The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-04-08
AFTERMATH OF
The LEGISLATURE
Body Was Remarkable fot its
Good Temper.
PARTY LINES NOT DRAWN
Even Contested Election Case Brought
Forth No Bitterness-Senator
Bruce's Winning
Fight.

In many respects the LegiSla ture whose
session has just ended. WIS remarkable
to a degree. One distinguishing mark
which Will FOLLOW it down III history. Was
the good feeling and uniform courtesy
which prevailed among its members in
both branches. This, however, was more
especially true on the House side, for
there was little brush over the or
SANITATION of the Senate in the opening
days, and it never fully healed, and could
be detected in the debates on various
propositions from time 10 time until adj
journment.
Over in the House it was different.
There were nineteen Republican mem
beers at first. and even In the debate over
the question of unseating one of them
s(N1r IIibbits Of Buchanan) no bitterness
was Displayed and the speeches on both
sides were marke by moderation and
courtesy. The great secret of the failure
of the Republicans to display any bitter
ness during TIE session is thought to lie
in the fact that they were led by Hon.
George T. Sipe, of Rockingham, who
was their nominee for speaker, and who
is one of the ablest lawyers and most
honored members of his party in the
Valley section of the State. Mr.. Sipes
speech at the banquet given by the Rich.
1nond delegation at Nlurphy's recently.
and the one delivered by him in the clos
ing hours Of the session. OH the fairness
of Speaker, Ryan to the Republican mem
bers breathed harmony and patriotism
in their every sentence and brought forth
much cheering fro ntlle Democratic; MEM
bers.
The nearest approach to unpleasant
ness during the entire session of the
House was on the great hlbuster fight
cir r,ol
reapportionment measure. Mr.. Baker,
of Westmoreland, who is a young orator
of splendid force and ability, had some
thing to say about sources that are
dark and deep in referring to the action
of the committee in framing the bill,
and he and Colonel r. z. Lee, Jr., both
strongly intimated that the measure had
been drawn in the interest of two con-
gressmen, at the expense of two others.
Colonel James R. Cation, of Alexandria,
made a fiery speech, in which he de-
clared that the integrity of the commit
tee had been assailed, and that it was
the duty of the House to vindicate the
former body from the charges that had
been made. II warn this House." said
Mr.. Baker, in reply, chat it is asked
here to do a thing that is almost crim-
nal in the eyes OF the people of this
State and others on the same side
used "foist'' and similar words not
tended to promote harmony to a very
high degree. But taken altogether, there
was perhaps never session of the Leg
lslature in which as little bitterness was
displayed or on whose deliberations there
was more general harmony and good fell
lowship. :
one Of the young men in the present
Legislature. who made name for him
ser which IS likely to turn him ont bet
Yer things some. day in a political way.
IS Senator F. F. Bruce IF Nisa. E.s
brilliant and successful fight for the
charters of the Gainesville and the Sontb
ana Western Railroads electrified the
4whoie Legislature and marked the young
Senator. at once as a man of wonderfule
ability. He begun his fight with the en-
tire Roads Committee against him but
In the course Of his magnificent address
5 he convinced his colleagues that two great
railroad corpora lions were undertaking to
2monopollZe the coal fields of Southwest
Virginia and that the people behind the two
charters We're only asking their rights
One thing that helped Mr.. Bruce was
the wide comment about TIC Capitol.
upon the alleged declaration OF a promi-
snent railroad attorney that so far dur
ing the session he. had succeeded in
.throttlingS all the bills opposed by his
company in the committee. Another.
was the rather remarkable statement of
Senator Bland sMassie# of Nelson, chair.
man Of the i,oads Committee lin coll:
&loguy with Mr.. Bruce to the erect that
the bill under discussion had not been
reported, because Mr.. Glasgow, attorney
for the Norfolk and Western Railroad.
had not seen it. When the final vote
was taken Senator Bruce had won out
by a vote Of 20 to S, and he at once be-
came a hero among. the Southwest peo-
pie.
ended was n liberal one iii the matter.
of apropria tons i t fulfilled the pledges
.of both parties to Increase pensions TO
SGonfederate soldiers and 81 81 heir widows.