The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-02-20
GREAT FLOOD OF
bills presented
Legislature Gets Down to
Business in Earnest.
SEPARATE CAR MEASURE
Both Houses Will Meet at Noon
Hereafter.
CAT0K'S PENSION MEASURE
il Provides for Spending the s3GO,eo0 Set
Aside By tie Senate-Ter Centenary
Matter to Come Up Next Monday
Hight-luterest in Nor
Felix Coutert-Les>
isIatiYe Notes.
CAT0K's PENSION MEASURE

Tho Legislature started TO work In
dead earnest yesterday
Not in years before have there been so
many bills presented in the House on
ono day. and some of them will call tor
much investigation by their opponents
md require long hearings before the va
Iious committees.
Tho two houses will meet at noon here
after, instead OF in the afternoon. res
rlution was adopted by the House, o'1er-
ing its hall TO the convention during ccr-
tain hours each day, but the latter body
declined the offer with thanks. Ono OF
the liveliest fights before tho body wiz
be over the ter-centenary bills, wh1ch. pS
agreement between j'ichmand and NOT
fork, will be heard before the General
Laws Committee of the House next Mon
dav night. >,lexandria is also in the race,
but the fight is apparently between Rich
lnond and Norfolk. The shouters for the
latter city had pretty well scattered out
last night, but will return here with re-
endorsements on Monday
The Cation separate street car measure
will come up for hearing by the ROADS
Committee of the House at 10 o'clock To-
day The bill will be hotly contested by
The street car companies. Ihere is ihucH
interest in the Norfolk city election case
chairman Kelley. Of the Elections Com
1nittee, is out of the city, and no date
las been set for taking UP the matter
hut the body will doubtless be called To-
.cther for this purpose shortly Inc
record was only given the members on
Yesterday, and it wih require 11ttctt sstlliS
rs it containes 80 printed pages. ne
contest of Fulton AS l1ibhetts Will ffep-
ably be disposed of first Inc record III
tho latter case is comparatively brief, and
has f,een with the committee for some
DAYS. some of the committees Will not
rot down to business before next week.
hut. MANY of them will hold meetings to-
day and tomorrow.
one of the most interesting bills intro
duced in tho Legislature yesterday was
That presented by Mr. Cation, of AleAan-
.lria, providing "a new pension system Tor
the state 1t is estimated by the patron
that the bill will carry ali of the appro-
rr;atfon of SS00,0t0 recently set aside by
Tho Senate Joint resolution for pensions,
and it permits almost any soldier VINO
was wounded to secure 4 pension 1t also
hestows faVors layishly upon the widows
of Confederate soldiers. 1T divides the ell
igihes into a number of classes. Those
soldiers who received wounds resulting
in the loss of both eyes or two limbs
may receive as much as 500 per year.
FOR the loss of one eye or limb $50 is
y-iy-en Wounded soldiers not losing eyes
or limbs range from $50 down to Sl5. and
soldiers over sxty-flve who are cnfcebled
as a result Of hard service are TO get
SIS per year.
WIDOWS whose husbands lost their
lives in the service shall be entitled to
get $40 and widows of soldiers VINO died
since tho war of wounds inflicted wiliie
Jn the service shall get S25 per annum.
Tho manner, of becoming a pensioner is
prescribed, the method being application
10 the County, Circuit or Corporation
Courts, with certificate of physician as
10 physical condition. and affidavits from
two worthy and reliable citizens as to
she facts set out in the papers Of appli-
ration.
The bill takes UP about forty pages Of
closely typewriter matter. 1t was re-
ferred to the Committee on General Laws
and will he taken up shortly by that
body,
Hon. L. c. Folkcs OH yesterday pre-
een;ed several companion bills relating
TO the nomination of all State officers
t,y primaries and providing for the giving
ri an expression by the people of all par
aies as TO United States Senators. The
senatorial bill provides for separate boxes
10 be kept open on the day when lesis-
Jators are chosen. wherein ballots may be
deposited for senatorial candidates. Here
is an extract from the bill:
CD Within twenty t20} days before the
day OF the said election, any person quail
fed to be a candidate for the Office OF
United States Senator, who desires to
N pl
present TO the Secretary Of the Com.
monwealth. in writing. his name. with
statement attested by two competent
witnesses, :hat he is a candidate for
the Office of United States Senator: and
ne must further state in which OF the
several political parties he desires TO be
candidate; and the said candidate
ehal pay TO the Secretary OF the Com
rionwealth two hundred and fifty ($250)
dollars. which sum shall be paid by the
Secretary of the Commonwealth into the
treasury OF the State.
"a The Secretary of the Commonwealth
rhall have the BALLOTS prepared under his
supervision and shall distribute them to
The proper officers in time for the elec-
ton, and he is requrea to have the bal
lots used by each political party printed
on different colored paper.
(D No person who is a voter shall vote
the ballot Of a political party or whici
he is not member, and tile judge OF salo
election shall not allow such person 10
vote; but If such person shall deciarH
on oath that hc has voted or viii vote
the ballot of the said political party Tor
The other officers who are candidates III
the general election. then. after being
eworn. he shall be permitted TO vote his
choice for United States Senator.
Not on many Gays in the history of the
,Iouse of Delegates not within
the brief space of one hour-has there
k,as., such flow OF bills as came in yes