The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-02-27
A Brief Review of the Work of the
Legislature.
WILL NOT ADJOURN TOMORROW
The Session May he Extended for Sew
eraI Days--The Senatorial Primary
BiIl and the Employers Iiabil-
ify Bills Among Those That
EaiIcd--No Honest Flee
ton Law Considered.

1ue legislature will not adjourn to-
morrow. To do so would necessitate an
extra session. Beginning Tuesday the
members win have to stay here at their
own expense. 10 IS probable the law
makers Will remain IN session until Thurs
day or Friday
Tho appropriation BIN must be passed.
This measure may bo disposed of by the
House tomorrow. Then IT win go back
to- the senate and tho amendments will Dos
debated. Tho result will Doe a. disagree
mont metwocn the two Houses and con-
ference committees will be appointed. It
is not going To- bc an easy matter by any
means. Tor the senate and House TO agree
upon some Of the features OF the appro-
prauon measure.
There will bc 40 more important bills
nassed except. perhaps the Withers con-
| sttutiOnal convention measure.
WHAT HAS BEEN DONE?
IN view Of the fact that the session is
nearing it's close am interesting inquiry Is
! what has been done?'
As far as important legislation Is con-
| cerncd 10 must bc admitted mat but hl-
| tle has been accomplished. ON the other
| hand it can Dee said tnat some b1ls that
would have made. very bad laws nave
| been defeated. y great many hilis nave
| become laws but nearly all OF these are
! acts OF Incorporation, relief measures ana
| buls making minor changes I'm the Code.
The Parks bin requiring stocks ana
! bonds 10 Dee listed FOR taxation became a
! law ana 10 is 81 measure that &c rs claim
ed will turn out TO bc 90 revenue getter.
Il BIN taxing fishing nets has passed ana
will il is presumed, te signed.
some other measures of minor imDor-
tance, designed 10 bring revenue into tine
| treasury have become laws, among thcm
those changing the method of taxing tele-
| phone. telegraph and express companies-
! bills adopted as substitutes for tho one
offered by Mr.. Saunders which was quite
sweeping iu its provisions.
MUST FENCE RAILROADS.
The Saunders bill TO require all rail-
road companies To- fence their tracks or
| pay for stock killed is law.
Among the measures designed 10 cut
down expenses that We're passed and ape
provod were those reducing the fees Of
iailors and magistrates and witnesses.
Much OF the timc of both bodies. the
House especially. was taken up I'm dis
cussiug rctrenchment and reform meas
ures. but few of these bills We're passed.
some bills to submit to The people cer-
tain amcndmeslts 20 the Constitution We're
passed.
Tnere is moro that can be said about
bills defeated than those that were pass
ed To begin with. the act 10 require each
city and county to pay its own criminal
expenses measure that its friends con-
.tH Inn
mai expenses. failed 90 get through tho
House. Most of the retrenchmont acts
passed 10y the Senate died i'm the House
and many OF those that originated IN tho
House met their death in the Senate.
BILLS DEFEATED.
There was a great fight over the cm-
ployers' liability bin. lI went through
The House easily. but was overwhelming
lv defeated ln the Senate. Tho act to
give tho people an opportunity TO express
their choice of candidates for United
states senator, attracted much attention.
IL was ably advocated and vigorously
fought and was put to sleep untl the
next session. Mr.. Murpnys whipping
post bin did not even reach the senate
but Alr. F0lkes' act 60 require all stfeet-
cars 20 hoye yestiDuled fronts in the WIN
ter months went through and was signed.
The attempts made 90 abolish the De
partment Of Agriculture and the offices
OF Railroad Commissioner ana Second
| Auditor were failures. The only posi-
uons OF any importance dispensed with
were the Register OF Land once ana the
engineer at the Capitol
The Smith antitrust bill, the Watkins
bill TO prevent dealings In futures. and
the Watkins bill. 10 allow state banks 10
issue notes redeemable I'm silver bullion
| T.a and Will MUI
through the Legislature The Wicknam
Railroad Commission bills are sleeping
among tho committee records IN the
senate.
OTHER DEFEATED MEASURES.
There were other important measures
which failed 10 become laws. The reso-
luton introduced by Delegate Willard
providing for the appointment Of q COM
mission of ten 10 revise the Constitution
and prepare amendments 20 be submitted
at the next session of the Legislature
failed In the House where IT originated.
The bill presented by Delegate Bland,
of Portsmouth, TO regulate the running
OF trains and the loading OF cars and
steamships on the Sabbath was bitterly
opposed. 4 delegation OF truckers from
Norfolk and vicinity visited the commit
tee and plead that the bill would seriously
Interfere with their shipping facilities
The bill was indefinitely postponed.
The bill introduced by Delegate Pitcher
prohibiting ticket scalping was not pass
ID. II made provision for the redemption
OF unused tickets by the issuing com
pany.
rhe bill providing that railroad com
panies charge no more for long than for
short hauls, except under certain condl-
lions was defeattd in the House where
II originated.
Mr.. PiIehers amendment TO the oyster
hill nroyldiug that nOn-residents as well
as residents might take up grounds under
terms of the oyster law. an amendment
also designed to add 10 the States reye-
nues. did not meet the approval OF the
Senators
Tht sugar beet bill. desigend to estab-
lish a sugar beet industry In the state
did not pass.
The bill TO permit the Coloni1 water
Company to acquire title to ten acres oil
land in King and Queen county at pres
ent under water. passed both houses, pu'
| met its fatc AZ the hands OF the Governor.