Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-29
NCUNE BILL DEAD.
rur SENATE REFUSES TO ORDER
II. TO IT'S ENDORSEMENT.
LARGE CROWD HEARS THE DEBATE.
rntcrtaining Speeches for aud
Against the Measurc-The House
again Devotcs It's Time 60 Conside-
ration Of Retrenchment Hills.

The debate on the McCune BILL popu-
larry known as the "snti-nirtation' bill,
attracted TO the Senate yesterday the
largest crowd Of the present session.
though Nhc bill was not taken up until
o'clock. &, having been made the special
order for that hour, the gallery was half
flcd when the Senate convened, and when
The debate began but few more persons
could have gotten In. Not only the gal
ih. area in front OF the president's chair
were filed. and many senators were
standing. while their seats were occupied
by ladies'.
70 is probable that half the spectators
were o. the gentler sex~matrons and
naids-who were interested listeners 10
the debate. The assertion was frequently
made that not woman on the floor
favored the bill. The ladies frequently
arplauded telling hits made by its oppo-
nents. though Mr.. McCune received a
share Of their hand-clapping.
MR.. MCUNE ADVOCATES IT.
The bill came up at l o'clock as a spe-
cisl order. and Mr.. McCune. who opened
The discussion, said he was conscious of
The difficulty Of having a bill passed de-
spite the adverse report OF the commit
tee. He alluded TO the dangers and In
suits 20 which women had been subjected
for ages. and said he was now fighting
f,r the purity Of homes and fresides, and
could not understand how Virginians
could vote against the measure. In the
name OF the great and gallant ancestors
~ the senator's. he asked them to vote
FOR the bill: IL they defeated it ne would
have to change his mind regarding the
gallantry Of his associates. He deplored
hat II was necessary TO bring the strong
arm OF the law into action TO protect the
women OF Virginia. II was not needed for
girls' protection against gentlemen, but
20 defend them against men who were
not gentlemen by birth or training.
SCHOOLS ASK FOR IT.
The speaker read several letters from
the principals Of female schools in the
state asking for the passage of the bill.
saving IL was greatly needed, and setting
forth Instances of the manner in which
the girls and teachers OF their schools
had been annoyed. He said a certain
uaper published at the national capital,
known as the Washington Post, had light
"a into him in "a pretty keen way'-had,
in fact. followed its usual style OF dis
cussing at greatest length the subjects
of which 1t knew least. But he was not
moved by attacks such as these. he was
conscious Of the purity Of his motives,
- - Of flrOfapfinpr the Xirtll-
Gus young girls Of the Old Dominion
against the ruthless assaults Of unprinci-
pied men, young and old.
MR.. BARKsDALE OPPOSED IT.
Mr.. Barksdale followed Mr. McCune.
lie said the Legislature had not time to
devote 10 "anti-firtation" bills.
cor anti-foot-ball bills" said Mr. Nc
Cune. which caused a great laugh.
II object 10 the company in which my
oil is placed" said Mr. Barksdale. Con-
tinuing. he said: "Why, don't you know,
I came TO Richmond once and went to
a certain female school to see a girl l
knew. and that the principal wouldn't
let me in
Don't blame him." interrupted Mr.
NcCune, and the laughter was so great
that it was some time before Mr.. Banks
dale could proceed. He said he had not
felt the need of protecting the girls; he
thought almost every man needed pro-
lection against them. How many sena-
tors on the floor who had not suffered
heartaches from their wiles; how many
who expected 10 never again experience
the same pain. The author of the bill
reDresented only himself; he was sure
the chivalry of the men Of Virginia and
the modesty and purity of her women
made such law unnecessary. (Applause) |
MEN EMBRACE" WOMEN. TOO.
Mr. Withers said he had been given |
notoriety by the rather |
tyrannical action Of the bachelor chair |
man OF the committee CMr. Morris) who |
had named him as one of those who |
we're 20 defend the report. He thought |
the bill trenched upon the inalienable |
r ghts Of men. using men" in the gene
rio sense. 50 as TO embrace women, which |
they very often did. Uaughter) To |
abolish coquetry was 70 annihilate wo- |
men, How much would be left TO adj /
mlre in life: how much of love, or SEN
timent, or romance, would life have were |
woman taken from it, She came early /
on the scene. and she brought trouble |
with her. The original disDensation was
q man and a woman, and a baby He
felt sure the Senator from Shenandoah |
had looked back to the first great flrta-
OF thought he saw. a subject Of reforma-
ton. The devil winked one eye at Eve,
and she winked both at the devil. That
was the first Irritation in the world, but
not the last.
THE Irritation Of Helen, the wife of
Menelaus, With Paris. a Grecian dude.
had brought about the destruction Of
Troy. but 1t gave to the world its great
.st epic-the Had. Cleopatra played the
devil with Marc Antony; Diana, of Polo
tiers. waited on the roadside to see the
King Of France, and when she smiled
upon him as he passed, the fair plume Of
Henry OF Navarro was lowered before |
her About woman romance weaves her
brightest stories. and the poet sings his
sweetest songs. Music has been eX-
haustcd In the effort 10 give her just
praise and art has achieved its greatest
inumphs m celebrating her beauty and
her virtue.
FREAK LEGISLATION.
"Why does the Senator from Shenan-
i0ah shoot such little bill at such a
Great thing? II is freak legislation of the
worst class. equal to that proposing a
AK on bachelors and old maids. and aboi-
shlng football games 1t Is modern pa
ernalism Of the worst class. 1t tries TO
make a woman modest and man a gen
Ieman whether they were born so or
iot. IL seems 10 me that every Fellow
Mo gets a kink I'm his brain comes TO the
legislature 10 get II out in the shape OF
egislation. My faith In the chivairy OF
'irsinia's manhood and the purity OF her
'omanhood cOnvinces me that such
law is not needed. and should not be en-
q