Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-01-14
THE LEGISLATURE.
SENATE,

publican party, to which he belonged,
would finally have to settle the debt
question. At all events, he said, the
country was safe, for Mckinley was in
the White House and Mark Hanna had
just been elected to the Senate. This
brought down q storm on his head
from the democrats, and he was called
on to combat his position against large
odds. Mr.. Flanagan eulogized Han
ma, and said this country owed him
debt of gratitude.
Mr.. Withers, said he could not sit
quietly and hear any Senator indulge
10 glorfcation of Marcus AloDzo Hanna
without entering his protest. He re-
garded Hanna as the mos5 hideous
feature in American politics. He was
a mau that drove voters with the whip
lash as man drives SO many cattle !;
a man whose political methods
are calculated to corrupt the people
and man who should be despised in
stead of being glori6ed. AS party
man he was somewhat pleased with
Hanna's success, for it was bound to
result in good to the democratic party.
The Senator paid high tribute to
Abraham Lincoln, but said Hanna was,
he believed, the worst and most dan
gerous man who had ever risen to high
position in American politics.
The Senate reconsidered its objection
able amendments to the bill incorporat-
ing the Virginia Sugar Refining Com
pany, being formed to manufacture
sugar from beets, and its friends will
make another fight.
When the House bill regulating the
size Of barrels used in the shipment of
truck came up in the Senate, there was
a request for an explanation of the
measure. Senator Lecato told of the
need of law defining the minimum
size OF the barrel to be used. He had
heard that the Maryland legislature
was waiting for the Virginia General
Assembly to pass this bill, in order to
enact similar law. The bill passed.
The minimum size Of the barrel is
twenty seven inches in height. 1t is
practically the same size as flour
barrel.
The legislative committee on re.
trenchment are pressing forward with
their work. The joint committee, OF
which Senator Barksdsle is chairman,
has sent out list of questions TO all Of
the officials in the State to answer. The
work is not to stop there, but the chair
. man of the committee intimates that
the heads of the various departments
will be summoned to appear in person
to answer questions affecting the ex-
penses of their respective bureaus.
The committee on finance and banks
r. ported bill to amend section 524 OF
the code in relation to fees of commits
siuners of the revenue.
From the committee Oh fish and game
was reported an act to provide for leas-
ing certain oyster. planting bottom.
upon terms provided for in the general
law.
The finance committee reported bill
to amend section 525 of the code in re-
tation to the collection of fees of COM
missioners of the revenue.
Bills were introduced to amend sub.
section 2 OF section 1866 of the code in
relation to the duties OF school trustees,
and making it unlawful for the charter
of any town to exempt said town from
county and district levies for road pur-
poses and the support Of the poor. This
virtually repeats all exemption provis-
ions OF that kind in any charter hereto.
fore granted.
The Senate passed the House bill to
amend section 1872 of the code in rels-
ton TO limited partnerships, and Senate
bills TO almond section 81 of the code
in relation to increase of the number of
staff of State militia, and to provide for
the funding Of the public debt.
HOUSE.
The discussion of the whippiug.post
bill occupied the House yesterday and
was carried over until to-day. Mr..
Murphy, the patron of the bill, made
strong appeal on behalf of the measure.
He gave brief history of the whip
ping post law, which was enacted 10
1926, and was repealed by the read
iusters in extra session in 1882. The
Immediate result of the act was that
that party was showed under at the
next election. The speaker showed
how since then the number of inmates
10 the penitentiary and the criminal ex-
penses had been increased. the only
way to reduce expenses was by passing
this bill, which meant saving of $780,
900 year to the State, and besides it
would save the expenditure of $4,000
for the enlarging of the penitentiary,
because the number of criminals would
be decreased as soon as that bill was
passed. Mr.. Murphy had strong back.
ing from a number of delegates, and
there was much demonstration in favor
of the bill. The opposers of the bill re.
ferred to it as blot on civilization and
characterized the measure as horror.
Mr.. Mintner offered resolution re-
uuesting the committee on retrench-
ment to Inquire into the expediency OF
employing female clerks in the various
State departments at salaries less, and
how much less, than now paid. The
resolution was adopted. This is only
one of the many plans for cutting down
the expenses of the State. Another
proposition on the line of economy was
the adoption of a resolution offered by
Mr.. Diggs, instructing the finance COM
mittee to inquire into the expediency
of reducing the appropriations to the
various State institutions. The COM
mittee was directed to inquire whether
any such reductions can be made with
out impairing the usefulness of these
institutions, and if so. how much.
There is quite certain to be big fight
.Aalo onnianh nllnmi,nt tho larna ON.