Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1903-01-29
RICHMOND LETTER.

Richmond, Va, January 26.-Grav'
apprehensions are felt as TO the fate of the
l"Pure Election Bill" which passed the
Senate last week, with only one vote
against it. 1t went over to the House and
was promptly reported by the committed
but when it came up on the calendar a
motion to recommit was carried by forty
two to thirty-one. The friends of the bill
fear that it will be so amended, in com.
mittee, as to practically nullify the bill.
This bill is drastic in its provisions 10 pre-
vent the use of money in elections.
Senator Barksdale will push his other
election bill, which requires the Electoral
Board TO appoint judges on the nomina-
ton of the county chairman of the respec-
tive political parties, as soon as the fate of
the first named bill is decided Something
must be done to purify the election laws
by this general assembly or the good peo
pie of all parties will call the Democratic
party to account for the failure before the
bar of their righteous indignation next
fall. The daily press of the State will be
heard from if these bills are throttled.
Today the no.fence law GENES up in the
House Considerable feeling is manifested
among the members concerning it. l
warn every man who votes for that bill
that it would be dangerous for him to pass
through Buchanan and Dickinson coun-
ties.
The "Child Labor Bill'' passed the
House and is now before the Senate Com
mittee. Large delegations of ladies and
gentlemen have appeared before the COM
mittee urging the passage Of the bill. A
number of representatives Of cotton mills
and the manufacturing plants oppose the
bill. The labor unions demand the pass
age of this bill, 1t provides that no child
under IA years of age shall be employed
under good deal of red tape humiliation
on the part of the parent Is resorted to.
l shall oppose the bill. The difficulty
among my constituents is to get the chill
dren to work. A paternallsm that violates
the commandment to "Honor thy father
and mother" is wrong IN principle. 1t
ought to be very extreme case of cruel
ty to the child before the government
should be permitted to step in between
the parent and his child. As child wage
Garner, know something Of the blessings
of honest toll to a boy who is inclined to
"have good time" All the labor unions
and sentimental women in the Common
wealth cannot move me from this posi-
ton. If the kind of labor is injurious to
health or hazardous children should be
protected from engaging herein. Work
ing in mines is not included in the bill.
The Republican contingent in the Cen
eral Assembly was paid high compliment
by prominent Democratic Senator the
other day. He said this was the most
skillfully managed minority he ever saw;
that they WELD the greatest influence ac-
cording to their number of any minority
party he ever saw in any legislative body.
This is accounted for by us upon two
grounds. In the first place we are all
deeply interested in securing good legsla
tion, and are therefore attentive to our
duties. In the second place We do not
unmeasuringly antagonize our Democratic
felloTmembers by making ourselves OBJ
noxiously partisan. We have the respect
and confidence of the majority. We are
here for work, and we aatter ourselves that
we possess an average amount of intelli-
yence that always demands and receives
that recognition it is entitled to.
J. N. HARMAN.