The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1903-11-17
LEGISLATURE.
AN IMPORTANT ELECTION BILL
Mr.. Matthews Makes o Vigorous
FIGHT For BAYLOR Survey.

Fight For Baylor Survey.
Mr.. Stearns, of Newport News, intro
duced bill making the general election
laws Of the State applicable TO party
nominations, whether made in primary,
convention or ward meeting.
The bill ia q far-reaching measure. IL
provides that all primaries shall be held
under the general election law; that dis
Greet men shall be appointed as judges and
clerks; that in canvassing the ballots
each candidate shall be allowed to have
/ a representative present; that where pri-
maries are not wanted the general laws
shall govern conventions or mass-meet-
/ ings The bill, ii passed, will eliminate
/ the viva voce system OF voting and also
I the Use of proxies in convention.
/ Several bills were ordered to their en-
! Crossment 10 the House One OF them so
amended the law providing for assessors
/ oi real property a. To allow cities OF To-
/ 900 inhabitants and over to have two
/ assessors.
The House Committee on General Laws
reported a bill drawn by the revision
! committee creating "a bureau ofinsurance.
Delegat Gravely offered bin so amend
! ing the dog law as TO allow boards oil gu
| pervisors to exempt from taxation one
dog for each householder or head oil
family.
Mir Matthews, OF Ac,omac, offered his
minority repol IA a member OF the Oys-
/ Ter Commission. protesting against the
| br ssrilg Of the Baylor survey in the
House Saturday.
The paper is a strong presentation oil
/ tine question from the point OF view OF
the 0ystsrmen and the tidewatar people.
There viii undoubtedly be long and
vigorous fight over the matter. Large
numbers Of oyster tOngers and Others IN
teissf IN the business VIII ask hearings
before the commit ?. Many protests
G .ainst breaking the survey have already
b. ~ sent up.
MIR, Mathews takes issue with the ma
jOfity report at almost every poiut. He
/ denies that - per cent. of the area in the
/ Baylor survey is barren aud charges that
the cUmmitt,s examined only about 10
Der cent. of the area, to which il should
condne its remarks and conclusions. Ii
ie asserted that the only sources OF seed
supply are the rocks in Quf stion, and TO
leave these would be TO deprive planter )
Of their "a supply and would result in
throw ng out OF employment most of the
oystsrmen--the poor people in the indus
tiy-besides destroying the crab and
clam industry.
SIR. Lawson offered q bin to remove
the political disabilities OF George T..
/ Croxton, OF Essex, and another was OIL
iered by Nr Grl IN, allowing law students
under age 10 take the examination be
fore the Supreme Court.
Ia the house Mr. Woodward, OF Nor
ifolk. presented a copy of the resolution
passed 10y the board OF trade and Bust
ss Mems Association of Norfolk. call.
ing on their representatives in the general
assembly to use their best efforts TO pro-
tect the fsh industry OF that section. A
closed season, similar to that 10 the mat
Ter of oysters, is suggested.
Mr.. Weaver presented a bill repeating
an act OF 1902, preventing the shipping
OF sale Of partridges killed in Carroll,
/ Grayson and Patrick counties. so far a.
iJ relat Is TO the two counties first namtd
Mr.. Grayely offer ! Il bill TO permit the
netting or trapping Of partridges in
Henry county during November, Deem
Der aud January.