The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-02-10
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Legislature Cu|S Here 0ld There 10
Reduce Expenses,
SENATE CALENDAR BADLY CROWDED
Penitcntinry Improvement Meota
Win Opposition-Ea Favorable Re.
port on Abolishing Department OF
AEricniiu ro-Insurnnco Mattcrs
Kecciro Attention.
CALENDAR BADLY CROWDED
Especial Dispatch to The Virglnian)
Richmond Va Feb o 1898

NoPeeiaI blSpatcn 10 Inc prginian.)
Richmond, Va, Feb. 0, 1898
Mr. Powell offered in the House q
bill TO incorporate the Newport News
Military Academy. Col l.. w. HUFF
man is the president Of the instltu-
tlon. The bill authorizes the academy
TO own property to the value of 100000.
~ bill was introduced In the House
by MT. Montague to amend the char
ter Of the town of Hampton.
Norfolk and Portsmouth have asked
Tor less local legislation this session
IMAM in many years Another fact
worthy of remark Is that there hnve
been no fights thus far between. the
two cities.
The House has finally succeeded in
liking the salaries OF its clerk and
the clerk OF the Senate. After con-
siderable debate to-day it was agreed
to make the pay OF Colonel Bigger
$1,000 per year, & reduction Of 5000,
and make Clerk Buttons salary 81 100
per annum. q reuctlon Of $780, Under
the present law Clerk Bigger receives
certain fees as keeper of the rolls,
which he will not hereafter receive,
provided the Senate concurs in the
action OF the House.
The House has passed the Parker
Dill, which was 4 substitute for the
one reported by the retrcnchment and
reform committee. regulating the pay
or city sergcants and sherins This
| measure Is the one referred 10 In this
report yesterday. It reduces the fees
Tor Keeping prisoners, where there are
more than ten in n prison. Those
who are affected by the reduction will
make n big fight on the bill in the
Senate.
| The Senate Committee on Privileges
and Elections las been called to meet
In the Senate chamber at o'clock
Friday night to receive recommends
tions rs to who shall constitute tho
Electoral Boards for the counties and
cities. A number of changes are going
TO he made. Several members of the
boards are gold Democrats and refus-
ed to vote for Mr.. Bryan. 1t Is UNDER
$1,000 that these will certainly in most
| cases not be rcappointcl.
| The Senate with few dissenting votes
passed the Barksdale resolution to al
| low the people to vote on the question
OF amending the constitution so as to
abolish county and circuit courts and
to substitute district courts. Every
| Senator who spoke TO the resolution
with the exception II MIR. Morris, was
In favor of the change. Mr.. Barks-
dale will follow this bill up with an
| amendment to abolish the office Of
commemorative Attorney and to pro-
| vide for district attorneys.
| The Senatorial primary bill was not
considered by the Senate BY agree
| mcnt 1t was passed by and madr. the
| special order for next Tuesday
Most of the time OF the Senate was
taken UP in the consideration of the
bill to erect additional buildings at the
penitentiary The amendment to strike
out the provision for the use Of convict
labor so far as practicable was voted
| down, but Mr.. Letchcr's amendment to
| limit the cost to 100000 was adopted
| Mr.. Flood led the fight on the BILL and
| Mr.. Keezell was the foremost advocate
of It. Mr.. Flood did not think there
was an crying need of this proposed i'm
| provement at this time.
| The Senate calendar is fearfully
| crowded. For two days but little work
has been done on it., owing to the i'm
| portant subjects that had to be dis
| cussed. Most of the bills on the call
endar are local in their application.
Senator Flood made the statement to-
day that the State Treasury Is not in
such bad condition as most people i'm
| agine. He said he had been doing a
| little investigation on his own hook,
and would soon be able to present the
Senate with some figures of much in
| tereSt.
IF the Legislature expects to get
| through with the WOlK before IL Dy the
time the session expires by law, night
| sessions will soon have to be held. 1t
IL generally thought that when the
ninety days have expired there will be
so many important bills pending that
the members will have to stay here
about ten days without pay and work.
| The Senate Committee on Agriculture
decided this evening to report fayora-
! bly, the bill to abolish the department
| Of agriculture and to have the fertilizers
| inspected at Blacksburg.
The Senate COMMITTEES on General
| Laws this morning made the Wharton
I'LL lpli,hilItting combinations among
Insurance companies for the purpose
of controlling rates the special order
! for Friday night at O'clock
Senate bill No. 146. to require fire in
surancc companies doing BUSINESS in
| this State to refund to pllcy holders
| a cerain proportion Of the premiums
| paid in certain cases, was reported with
amendments. MIR. Turnbull Is the pa
tron of the measure. OH
House bill requiring pawnbrokers to
close their places OF business from
p. m. TO q. M, except Saturday, and
ID require every person who hangs out
a pawnbrokcrs sign ITO buy a pawn.
| brokers' license was reported favorabIy.
The lobby at the Capitol is steadily
| Increasing. Each day adds to the num-
Continued on Fifth PaSe.l