Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-03-31
LEGISLATURE.
SENATE.

OdDtll ItsOluIiOh, duOpleu W thO fANN,
to revise the code of laws under the new
constitution. Mr.. Wickham wanted the
commission to consist of three members
from the Senate as well as the House.
Mr.. Byars offered an amendment to adj
iourn sine die. The House resolution,
with these and other amendments, was
finally referred to the committee on
courts of justice.
Mr.. Barksdale offered a bill in refer
ence to primary elections. The act
makes the county the unit, and provides
for the election of delegates to State
convention. 1t is optional with the
party organization as to whether 1t will
take advantage of its provisions. 1t
provides that the selection of judges and
the ascertaining of the result shall be
governed by the election laws of the
State.
Lieutenant Governor Willard read to
the Senate a communication as to the
method of electing school trustees. The
letter was in reply to a communication
by the Senate to Attorney General
Anderson, directing him to ascertain
whether, under section IL of the schedule
of the new constitution, school trustees
now in Office will remain in office until
the General Assembly has provided by
law for their election or appointment,
or without such action whether, upon
the expiration Of the terms of trustees in
Office when the constitution took effect,
such trustees should be elected under
the law in force prior to the day on
which the constitution went into effect.
His opinion is to the effect that the new
constitution does not in any way affect
the terms Of trustees, as the constitution
provides that terms are merely extended,
and that the incumbents hold under the
new constitution as under the old, the
method of election and the terms being
unchanged. The Attorney General
thinks, however, that uncertainty is
thrown around it if this clause is taken
by itself, and suggests the enactment of
a law expressly prescribing when the
term of Office or school trustees in office
when the constitution took effect shall
expire and that of their successors shall
begin.
The BOaz bill providing for the cleo
ton of a president of the University of
Virginia was rejected, but the vote was
reconsidered and action passed by.
Mr.. McIlwaine, from the committee
on courts of iustice. reported without
amendment the Senate bill TO fix the
terms of the judges of the Corporation
Courts for the cities of Bristol, Radford
and Buena Vista.
Mr.. McIlwaine, from the same COM
mittee, reported without amendment a
Joint resolution proposing amendments
to sections 10 and l19 of the constitu-
ton of Virginia, and providing for pub
fishing said amendments and certifying
the same to the next session of the gen.
eral assembly.
Mr.. Bruce introduced a bill to pro-
vide for combining insane persons in
private hospitals under certain condi-
tons.
The Senate in executive session con-
frmed the Governors nominations for
members of the board of directors for
the State hospital, and the State board
of agriculture.
Resolutions were offered by Mr.
Halsey, designed to remove the restric-
tons as to the eligibility of commission
ers of the revenue, for reelection when
elected by the people. If adopted by this
general assembly, they will be referred
to the next for concurrence, and if con-
CURED in, will then he referred to the
people for ratification or rejection.
This will leave the mode of election
with the general assembly.
HOUSE.
The House consumed the session in
clearing the calendar of local bills. The
Edwards bill to assign certain oyster bot
toms in Westmoreland county to private
parties was ordered to its engrossment
House bill regulating the granting of
franchises in cities and towns and pro-
viding for their advertisement was passed
Owing to the retirement from the
House of Mr.. Southall, the member from
Amelia and Nottoway, who was chair
man of the committee oil courts of justice,
there has been considerable readjustment
of the committee chairmanships on the
House side. Mr.. w. II. Duke, of
Charlottesville, the ranking member OF
the courts committee, has been chosen
chairman of that committee, and Mr..
n. b. Early, of Greene, succeeds Mr..
Duke as chairman of the committee on
schools and colleges. Mr.. George w.
Settle, of Rappahannock, takes Mr..
Early's place at the head of the militia
and police committee, while Mr.. Ware,
of Amherst, is advanced to the chair
manship of the committee on federal re-
lations and resolutions to succeed Mr.
Settle.
The banks, currency and commerce
committee of the House yesterday after
noon reported the bill offered by Mr..
Cation, of Alexandria, designed to pro-
tect wholesale merchants against the
fraudulent sale in bulk of stocks of goods
purchased from the retail merchants.
The bill is one of the great interest to
the wholesale trade.
Mr.. Edwards, of West Point, will
shortly offer in the House bill to require
coal merchants to give a long, rather
than a shor t ton of coal to their Gus
toners.
The Mann bill had a hearing before
the finance committee of the House yes
terday. Judge Mann made an appeal