The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1900-03-06
Primary System of Eiecting
Senators Approved.
SEAB0ARD CHARTER BILL SIGNED
Gov. Tyler Presents the Cell Pen TO Mrs.
Williams-Generai Pension Bill Cut Down
In the >enate-Hcu-e Refuses TO Csnc"r-
Telephone Bill Definitely kilIed-ResDlu.
ton Of Importance to Tobacco Growe,-,
ad0pIed-No Legislation After Monday.
Special r. The Post

branches held three sessions and were at
work until late tonight. Monday will be
the last working day. The stssi0n, UudeT
! a resolution adopted to-day, viii extend ,
through Tuesday and part Of Wednesday.
but there will be no legislation after rIId-
night Monday.
The senate disposed Of nJTC impOr ant
business to-day than during any dav e
the session. The house spent nearly nc
whole day on the appropriation h-'
Many amendments were proposed t.
very few were adopted.
strenuous but futile effort WIS 2 ~
to appropriate first $4,000 and thrn So
for the improvement of the capitol b..,
ing. The latter amendment Wa. e.; rs
tie vote.
The senate had made increase n
salaries of the State treasure. a,r
general. and judge of tre law AMI ECU
court here but all were cut of by Gin,
house. Mr.. Whitehead made big. ~
fruitess fight for an Increase in the sal
airy of Judge Prentis, of the Norfolk "t:-
cult court. Two whacks were mlde a.
the contingent fund of the secretary q
the commonwealth. II was cut from
Sl.750 first to $1.o0G. and then 10 $50. Tho
/ house put in an item of $500 for James
+. Phillips, who lost over $4,000 by the
| university contractors, and $1,000 for the
Richmond Home for Confederate Women.
Primary Election of Senators.
The feature of the day was the adoption
by both branches Of a joint resolution re-
questing Senators Daniel and Martin to
use their influence to secure the adoption
OF an amendment to the Constitution, pro-
Vlding for the election of United States
Senator's by popular vote.
! The resolution was offered in the house
by Mr.. Patterson, of Richmond, who took
an active interest in the May conference
last year, and was adopted by that branca
without debate
Ihere was, however, strong opposition
in the senate: Senators Morris and Opie
| opposed the resolution, because they were.
on principle. not in favor of the proposed
| change. They contendad that the pecpIe
under the present plan really elect the
Senators, and that the system has worked
well in this State, and offered no reason
| for change.
Senators BlaKey, Bruce, Tyler, and Clay
| tor supported the resolution.
Senator Wickham opposed the resolu-
/ ton, and said he did not believe the peopIa
wanted the proposed change to ne made.
| He argued that the last refuge of State
| sovereignty was in the provision of the
| Constitution he sought to repeal
senator Lupton opposed The bill on the
GROUND that the people already have am
| pie opportunity TO select their Senators.
Senator Glass opposed the r solution
| and stated that Senator Daniel was oppos-
! ed to election of Senators by the people
He referred to the May conference as 3
| pure humbug"
1 N yt-eg- L
! noon. MessTs. KeezelI and Walker or
! heStiy supported the resolution. and il
was adopted Only Messrs. LuptOn and
MOTIFS voted against it,
seab0ard Charter Now Law.
Gov. Tyler to-day signed the Seaboard
/ OliIS and nothing now stands in the wav
OF the building of a road from this CITY
| 10 Washington.
! mere was pretty little incident con-
| nected with the signing of the charter
/ which was a fitting climax to the most
! notable fight Of the present legislative
| session. The governor INDEBTED that he
| "0uid De pleased TO present the pen with
| which he signed the bill TO Mrs. John
! Shelton Williams, the handsome wife of
| the SeabOaTd's president who has taken
| so mCch interest in the fight for the
| charter Mrs. Williams, ACCOMPANIED nv
! her father-in-law, Mr.. John L. Williams
| drove to the capitol and the governor.
after signing the bill, presented the hand
| some gold pen, with mother of pearl nam
| die, 10 her Mrs Williams thanked the
| governor graciously, and after spending a
Few minutes with the executive, returned
| TO her home.
! President Williams has been showere5
/ al day Win kilograms of cOngratulatiOn.
The, penalty bond Will De deposited next
| week. N'
! Reggie Tobacco Purchase system.
| a Joint resolution was offered by Sena
| tor VIM and adopted, requesting the
/ Virginia Senators and Representatives in
! congress TO use their influence with the
/ proper officers Of the government to take
/ al proper and necessary action to induce
! foreign governments using the Reggie sys-
: TEN or purchasing tobacco TO substitute
/ some other means Of securing revenue
( from that product, and if necessary 10
make tariff concessions to induce such ac-
/ ton.
The resolution was advocated by Sena-
tors Mann, Flood. and Watkins, and OBJ
! posed by Senator MunfOrd, who stated that
he had heard that in the countries usinc
/ the Kegle system the inhabitants were
not permitted to grow tobacco. If the
/ system should be abolished, he was afraid
! We would lose valuable markets for to-
|. bdccO- The friends of the measure did
not agree with Mr.. MunfOrd. They had
been informed that practically little to-
/ Dacco could be grown in countries using
/ the Reggie system. The house concurred
in the resolution without debate.
General Pension Bill in Jeopardy.
The general pension bill was called I'D
in the senate by Mr.. Wickham. who made
. a very eloquent and earnest speech in
support of the measure
Senator Clayton Of Bedford. called the
previous question on the amendments.
/ Senator Tyler regretted very much that
1 the senate committee felt called upon 10
cut down the amount appropriated by the
house. He wished the States finances
( were in such condition that every needy
! Confederate soldier could be taken care
1 Of. He wanted - say 10 the senate that
| al the next session he would be willing
even at the risk OF a deficit 10 vote for A
Z larger amount. Senator Lyle believed
that the men who fought for Virginia
would not knock al the door OF the treas
I uTy asking for anything unjust. He said
/ their services could not be compared TO
4 the paItry sums they were asking OF uhA
| State The Dill, as amended b.. he SEN
/ ate, committee. was passed. TEE amend
I ment reduces the appropriation from
/ tl50 coo 10 SIS. 90
Tonight the house refused to concur
( in the amendment.
Telephone Bits End.
/ When the bill to incorporate the Virginia
/ Telephone and Telegraph Company came
I up on the motion 10 reconsider the vote
/ by which the measure was passed. Sena-
I tor Flood moved 10 pass it by, and there
/ was no objection raised.
The house bill 10 create a State insur-
I Gnce department was defeated. When
/ called up. Senators Opie, KeeZel, and
1 Bidkey said IL was too important q mat
I ter 10 be hastily acted upon. On Senator
! Dpie's motion the bill was referred 10 the
/ finance committee.
/ senator Mann secured. under saspen-
/ sion OF the rules, the passage OF MS bill
I 10 amend the act In relation 10 the as
/ sessm@nt OF taxes The change proposed
4 affects only the method OF assessing tim
/ beref lands.
/ Senator Wickham offered a resolution.
/ which vas adopted. requesting the YIr-
GINA Senators and Representatives in