The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-12-21
LONG |. De B /: 4 !
The SENATE.
The Mt. Rogers Railroad Bill Was V $
Finally Passed.
. | URE TAKES A RECESS.
Lieutenant Governor Presented With Silver
Cup by the senators-No Action
Was Taken in Mr.: Full
tons Case:

L lie General Assembly duJOttIilel%
terday, to meet OH the 18th of next Feb.
egates have left tile city. There was "a
slim attendance Of the members Of each
. eody. - IS
The Senate met at Ii o'clock in the.
morning, sat for more than two hours
and took a. recess until SIP NJ. The after
noon session. was purely formal. Ihe
House met atsG P. NJ and was in session
only a few minutes.
Tie Senators presented Lieutenant
Governor Eclols with a handsome silver
cup He will be succeeded in office by.
Colonel Joseph II. Willard OH the list of
January next Mr.. lGchols came to tho
House of Delegates about eighteen years
ago. He was afterwards promoted to the
Senate and was. later made Lieutenant
Governor. We has made himself very
popular with all who have come i'll con-
tact with him, ana his retirement to pri-,
vatc life is very generally regretted.
Nearly the whole time Of the session
Of the Senate in the morning was taken
up with the consideration of the bill 10
legalize :: subscription voted by the peo-
plo OF Floyd county to the stock Of the
Mount Rogers and Eastern Railroad
Company, and it was finally passed. !.
rroce, dmgs Of tue senate.
The Senate met at II o'clock and was
presided over by the Lieutenant-GoNer-
nor.
,N!.en the bill TO legalze certain sub
scrintion to the capital stock of the
Mount Rogers and Eastern Railroad.
Company, voted by Floyd county. came
up, Mr.. Lyle opposed it. He claimed
that the people &C Floyd county voted
TO subscribe to the stock under?5a mis-
apprcllellsion and that they would not
r, no icoi hof0rnl them + UntA
this money. These people We're now in
court fighting for their rights, and the
matter should be left to the courts to
settle.
ar Lyle said that two hundred free
holders of Floyd county signed i nati-L
ton asking that they be made parties
plaintiff to the proceedings in court.
Mr.. Bark:sdale said he was ,craditably
informed that there were only twenty
six sigma lures to the Taper.
Mr. Lyle replied that there were two
hundred signcrs. but that only twenty
six oS them We're selected for the pur--
poses of the suit.
MR.. HARVEY'S VIEWS.
Mr.. Harvey said this bill had bac.le
fully and carefully considered i'll the
committee. He agreed with Mr.. Lyle
that it was not wise public policy for
counties or cities to vote subscriptions
for the purposes Of works of internal
improvement.
He explained that the people of Floyd
had voted this subscription after the
matter had been fully discussed. The
Only question now was whether or not
the Senate would thwart the will
OF the majority Of the people of Floyd
III order to satisfy d small minority of
the citizens Of that county
MIR. Bruce opposed the bill He old not
think the Legislature should pass enabling
.,ci c tj,oi Io ms that
pending i'll the courts.
Mr.. Bruce in reply to z question, said
th6re was no charge made that there
had been fraud III the election in Floyd
nor was it asserted that there had not
been fraud committed.
THE BIG LOBBY.
The Senator from Wise asserted that
the very fact that there was a big lobby
hero on each side was Il very good real
son why the Legislature should not ur-s
dertakc to settle IL matter that rightly be-
longed to the courts. There could be
nc harm done by postponinG the consul.
Grafton until February
Mr. Watkins made {; strong speech in
support of the bill He said the bill
would enable the court to decide the case
now pending 10 do that which would be
right and just as to the people Of Floyo.
If this; act were not ytassed tile court
a
~ the case in a manner that would thwart
the will OF the people. Mr. Watkins said
there were about 200 Votes cast for the
of $4,000 ana about ] 100 Of
these voters were Tor this subscriptions.
1t would be unjust to allow the will of
the majority 10 be defeated by q: techin- /
calty.
MIR Sears argued ably that this was
not Il merely local question. A grave |
~ I ~s.>J,, L
trlre should i'll this instance take from |
the minority the rights they have a dan
gerous precedent would be established.
Mr.. Sears was opposed to- the principle |
Of taxing people for works of internal inn
such as this proposed. and ne |
hoped the Constitutional Convention |
would place. in the new organic some pro- !
vision that would prohibit Lnis Mr.. Sears |
said that for the Legislature to take
away from the minority the right of their
day in court, the hulwark of liberty and !
protection would be destroyed
Mr. Walker advocated the passing, by |
If the consideration OF the bill until after
the legislature rcconNenes. lie thought
this a matter that the senators should |
have ample time to consider.
Mr. Walker closed with an earnest ap-
peal for spostpcnement, and the vote was
then taken on the motion to pass by, [
which resulted as follows: Ayes, noes,
1G. |
The previous question was ordered,
which was the passage of the bill, and f
it was passed.
GIFr5 TO ME-. ECHoLs.
When the c;llellda had beer disposed
OF Mr.. Wickham was recognized, and in
a beautiful! speech presented Lieutenant
Governor Echols with a handsome low
ing cup Oil behalf OF the Senate OF VIZ
GINA over which he has presided With
SO much dignity and ability for the past |
four years.
Governor r,chols, in a touching and ap-
propriate address, returned his thanks
and declared that his heart felt what
his lips could not speak in the Way Of
profound gratitude.
Both the speeches were eloquent and
timely and were loudly applauded by
\he Senate.
Tho cup is q. handsome and costly one,
md is Of solid silver, with gold lining. /!
The closing hour of I.ieutcnant-Gov-Il
ernor Echols twelve years of service
with the Senate Of Virginia was indeed
mark ed by a love feast. and the exer-
cises were undisturbed bv any sound /
save that of the voice OF. the speakers
and the rounds OF 9anplause that greeted |
thar aloruapt remarks \