Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-12-12
THE LEGISLATURE.
SENATE.

emily came near losing tne VlucSe al"
one Of the most useful members of that
body.
Colonel Anderson's bill to appropri-
ate $3.50 900 additional for Capitol i'm
movements was reported favorably by
the finance committee, of which Senator
Wick ham is chairman. He was not,
however. present on Thursday when the
committee met, and he moved yesterday
that the bill be recommitted, on the
ground that he was not present. lie
gave the Senate information concerning
the Capitol and the finances of the State,
and. in the minds of other members OF
the committee, was undertaking to as
sumo authority over them.
Mr. Shackelford one of the youngest
members of the committee, suggested
that the chairman was assuming an un-
warranted authority and was trying to
dominate the committee. Mr.. Wickham
grew excited, took umbrage at Mr..
Shackelford's remarks, and declared be
would resign his membershipin the Sen
ate. and sat down to his desk to write
his resignation.
Mr.. Shackelford promptly withdrew
his statement, but Mr.. Wickham's spirit
was aroused, and he replied that for some
time he had felt that be was not in ac-
cord with the prevailing sentiment o.
the Senate, and that his action was not
due to any personal feeling or TO any al
front but to his conviction. Mr.. Ander-
son. of Richmond, in all eloquent little
speech, paid warm tribute TO the Han
over Senator, aud explained his OVID
course in the matter, the discussion o.
which had precipitated the dramatic IN
cident. The tribute of Col. Anderson t.
Mr.. Wickham was loudly applauded,
and when a moment later, President
Willard declared that he would exercise
his prerOgatiye and decline to admit the
question of the resignation Of the Senator
there was IN intense demonstration OF
approval.
In the meantime several Senators en-
tered into the discussion with feeling,
and for sometime the Senate was in
state of excitement
Mr.. Opie finally gained the floor, and
appealed to the Senate to recommit the
bin on his (Opie's) account, and not on
Mr.. Wickham's and also appealed to Mr..
Wickham not to take literally words i'm
pulsively said in heated debate. Ex-
plantations we're under way when Senator
Barksdale took advantage of a timely
moment to move to adjourn, leaving
the motionlto recommit Enacted upon.
The Senators gathered around Mr..
Wickham and earnestly begged him TO
abandon his purpose to resign. Mr.
Shackelford was called and the two Sena-
tors exchanged explanations, shook
hands and the incident was closed.
Senator Wickham is the watchdog OF
the treasury, and is violently opposed to
further appropriation for Capitol improve
ment. On the other hand, there are
men in the Senate and House who favor
the suggestion of the converstian of the
old tuilding into historical museum
and the expenditure OF 81, 900, 600 for a
new Capitol. ,.
Mr.. Gravely introduced a bill in the
House yesterday to carry ont the plan,
providing for the appropriation OF $500,
600 a year for FIVE years.
The Senate practically defeated the
bill creating the bureau OF insurance
Senator McIlwaine secured the adoption
of an amendment yestingin the corpora
ton commission the selection of the
commissioner provided for. This led
enough friends of the original measure
tn vote against it to effect its rejection
Senator McIlwaine entered a motion 10
reconsider and declared his purpose to
try and have the best provisions of the
bill preserved and enacted, but not to
provide for commissioner.
The Senate adopted resolution call
ING on the secretary of the common
wealth to ascertain the number Of white
and colored voters on the registration
books in each precinct at the close OF the
last registration. A similar resolution
was recently offered by the House. The
resolution is said to grow out Of political
conditions in Norfolk county, where
recent riotous behavior occurred over the
charge that the fusionists are paying
poll taxes for the negroes and making
it easy for them to get on the books.
The straightouts claim that there are as
many negroes registered IN Norfolk
county as in all the other counties com
bined. Mr.. Cromwell, the author of the
resolution, claims that the proportion is
not larger than in other tidewater
counties.
The Ieake bill providing for grand
Jury investigations of all elections was
favorably reported by the Senate COM
mitlee, and Will pass.
HOUSE.
The House took sOmersault yester'
day in reversing its action of "A hours
before in limiting the minimum quantity
of liquor allowed to be sold bya distillery
to two gallons. The Senate declined to
concur, and the House agreed to make
the quantity one gallon, but adhered to
lis pure.cider clause, and this will neces-
state a conference on the bill.
The House discharged the finance
committee from the further consideration
of Mr.. Green's bill to rerate and place
on the permanent rolls pensioners, who,
being on the rolls under former acts, are
now totally disabled. Messrs. Gravely
sid Fulton endeavored to have their
pension bills taken ont of committee,
but failed. The bills of Messrs. Cation
and Kelley 10 amend the pure election