Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-02-12
A LENGTHY DEBATE.
rur SENATE GRAPpLEs wITiE EN-
PLoYERS LIABILITy BILL.
IT IS PASSED BY UNTIL TO-DAY,
The House Defeats the BiIl Allowing
,nsticcs 60 Collect Only Half Fees
from the state-Stntc Banks and
trce SuNer-other Measured.


rrce SuVer-othcr Measures.
Tho session Of the Senate yesterday
mas devoted almost entirely TO discussion
o. the McIwaine employers liability bill.
vote was not reached, and the bill will
d., furthor discussed to-day.
The House refused 20 pass the bill al
Living justices only half fees in cases
uhere they have TO be collected from the
commonwealth.
A few measures We're passed in each
ir .nch. che most important OF which was
Che House bill which passed the Senate,
e,rthcr amending the law taxing bonds
az stocks.
The Day in the senate.
The Senate was opened with prayer by
rev c. r. Hyde. The fever Of spring
s.enod TO affect members and officers.
and though the number OF ladies' behind
,t, bar. which always animates the .es-
SONS Of the Senate. was even larger than
,ssal business dragged. senators prefer
rng 10 loaf in the cloak-room. or loil
back I'm their seats. 10 rising TO their
feet 10 address the Chair.
BILLS INTRODUCED.
By Nr. Clement CNo. 4i5): To refund to
-haries r. Slaughtcr's estate certain
axes crorneousiy assessed and paid.
pv air. Parr CNo 44s): For the relief
b Mrs. Elizabeth Grady, a widow OF a
r,rsederate soldier.
Rv Mr.. Kane CNo. 40: Placing the
.sne q Irena shelton on the pension-ron
By Mr. Flood CNo. 44S): To prohibit the
sale of cider in the town OF Palmyra.
THE BOND-LdSTlNG BILL.
When the House bill to amend the IL
c.rsc-tax law. so as TO provide for list
..r bonds. and notes. came Up as un-
srIshed business, Mr.. Parr resumed his
s,eech against it. begun Thursday He
said IL would work "a severe hardship 10
ere moor man In that the rich man would
sud 20 the sum Of principal and interest
Of the bond or note the tax required by
law He moved 20 rccOmmit the bill. Mr.
Turnbul asked II such practice as that
70 which Mr.. Parr referred would not be
usury. but the latter replied that the
eject Of declaring 10 sucn would be 10
lower the legal rate of interest. which
would drive capital from the state.
Mr. Morris spoke for the bill, saying
faat the objection Of the Senator from
Patrick was in effect the assertion that
bonds should not be taxed az all. The
mu was passed with little opposition.
sPARRINC FOR PLACE.
whe employers liability bill came up
as Che special order at 1890 o'clock, and
there was a rather prolonged fight pre-
ciWtated by the announcement Of Mr.
Maynard the chairman Of the Commit
tee on Roads, from which the bill was
adversely reported. that the committee
reserved the right to conclude the debate.
sir. McIlwaine argued that he. having
offered a substitute in committee, had
8 Doe right 10 close the debate on the same
Sir. Wickham opposed this view, and
The Chair decided against the former II
rhe substitute We're engCafted upon the
original bill, otherwise IL would be diff
terent.
Mr. McIlwaine then asked if any one
not a member of the committee would
have the right 20 close for il. The Chair
replied In the affirmative. from which
ruling Mr.. McIlwaine appealed. The
Chair was sustained. The original bill
and the substitute Of Mr.. McIlwaine' $
were reported.
FAVORS THE SUBSTITUTE.
Nlr Sands spoke for the substitute bill
calling attention 10 the bitter fight which
mad been made against it. not only in
committee but on the floor Of the Sen
ate. citing the unprecedented fight just
concluded, as TO who should conclude the
debate.
Air. Sands then went into a discussion
~ the legal doctrines involved and ar
gued that the doctrine of the nOn-liability
~ employers for injuries 10 employees
through the negligence Of fellow-serYants
should be discarded by statute, since 1t
was not uniformly recognized by the
courts. He read numerous decisions
from the reports OF American courts 10
Illustrate the diversity OF opinion as 10
cd "a
az Governor Mckinney recommending
that the Legislature enact law regu-
latlng the doctrine Of fellOw-seryants, ana
mai King the employer liable for all in
5uries received by. employee
Abiding 10 the fight for the Dill 70 I'M
rr0ve the condition of State convicts'
ana bills to save the States money, MI.
Sands concluded as follows
"But Of infinitely higher importance
fhan the finances of the State. OF tar
more Importance than the question OF
comfort 10 convicts is the duty OF giving
ilsr protection under the law 10 the men
who have 10 earn their daily nreau ny
orerating the railways Of the state. l
fs.soob Won senators. give TO these men
a law which justice and humanity alike
ar. sands's speech evidenced the ut
most care IN preparation, great , inass
- cases being cited 20 prove positions
taken. and was delivered with great
deal Of force and eloquence.
OPPOSED THE BILL
air. Flanagan followed Mr.. SANDS
speaking i'm opposition 10 the Dill ne
naif an eloquent tribute TO the railroads
~ the State and the work they had dohe
ir advancing prosperity, and then Wen.
into discussion Of the legal aspects Oi
the bin going into the details or several
casfq IN which the doctrine Of en-
Iloyers' liability was involved. ,..,.,o
Nr FLANAGAN concluded by declaring
dis warm friendship for the railroad man,
and said he would be wiling and eager
% vote for any measure mat was Just
20 an. 10 relieve them Of burdens from
which they suffered. 80,
NJ McCune opposed the Dill IN
humorous speech Of considerable length
which often provoked much laughter. ne
argued that the whole sum and substance
~ he bin was a blow at corpora IONS
"Whv. tho Legislature OF Virginia ~ =
c0TpOratlOn-a very uncertain one II -
frue-but a corporation still. This OH
WAS FIRST introduced by a new member OF
rhe House. Upon what meat hath Cae,
SAP FED that he hath grown so great
laughter and applause9 49,, ,,c.,,o,s
~ the conclusion Of Mr.. Mctuhe !
speech Mr. Flood moved that the bill be
Da -sed by until 1890 to-day. which was
Mr. Foster moved that the chair be
vacated until O'Clock, but Mr., wick
ham onnoeed on the ground that the
committees were obliged 20 attend 10
business. and the motion was withdrawn.
The Senate adjourned at go unti noon
today.
House Of Delegates.
The House defeated the bill pro
vldIng that when magistrates fan 10 col
lecf fheir fees from the prosecutor or
defendant mat the State shall only pay
half III same. The body al the afternoon