OF these VIII be very
much lesscncd, because il viii be much
moro difficult TO increase the salaries IN
individual cases. than it is under the
present law.
A FOOTBALL. LEGISLATION.
Mr.. n. Il. Early. OF Madison and Green,
Is ''laying'' for Senator Barksdale's anti
football bill, and when 1t comes up in the
House he will make a rush upon H.
characteristic OF the great game ne advo-
Gates. No one has a better right to cham
pion the sport than he. Mr.. Early lor
ihree wears was centre rush on the team
OF the University OF Virginia, and cialrhs
that he has played football as much as
anv man in the state. During his entire
football career he says he has never re-
ceiyed any injuries worth mentioning and
bears no scars as a result OF his fondness
for the sport. He Is opposed to legislating
In order to hush the protests of Few
tAiearnsh women
NOTES AND GOSSIP.
The newly-appolnted committees of the
General Assembly viii find many bills
awaiting their attention. A large num-
Der OF bills have been introduced and
referred, many OF them of great inn
portance. The committee meetings will
begin to-day. and hereafter now nearly
every member OF the Senate and House
will have a committee meeting The
greater number OF these Will be held In
the morning from 10 till II o'clock.
Beyond the practical certainty OF re-
trenchment legislation, II is not possible
20 forecast the work Of this legislature
Bills have already been offered providing
Cor changes in the present election law,