The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-01-25
STATE WILL SAVE MONEY
ReIIenChRenI 0Rd Reform Committee
hlkIng Good Progress.
SPECIAL TAX PROPOSED FOR VETERANS
scn"te Pnsscs BiII 10 Abolish wit.
ness Fees In Criminal Casos Reforo
Justices -IEnrd Fight on EmpIoy-
"rs' hi"biiity Bilh-v -voss,bules for
Street Cars.
SPECIAL TAX PROPOSED FOR VETERANS
Especial Dispatch to The VirginIan.)
Richmond, Va. Jan. "a, 1893,

Richmond, Va. Jan. "a, 1893,
Mr.. Newherne introduced a bill to
amend the quarantine law for the port
OF Norfolk and Portsmouth. The
change proposed Is to extend the jurls-
diction over trains coming into the two
cities
Mr. Charles T. Bland IL making big
fight for his boiler inspection bill. but
1t Is not likely that 1t will pass. The
opposition is so strong that even MIR.
Bland's energetic efforts Will hardly
be able to overcome It,
The preliminary fight in the Senate
over the employers liability bill took
place to-day. 1t occurred when the act
came over from the House. and the
question was as to which committee It
should he referred. Some of the ablest
advocates of the measure tried to have
IL TO so 20 the Committee on Courts. and
the opponents wanted 1t referred to the
Committee on Roades. The vote was
10 TO IL In favor OF reference to the
Comitte on Roads. 1t developed later
In the day that some of those who voted
10 send the bill to Roads will support
the measure. There will undoubtedly
be bitter fight over this measure
Mess-s Mcllwaine, Withers and Opie
three of the ablest men In the Senate
VIII champion the measure Senator
Nlushback spoke OF this bill as one that
IL passed would cause the relatives of
every person killed in q sawmill to
wish he had been killed on a railroad.
When the Turnbull bill TO abolish fees
10 Witnesses for the Commonwealth in
criminal cases tried by justices of the
peace came up Messrs. Flanagan and
ltarncs made bitter attacks upon It.
claiming that 1t was revolutionary and
unconstitutional. Messrs. Letcher NC
llwaine and Blakey supported It, Mr..
Letcher called attention to the enor
nous expense to the Commonwealth ON
account or witness fees in Justices
cases, and cited Warwick county as one
III which the expense was greatest This
statement brought Mr. Barnes to his
fte'. He said If Mr.. Letchor's county
lkockbridse) had real live towns like
Newport News instead of towns Or
paper the criminal expenses in Rock
bridge would be greater. The bill was
pa by vote OF 20 to s.
The members of the House who ara
in favor of retrenchment and reform
VIII mold a caucus tomorrow night.
Ihelr object is TO form some sort OF
organization with reference to sticking
toSether on measures looking to cutting
down expenses. About SIXTY Of the
one hundred members have signed the
call AZ this meeting no specific meas
ures VIII be discussed. but the plan OF
campaign Will be mapped out
senator Mason speaking today Of the
rDrlr HT hi
retienchment and reform said much had
been accomplished already. He stated
that there We're about thirty-fiye bills
before the committee and many Of
them would be reported favorahly. He
Is of the opinion that this committee
VIII be able 10 report bills that Will re-
suit in an annual saving of SIC, 900.
Senator Withers' bill to submit to the
voters at the election next November
the question of calling constitutional
convention Will be considered by fhe
Committee on Courts next Wednesday
morning. Mr.. WIthers says he has
made no canvass of the members of the
Legislature, but he thinks the measure
will pass.
The Ee Cato bill to create board OF
fisheries has been reported favora bly
In the House s.
The caucus Of the Democratic mem
bers of the General Assembly to nomi-
nate a Judge for the Tenth Judicial
Circuit, made vacant by the death Of
Judge w. S. Barton, will be held this
week. There is little doubt that Sena-
tor Mason willtwin.
The Foles' bin requiring all street
cars TO be Vestibuled during the win
ter months will come up before the
Senate Committee on Roads at a d. m
tomorrow This measure has passed
the House by practically a unanimous
vote. =
A bill w9s introduced by Mr.. Letcher
TO give aid to soldiers, sailors and
marines OF Virginia maimed or dis
abled In the war between the States
and to the widows of soldiers, sailors
and marines who lost their lives In
said war in the military service, and
to provide special tax therefor to
be voted on by the people Of Virginia
for its ratification or rejection. The
bill in It's preamble declares that the
provision made for the disabled SOL
diers and their widows under the pres
ent laws Is entirely inadequate to meet
the demands The act then goes on to
provide for submitting to the voters; al
the first general election, to be held
after the passage Sof the measure, tho
question whether or not they Will sub
nit to the levying Eof special tax "a 1; I
a pension fund, such tex not to exc coed