Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-02-13
IS HUNG UP
THE SESSION PASSES, hut RE
TuENCnMENr II WAITING.
4 SURPLUS IN THE TREASURY,
. Member of the senate Finance
committee says the Cutting Down
Of Expenses IL Not Neccssnry--A
League Against Retrenchmcnt.

oThcre is not that urgent need OF re-
,ronchment. of which so much is said these
6evs: the state is not bankrupt; there Is
S-o0O on deposit TO Nirginia's credit IN
eliza various banks OF Richmond; there
Will be plenty OF money in the Treasury
Oh, meet every obligation until 1898. pro-
,..fed revenues do not decrease or expen-
5.tures Increase
THESE were the words OF one OF the
Woodworking members Of the Finance
committee OF the Senate to a Dispatch
,oDortor last night lie said 1t was not
Generally known that the State received
annually as dividends from her stock in
,ro Richmond, Fredericksburg and Poto-
mac railroad $4,000, and that this had
n.en accommodating untn it has reached
total Of over a third OF million dollars.
This fund is available for the payment
~ the $4,000 additional interest on the
s-.te debt. which viii be due every year
beginning with 1901
GOOD. BUT NOT a NECESSITY.
The Senator. therefore, thinks that
while retrenchment in the abstract is
GOOD thing. the necessity Of 1t as the
means OF avoiding bankruptcy does not
exist senator Flood recently made, IN
debate. a statement similar TO the
f,rseoing. and it is fact, com
nented upon by many, that the
members of the Finance commit
tors Of the two houses have since the
opsning Of the present session, frequently
made certain mysterious illusions 10
reserve fund. and other concomitants OF
wealth. that went 10 create the impress
sion that they had something up their
sleeves. II is presumed that this surplus
from the States railway interests is that
90 which they referred
IL may be said that IL Is exceedingly
f,rtunate If the State has not to depend
uron the present Legislature adopting re-
trenchment measures in order to avoid
EMBARRASSMENT Very little in that line
has so far been done. 1t is the deliberate
irdgment of those recognized as most
familiar with the sentiment of the two
houses that nothing will be done.
THE TUNE HAS CHANGED.
AT the beginning of the present session,
"retrenchment and reform" was upon
every tongue. the refrain heard in the
halls of legislation. in the corridors, III
hotel Hobbies. For the first few days the
voices that united in the general song
we're in perfect accord and sweet was
The music in the air of the Capitol. Reso-
luton after resolution was offered, and
bills looking TO cutting down expenses,
aboiishing offices. and increasing the
states revenues poured in from every
quarter. Then the committees got to
work and not only reported most of the
bills sent 10 them. but presented quite a
number on their own account Especially
was this true of the special committees,
TO whose attention the subject Of re-
trenchment was committed AS yet but
few Of the bills or recommendations Of
this character have been enacted into
law. ond the lawmakers seem very much
divided as 70 the prOpriety OF adopting
the great majority of them. The finance
committees of the two houses are now
graphing with many measures OF this
character.
INFRINGEMENT HUNG UP.
Most of the bills coming under the head
Of "Retrenohment and Reform are now
hung up. The bill 10 reduce the salaries
OF the clerks Of the Senate and House is
dangling faDm a hook in this legislative
smOke-hOuse, as are also those reducing
the fees Of jailers and the fees of magls-
trates. These measures failed TO receive
the constitutional vote necessary for their
passage. and motions 10 reconsider the
action OF the House in defeating them
were passed by until next Tuesday.
The fight on the recommendations of
tie special committee advising reduc-
ton in the appropriations TO the several
Institutions Of the State is yet TO be
vic
10 one doubts.
An attempt was made in the House
Yesterday 10 commence the game over,
and again fall back on resolutions, but
this effort met with a signal failure. The
body realized that such a move would be
almost fatal. and would amount in
reality 10 a surrender, even before the
campaign was over.
II Is not thought probable that the bills
reducing the salaries Of the clerks Oh the
two houses will ever be sent 10 lhe
Senate II this expression be TOO strong
the only modification appropriate IS that
there IS a strong probability that they
viii not. A large percentage or the loiy
odd members who voted 10 make laui~t'
reductions have publicly declared their
determination TO vote against every mea-
f,ire OF retrenchment henceforward Or
fsred including the bills now hung up IL
would be nothing at all remarkable were
these able TO keep the measures from
getting through the lower House
In is specifically stated by these as
pleased reformers that their resolution
10 oppose all retrenchment mcluoeS re-
auctions in appropriations TO STATE III
sLtutiOns.
COMMITTEES HARD AT WORK
,,ssrvnile the Finance committees Of
.be censfe and House are at work every
night. hearing statements from leP' 80 80
tstives OF these institutions anu -.
sidering reports preparatory 10 itamlns
the approprlation bills. 1t Is tnoushe
those win be introduced in the two.houses
ahout Friday or Saturday, possibly 40
late as Monday or Tuesday. IL requires "
preat deal OF hard work to appropriate
wisely 100000. ,~,>-,
MONEY FOR INSTITUTIONS.
rbcre viii be no great reductions re-
commended by the Senate Finance I'm
roitfee AZ least in appropriations 70 puD-
Wo lnstitutions. This is the OPINION "a
rroqeed nv a member Of the coninil,ee'
a. ssid the last Democratic conVent'on
~ thc soto commended the LEGISLATURE
for ifs fostering care Of State inst''u'ions
and he thought II would not De IN acoo.u
with the last party platform |" l,.a~s
great reductions Whether TINS appl neS
m institutlons the adjustment OF WhoSe
appropriations was recomihehueu ~
special committee Is not hho"n, x,,.t.
The bills and resolutions OF Mr. ~ ~