The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-02-18
CONVENTION TO
MOVE QUARTERS !. I. R!
Will sit. iii Mechanics Institute
After. To-Day,
GOOD PROGRESS YESTERDAY.
Corporation Measure to Be Completed Shortly
Commission Section Adopted Gossip
Among the Members Several
81 Them Sick.
). - -
Institute
GOOD PROGRESS YESTERDAY

Of Them Sick.
The Constitutional Convention did not
have any prayers yesterday, but it put
in six hours of tedious, faithful work,
perfecting the report of the Committee
on Corporations, after definitely deciding
to move to the hall of the Mechanics
Institute on Wednesday.
Not a single amendment, except those
| suggested by tho committee, was adopted.
The troublesome section four, with It's
numerous sub-sections. was completed,
and four, other sections adopted In the
afternoon. session. Among these was sec
| ton nine. involving the long and short
| haul priciple: An amendment to this,
| offered by Mr.TT:Thom, received only his
| vote. 5.sa;5f
Section ten will be taken up to-day.
! DAY IN DETAIL.
! The convention was called to order by
| President Gocde at noon, fifty-flve mem
| bers being present. 1t was the first Ses-
sion ever begun without prayer. NC
! preacher was present.
Leaves of absence were granted Messrs.
| Glass, Marshall and McIlwaine on a.c-
| count of sickness.
| MIR. Thorn, for the special committee, re-
ported that tire committee had agreed.
subject to the approval of the convention.
! to rent the Mechanics Institute Hall at
u rental of $3.50 a month.
| Colonel Petit insisted that the occu-
! pancy of the hall would seriously affect
! the health of members. 1t was new,
unseasoned hail; 1t had not single desk.
/ spittoon. overcoat or hat rack, and 1t
| would cost nearly thousand dollars to
! put it in shape. He honestly believed it
| would result in the sickness or death OF
many members, not to mention the prac-
teal difficulties of the situation.
PLENTY OF SEATS.
Mr.. Thorn said it would not cost any e1-
| ira money to fit the hall up. Spittoons
would be furnished by the owners of the
building. and a big dry goods box would
be furnished for the president to place
his chair on. There were $50 chairs and
| no desks, but these would not be needed
for the short time the convention would
be in session.
The resolution was adopted without d.
vision, and the! convention will begin
holding sessions In the hall Of the Me-
chanics'g Institute on Wednesday morning.
On motion Of Chairman Braxton the
convention went into Committee of the
Whole Mr.. Ayers presiding, to further
| consider the report of the Committee On
| Corporations.
The pending question was the motion
made by Judge Robertson to strike out
| subsection II Of section 4. It provides
that the right OF any person to institute
and prosecute in the ordinary courts Of
! Justice, any suit against any transporta-
| tion or transmission company for any
; claim extinguished or impaired by reason
! Of any fine or other penalty which the
commission may iniiict shall: not be i'm
! paired. 60
SHOULD NOT RUSH.
(: A1r. Thorn, who made a strong speech
| in opposition td'. the section, said 1t W;,s
| a matter OF too far-reaching Importance
! to be rushed through without deliberate
| and patient Investigation. He pro-
posed an amendment to the er-
| feet that no case should be heard or de-
| termined during the rending of an appeal
| from a decision of the commission. which
involved the same question appealed
The Braxton amendment was rejected.
Mr.. Thorn made another speech III sup
port OF his amendment, and offered another
as. a substitute for his original one, in a
modified FORM. and made a strong legal
argument in support of it.
At the conclusion of his speech the COM
! mittee arose. This leaves the report at
the same point left on Saturday, except
| there are several new amendments pend
ing OF, the subsection H of section 4.
A resolution offered by Mr.. Thorn, In
structins the sergeant at arms to make
all necessary arrangements for holding
the Wednesday session in the mechanics
Institute Hail. was adopted.
The convention at 2 o'clock took q re-
cess until O'Clock,
Afternoon Session.
Upon the reassembling Of the commit
| tee, Chairman BraNton, for the commit
ice hr0np ht i'm a amendment RI, c11h.
| ton Fl, which. Mr.. Thorn stated was, he
| was satisfied, the best he could get, and
| the amendment was adopted.
Judge Robertson Withdrew his motion
to strike out, and subsection was taken
| up. 1t provides for annual reports and
| recommendations Of the commission to
the Governor, and was approved without
| amendment.
Subsection X, abolishing the present
Board of Public Works and the office of
Railroad Commissioner, was ,concurred in.
subsection l. provides that after the
first of January. 1905. the General Assem-
! bly,, upon the recommendation of the
commission, may from time to time
| amend sub-sectons A. B, c.. D, E, T, G,
| H. and / of section 4: etc
Mr.. Thorn moved to strike out the
words a...upon the recommendation of the
commission" He claimed that it was not
| lature SO that it4could do nothing unless
| the commission first suggested it
Chairman Braxton said nuleSS this pro-
/ vision was retained, amendments could
| be proposed and passed a t the instance of
| railroads. which would completely para
| lyze and destroy the whole law. As re-
ported by the committee, the commission
could have the law amended when actual
experience showed the need for it., The
! amendment was overwhelmingly defeated,
and subsection K. the last one of section
| !, was adopted.
Chairman Braxton suggested an amend
rnent to subsection B. SO that notice
| Of ten days should be given railroad COM
| panies affected by any order of the com
mission and requiring publication of
the order, when made. in some news
paper of the State, was adopted.
An amendment to subsection c., pro
| viding that no penalty should attach to
railroad for failure to obey an order
for the period in which the order was sus-
pended awaiting an appeal. etc, was also
adopted on motion Of Chairman Braxton.
rc