The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-12-22
MIR. DUKEON
THE SENATE
Says That the People Should
Know Where the
Blame Is.
THE HISTORY OF THE FIGHT
Member From Albemarlc Says
tho House Will Stay Here.
Has Done Duty.

Hon. w. r. Duke, OF charlottesville,
who has been leading the. fight for a re-
cess of the General Assembly. in order
that the Senate may act on the corpora
ton bills, made the following statement
last night:
'The Legislature elected in November,
1901, was elected while the Constitutional
Convention was in session. 1t assembled
In Richmond in December the same year,
md sat for some two or three months,
when it adjourned and went home, leav-
Ing the Constitutional Convention still
In session. In the summer Of 1902 the
Constitutional Convention, having finished
Its labors, proclaimed the Constitution,
and in the schedule attached to said Con-
stttution they prolonged the life of the
Legislature to the 18th Of January, 1904.
In July Of that year, namely, 1902, the
Legislature convened in Richmond, took
The oath to support tho Constitution. ana
after being In session some ten days or
two weeks adjourned to meet again IN
the fall Of that year. The object that
the convention had in proonging the life
nf the Legislature, and the object of the
Legislature In meeting again, was to
conform the then existing laws to the new
institution After sitting some six
months the Legislature became convinced
i, that the quickest and best way to get
this work done was through a commits
zion.
DID THEIR WORK WELL.
six Of the ablest mon in the General
Assembly-three from the House and
three from the Senate--werc appointed to
do this work. whereupon the Legislature
adjourned to meet on the 10th of No
Vember, 1903, when the work OF the Re-f
vision Committee was to be laid before
them. On the reassennblng of the Gen
rral Assembly on the 10th Of November
these six gentlemen had performed their
labors with great care and ability, and
presented to the House two books Of 1,200
pages, known as House bills and Senate
bills. At once both bodies commenced
Il with great industry to work on these
bills, which practically covered every sec
~ ton Of the then existing Code, and also
some amendments to the laws that were
deemed necessary by the Revision Com
mttee. Most of tho work has been &C.
z conn lished; in fact one might say that
all the work that the House Of Dele
gates could do has been done.
There are now pending before the
Courts of Justice Committee Of the Sen
ate two of the most important bills that
have passed the House during the session.
They are known as House bills No. Si5
and No. 347. being on eminent domain and
public service corporations.
FOR MANY WEEKS.
'IIouse bill No 3i3, or tho ono pertain
ing to eminent domain, was received by
the Senate on November 2lst and sent to
the Committee for Courts Of Justice, and
/. some ten days ago was argued before
that committee by three able lawyers,
who pointed out to the committee the OBJ
iectionable features in this bll-that Is,
tl,f Fl,ia ~ inrc bof lone hfII n
the bill. Up to the present date. as far
rs 7 know, no action has been taken by
the Senate Committee on this BILL House
bill No. 3i7, concerning public service
corporation was received by the Sem
ate on the 10th OF December, was as
signed to the Committee for Courts of
Iustlce in the Senate partially argued
some weeks ago. but no action taken on
It. In this connection 1t would be we'll
TO state that practically all laws pertain
ing TO eminent domain have been repealed
by House bills No. 3A5 and 34G thus leav-
ing us with no laws on this subject ex-
cert the common Law. Last spring the
Senate passed bill governing insurance,
on which no action was taken by the
House. the bill, it was said. being defec-
tive in several particulars. 1t should
have been dated that 1t created a Com
mission Of Insurance.
WAS a BETTER BILL.
when the House convened on the 10th
Of November, 1903 among other bills pre-
scented 10 the House was bill No. $751;
known as the insurance bill. and which
was believed TO be very much better than
The bill passed by the Senate in the
spring. This bill was passed by the House
in November, received by the Senate on
the 18th Of November, assigned to the
Committee for Courts OF Justice, argued
before said committee, discussed tho
roughly by the Senate and recommitted
70 the Committee for Courts of Justice
for further consideration. With these i'm
purtant measures still pending and un-
acted on, on Saturday the Senate sent
over 70 the House Il Joint resolution which
1t had passed, providing that the General
Assembly should adjourn finally on the
I'd Of December, which resolution the
House declined to concur in To-day
resolution was introduced In the House to
adjourn the ed OF December sine die.
A substitute for this resolution was Of
fered TO take a recess on the 23d OF
December to the 18th OF December. This
resolution was adopted by the. House,
which. II agreed 10 by the Senate win
vene Oh the 18th and complete the work
which was delegated TO 1t by the Con-
s,itutional Convention.
WANT ALL TO KNOW.
II hope this viii be copied by every
paper in the State, in order that the peo-
PIE at home may know. should the Legis-
lature fail TO finish its work, on whose
F shoulders rests the responsibility. In dis
cusson on the floor OF the House to-day
it was stated that the Senate, By its res
olution to adjourn on the sd Of Deem
Der sine die, had sent It's ultrnatum 10 tho
House, and although the House nigh, re-
main In session. the Senate would refuse
10 pass on the laws necessary to COM
plete It's work. !, for one, do not think
this can possibly be SO, and think It
very unfair to the Senate to assume that
ii will fail In It's duty 10 the publlC.V