The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1903-11-12
JUDGE E. c. MONCURE
INTERVIEWED.
he Thinks New Legislature Can
Hold Several Sessions if Neces-
sary and Sit Longer Than
Sixty Days.
The Various Subjects to BE consid-
cred BY That Body, Etc.

In an interview at Bowling Green Mon
day with q representative Of this paper,
Judge +. c. Moncure OF Caroline, who
will occupy Il prominent position in the
new Legislature, which convenes early In
1904, expressed himself in reference to
that body and its work az follows:
What is your opinion a. to the length
OF the session Of the next LEGISLATURE
Some seem to think it IL limited to
sixty days.
The next General Assembly can remain
in session as long as they choose. Article
section 46, of the constitution, uses
this language; mo session of the General
Assembly, after the first under this Con
stitution, shall continue longer than six.
ty DAYS. There can be no doubt but
that the next General Assembly VIII be
the first under this Constitution. The
Assembly which meets Tuesday In ad-
iOurned session Is not the first under the
Constitution.
The next General Assembly may con-
stitutionally sit two, three or TOUR
months, and then take a recess Tor such
time as il may determine, and ait again
40 il concludes it's session by Wednesday
after the Ind Monday in January, l9O6.
What, in your opinion. VIII be the
main and leading matters OF work Tor
the next Assembly?
That 10 rather hard to tell. The present
Legislature in the first place will take up
the report OF their Revisory Committee.
and pass such bills as are urgent, To
dovetail the present statutes into the
new Constitution so that the machinery
will work a little smooth. Then there
il the great oyster question, which
think the present Legislature will tackle,
but extremely doubt whether they VIII
settle il. think they will leave that
question for final adjudication to the
next Assembly
| think the Mann liquor law will be Il
live issue in the next assembly. The legis-
lating OF primary elections VIII DE sn-
other live issue. and the pure electiOns
law will also need attention; but the
most important and perplexing matter
will be the finance and the public schools
The new constitution has evidently
given the public schools black eye In
regard to capitation taxes, which were
dedicated to the schools. by the new
constitution the tax cannot he levied Tor
under three years, and even then no ar
ticles which are exempt under the poor
debtors exemption law can be levied on.
And another thing. the prepayment OF
capitation tax is not required oil any old
soldier. in order that he may vote, and
consequently great many OF these old
vets will believe that the tax wasabOon
or gilt to them and they will not pay II.
And consequently the capitation delin.
ouent lists will be greatly increased and
the schools will suffer. and in order to
keep them up to their present standard
an additional tax will have to he levied.
This matter may be helped In measure
by the passage Of law, which the as
ssembly may cOnstitutionally do, allow
ing an additional capitation tax OF one
dollar, to be assessed by the supervisors
to be used as they may desire a. to
school or other county purposes. MS
tar may be collected at once and no
poor law exemptions are exempt az TO
this tax See sec. 1T3 OF constitution,
Then the public road question Will be
another matter for serious legislative
action. Besides the above matters there
are Others which are important and VIII
require mature consideration.