The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-03-11
BRlE
OF LEGISLATION.
Continued from First Page.)

Continued from First Page.) .s=zas
can have If they will vote for it, as pros
vided at the election to be held IN May.
Numerous changes have been mad e. in
the State laws looking to a more speedy.
administration Of jus tee. One of the
most important of tie new acts amends
section thirty three hundred land fifty
one of the Code and gives a party the
right to discredit by other evidence "a
witness whom he has himself called. 1t
| is nearly an exact copy of % Vic. CHI Is.
Persons actively engaged in the practice
of law will readily recognize its import
ance. This statute has been enacted in
more than half Of the other States.
| Another amendment ITO the Code, sec
ton tlairty-two hundred and seventy-one,
requires parties demurring, to state spe-
ciallys in; writing the grounds of their
demurrer This measure was passed upon
| the recomm endation of the Special Com
mittee on Law Reform OF the Virginia
State Bar Associa ton.
Where a party form riy was compelled
to sue on a lost bond or note by an ex-s
| pensive chancery5 suit, he may now by 4
simple motion or action at law nave all
the relief he is entitled to. All of the
| jury laws nave been overd1auled ana
amended. Hon. John w. Price, of Wash
ington county, was the aatron of these
| bills and they were mostS carefully pre-
| pa red. AS to the city of iRichmond, he.
was assisted by the writer. The changes
Of special interest to the public provide
that no man can be compelled to serve
longer than ten days at any term OF
court unless the case in which he is en-
gagged Should last for a longer time. This
change was made for the purpose OF
getting business men to serve more than:
they have done under the former system.
The new act further provides that no
man shall be eligible for service who soil
cts the judge to put him on the Jury,
or VINO gets friend to ask for him..
Before the enactment OF these laws the
Hustings Court of Richmond was COM
PEELED to summon two panels
Now that court will only summon one
for each term and it ds estimated
by Hon d. C. Richardson. the COM
monwealth's attorney Of the city. that this
will save to the State Of Virginia:
something over three thousand dol
lars per annum, without in any way
impairing the efficiency of the court This
change was maize with the full knowl-,
edge and approval Of Judge Witt. In
this connection it will be proper to state
that Hon T. C. Jordan, of Frederick,
had favorably reported from the Commit.
ee of Courts of Justice a bill requiring
the several cities and counties to pay
their own nlsdemeanor criminal expenses,
which, if it had become a law. would
have saved to the State about one hun
dred and twenty-five thousand dollars
| per annum. In the discussion OF this DID
before the Committee for Courts of JUS
! tice it was shown that about thirty
counties of the State draw out for GRIMM.
al expenses and public schools about
that much more money that they pay.
In fact, one county, having a population
Of less than a third Of the number OF
| inhabitants of the city of Richmond, re-
ports a school population OF almost halt
| The size of the school population OF the
capital city, on which IT draws It's pro.
| norton of the school fund from the State
Treasury. This bill was never reached
on the calendar because Of the opposition
of those who were unfavorable to the
change.
carefully-irawn bill providing
for a State Board of Equalization OF
taxation passed the House, but was de-
| feated in the Senate. The bill had the
hearty approval of Hon. w. P. McRae,
the chairman of the Committee for
Courts of Justice. Anyone interested IN
the subject can find all of the flsures
from the actual returns OF pages I'll az
and Ns Of the report of the Auditor OF
Public Accounts by counties and cities.
Although Mr. Jordan's bill failed to reach
! a vote his splendid fight for it made him
many friends and he will be sure to get
a triumphant hearing at the next session.
Tn the matter of exemptions, a radical
departure from the former poacy OF the
State was inaugurated. "A statute was
enacted providing thai any officer of the
state Government from the Governor
down to the smallest clerk, may have his
salary earnisheed for debt either here
tofore or hereafter contracted. This in
cludes all of the judges OF the courts OF
the Commonwealth of Virginia. This is
a wise law and us sound in morals as
well.
Another act provides how a person enti-
fled ITO his exemption of $50 per month
NAV waive the same just as he may no"
waive his homestead exemption In the
case of the $50 exemption his wife must
unite with him If he has one in the writ
| ten waiver.
The salient feature of the session was
the fight over the passage of the Eich-
mond and Washington Air Line RAILROAD
bj1l The passage of the bill was en-
p1atically a victory of the people. Pecu-
niarily, it was greatly to the interest
of the people that the State should forth
with dispose OF its stock in the r, +. ana
P. r. r. The passage OF that act now
makes O. free railroad law inevitable. a
free railroad law VIII OTlVe ~
railroad lobbyists out of that business.
Mr.. John SHELTON Williams is pub
lie qoenefactor.
The property rights of married women
were so changed that married women
now have about as much control over
their property as if they were unmarried.
These radical changes met with no Sc
rious opposition from any Quarter
On the third day Of March the Cen
eral Assembly passed Joint resolution.
calling upon Hon. John W. Daniel and
Hon. Thomas S. Martin. Virginia's two
Senators, to use their best efforts to Sc.
cure the passage of an amendment TO
the Constitution to the United States,
providing for the election of United
States Senators by direct vote of the
people. This resolution passed without
discussion in the House, but was un-
successfully opposed in the Senate. 1t
is Of great national Importance for it
shows that the people Of this State
desire that they should be allowed to
choose their senators by popular vote
The senatorial election has come 70 be a
source of much evil and corruption and.
it is gratifying to know that Virginia
has expressed its Willingness to lead In