The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-02-13

hA
The House voted down tho Parks sub
s,i,ute for the Murphy whipping posi-
ssr which ends the ngnL The Legisia-
Il 80. vii not at this session pass any ac'
81 h.ve crime punished with stripes
4oirt resolution was passed inviting Con
sr~ose,,,on EaNey. oil Texas. 10 address the
member Of the Legislature ON the Po-
,,,tcal questions OF the day on February
ed
The Scna q Proceedings.
Tho senate met with prayer by Rev
c. X. hyde 49,, ..,.
communication was received IRON
Tho Governor vctoinC Senate hlli No -
On IN, ground thar ne signed House Dill
~ % vhicb was a duplicate of the one
vetoed. .
.omr,unicafion stating that In response
10 "a resolution passed by the senate ne
had spent considerable time IN eAanih-
Inc the bonds Of treasurers but had not
found the time 10 examine bonds OF
clerks OF courts and could not without
dc,rimenf To the public service complete
mis- work during the session of the
Thcre was a debate over a resolution
offered by Mr. Mcllwaine providing that
during the remainder OF the session I'VE
rnembcrs shall constitute "a quorum OF
Messrs. Wickham. Maynard and Clement
and advocated by Messrs. Mcllwaine'
Morris. and Foster
The resolution was defeated by vote
M IA ayes 10 Is noes-a two-thrds vote
being necessary TO adopt II.
on Mr.. Mason's motion Senator A.
Lincoln Dryden. OF the Maryland Legs
laturo was accorded the privileges OF the
floor
Mr.. Fairfax called up and had passed
under a suspension of the rules the bill
defining I'm whose name bonds shall be
listed and taxed.
EMPLOYERS LIABILITY BILL.
The EMPLOYERS liability bill came up
IA the special order at 1890 o'clock and
Mr. Withers addressed the Senate in
support OF t. In the beginning of his
remarks he referred TO Senator Mush-
bach's witty inquiry a few days ago as
TO whether or not this was the bill that
would make the relatives OF man
killed IN a saw mill regret that he had
not been killed on a railroad. The an
swer 10 the witticism was that the meas
ure might be called an act that would
make the relatives Of man killed on
railroad thank heaven that he was not
killed I'm a saw mill.
The question had been asked. Mr..
Withers said. who was asking the pass
age of this act In reply he would in
aure as TO who was opposing the meas
ure. Il pause for a reply" said he. IF
any Senator can answer ] would like
10 hear from him. No one replies and l
will venture the assertion that the ques-
ito will not be answered directly during
this debate. II may be answered in
directly by ingenious argument"
AN ENGINEERS APPEAL.
Mr. Withers said he had been person
ally approached by only one person in
favor OF this bill. a member of the
brotherhood OF Locomotive Engineers
came 10 see him in his office at Danville
and gave MIN a copy of the En-
( blowers Liability Act passed by the
North Carolina Legislature. The en-
gineer requested him TO use his influence
I'm behalf of such a law for Virginia. For
reasons that could be guessed the engi-
neer asked that his name be not made
public. The labor organizations of Rich
mond and the political clubs of this city
were asking the passage Of the BILL
The lawyers as a rule al over the Com
monwealth wanted the act TO become a
law.
Having said this much as preface TO
his remarks Mr.. Withers went into a
lengthy legal argument rs TO the need
OF such a law defining the liability Of
employers for the death or injury of an
employee as the result of the negligence
OF fellow employee.
Mr.. Withers compared the fellow SER
want doctrine with government by in
Junction and he did not believe there was
Virginia Senator who would attempt TO
defend the doctrine Of government by
injunction
Mr.. Withers spoke for more than two
-
Senators and the spectators. He spent
considerable time In replying to the an
4 ficipated argument that the passage OF
the act would result in cutting down the
wages of the railroad employees. He
read figures as to the wages paid en-
ployees on the Alabama and Great South
ern road ana compared them with the
wages paid 10 employees of the Norfolk
and Western and the Chesapeake and
Ohio roads The figures showed that
the wages in Alabama where there was
an employees liability act in effect were
larger than in Virginia where there was
no such law
In concluding his argument. Mr.. with
ers said that to pass this bill would be
an act OF humanity and Justice He
would like 10 see this bill made an issue
IN a campaign. The result would be that
many Senators who oppose it would be
retired To private life. He was no enemy
of corporations. but wanted only TO place
upon them proper and just restrictions.
This bill would not die. II should not die
and n necessary the question should be
submitted 10 the people and then 1t would
be seen who was behind the bill.
At the close OF Mr. Withers' address
the Senate adjourned.
MR.. BAILEY INVITED.
The Senate ooncurred in the House
resolution 10 invite Congressman Joseph
W. Bailey TO address the Legislature on
the political questions OF tho day on
February 18th
Later in the day the vote was recon-
. fidored and February 22d was substituted
for February 2Sth. on Mr. Floods motion
A GOOD ROADS MEASURE.
A bill was offered by Mr.. Munford (No
457l: To provide for a State highway
commission. defining its powers and maxi
ing an appropriation 10 defray the ex-
penses of the same. IL provides that the
Governor shall as soon as practicable af-
ter July LIST next appoint seven persons TO
represent eacn OF the national divisions
OF the Stale. The commission shall make
compilation OF all laws In relation 10
highways and 20 investigate as far as
possible the results obtained and 10. make
recommendations TO the General Assem-.
bly, The commission shall serve without
pay except the secretary but all travel
ing expenses shall be paid. The sum OF
500 TO pay the expenses Of the COM
mission is provided for.