The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-01-18
VIRGINIA LEGISLATIVE DoINas.

Monday Senator Lyle introduced a
bill prohibiting the buying and selling
Of futures or stocks and bonds on mar
gin, or otherwise dealing in WIZ "
known as futures, or to induce H0
to do so. The bill declares So "a .n.
actions gambling. A violsso - W
law is made punishable b ~. luz - ~"
less than $50 nor more nan sow.
He also introduOeJa bill prohibiting
the smn,ovmoDt = factories Of child
under 10 year, 1t also provides that
No chi,d rnSsr 10 years Of age shall be
employed IN such establishment unless
bo ho: attended school for three months
dn,isg the year next preceding his
employment, and his employment must
cease unless he shall attend school three
months every year. No child under l6
shall be employed longer than As hours
in a week The penalty for violation
Of the law is iii Of not less than $50.
TO be upon the manager or overseer OF
such factory. A bill somewhat similar
TO this was introduced in the Senate
several days ago
The bill requiring country merchants
TO pay license tax was discussed In
the House. 1t was offered by Pitcher
and finally passed.
House bill No. l4S to amend section
1873 of the Code, so as to provide for the
assessment of capital used or employed
in the mercantile business for local tax
alton came up in its order on the oalen-
dar. and precipitated an interesting dis
cussion.
Mr.. Parks led in advocacy OF the bill
Mr.. Pitcher opposed the measure and
moved to pass it by. This was voted
down.
Parks set forth that the farmer paid
tax on his land and his stock, but the
merchant escaped oil taxation on his
stock
Mr.. Pitcher vigorously opposed the
bill He said that the only issue in the
last campaign was the election OF
United States Senator.
Mr.. Early denied that he was in
structed to vote for any particular IN
dividual for Senator, and asserted that
he had been instructed for this measure
He asserted the merchants were now
privileged class.
Mr. Csrdwell opposed the bill on the
ground that the merchants were sufiio-
iently taxed at present.
On motion of Mr.. Todd. the bill was
passed by and made special order for
Tuesday at 1 O. clock.
Mr.. O. Harding Walker offered bill
to incorporate the Golden Chain So
ciety, of Westmoreland.
The following House bills were
placed on the calendar
By NJ. Wexford To allow A. S.
Mitchell and A. Somers TO build a pier
in Rappahannock river near Wheaton
Wharf, Lancaster county.
By same: To allow f. W. Lewis,
A. E. Tull. r L. Bass, and John P.
Saunders to build piers in Rappahan-
mock river near Wheaton Wharf, Lam
caster county.
By same: To allow Ooulbourn
Brothers to built pier in Rappahan-
mock river near Wheaton Wharf, Lam
caster county.
The following House bills was passed
To amend and re-enact an act sp-
proved March 4, 1896, entitled an act
to provide for the working Of roads In
Fauquier county.
To amend and re-enact chapter 4O2 OF
the Acts of 1897 and 1898, in relation
to hauling seines or setting traps in the
waters Of Accomac and Northampton,
approved March 3, 1892. approved Feb
ruary %. 1896. approved February IS,
1898.
To compensate school trustees, other
than clerks Of district school boards, in
the counties Of Green and Madison.
After an interesting fight the House
Committee on Roads Tuesday night
agreed to report without amendment
the Epps bill for separate cars for
whites and blacks. The measure does
not apply to through passengers, which
| do no local business, nor to freight
trains, to which are attached caboose
cars. It is to go into effect July, 1900.
The most interesting event IN the
proceedings of the Legislature Tuesday
was the discussion in the Senate OF the
LeOato Oapitation Tax bill. This pro-
poses to submit to the people the ques-
tion Of amending the Constitution so
as to make the payment Of this tax q
prerequisite to the right to vote. This
bill provides that in order to be eliRi.
BILE the voter must have paid his tax In
full preceding the election in which
he offers to vote. The bill evoked con-
siderable discussion. 1t was opposed
by Messrs. Lupton, Clayton and others,
The feeling on the proposition was
pretty we'll indicated by the vote on
ordering its engrossment, which was
defeated by l6 to To- A motion TO pass
by was then adopted, the vote standing
10 to 10, and the Chair, Lieutenant.
Governor E,hols, voting in the affirm
alive.
This bill is attracting very general
attention, not only because it revives o
constitutional qualification upon suf-
frsge, which was many years ago re-
repealed by the people, but because OF
the effect it my have on the question
of assembling a constitutional conven-
ton. The advocates of the latter aver
red that the most important oonsidera-
ton in assembling q convention is TO