Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1903-04-17
LEGISLATIVE DOINGs.



The Mann Bill won "bands down."
a bill was introduced compelling
chairmen TO account for campaign
funds.
An amendment to the Constitution
is proposed which aims to make Com
missioners of the Revenue eligible to
succeed themselves.
The House adopted the resolution
removing Judge Campbell from the
bench of Amherst. 1t was short
fight and the vote was 63 to Is. The
Campbell resolution now goes to the
Senate for concurrence.
Members are thinning out aud
and going home. 1t is hard to get a
quorum. A "call" of the House
was imminent Saturday. 1t was
avoided, however, aud adjournment
made till Monday. Not since 1883
has scalp of the House been
ordered. When ''call" is made the
sergeant-at-arms aud his assistants
are directed to go after absentees,
take them in custody and bring them
before the bar of the house. 1t is
both a rare procedure and a costly
one.
MANN LIQUOR BILL.
Briefly stated the Mann bill as
passed is as follows:
l. The applicant for license shall
first apply to the court and show
that he is a fit and proper person to
conduct the business, the place suit
able and convenient; and, further
show to the court that majority of
the qualified voters of the commu-
nifty il which it is proposed to sell
liquor favor granting of such license.
2. Notwithstanding the above re-
quirements, the judge, if he be of
opinion that the granting of such
license is against sound public policy,
and injurious to the good morals of
the community, may decline to grant
such license.
3. The foregoing provisions do not
apply to towns and cities of 500 or
more population having police pro-
lection; nor to communities not in
corporated, and which are contiguous
to cities, and having, within a radius
of half mile, population of 500
or more, provided, that on the 18th
of March last such communities had
an organized police force.
4 The Mann bill does not extend
to health resorts having natural
mineral springs, nor to seaside resorts
or bodies of salt water connected with
the sea.
The bill passed the House by vote
of 90 to is, and in the Senate were
only 3 against. 1t virtually means pro-
hibition in the country districts of
Virginia, and a heavy increase of
license to city saloons.
Mr.. Wickham said that the Mann
bill was revenue measure. Senti-
ment was overwhelmingly in favor of |
regulation Of liquor traffic. The
committees which had heard the
matters were surprised at the con-
ditions which existed in some of the |
towns of the State. They thought
the people demanded and should have
protection for the women and youth |
of the land. The DEVELOPMENTS
before the COMMITTEES were revela-
ton, some of the scenes being char
acterized as disgraceful.
The status of the clubs under the
Mann law is exciting interest. A
great many bogus clubs had sprung
up-clubs in name only, but which
were not clubs at all-for the pur-
pose of evading the law. This was
brought to the attention of the legis-
lature and bill was passed which
has been incorporated in the general
revenue measure making a distinc-
ton as to clubs and not allowing a
licensed bar-room to be kept in the
same house in which social club is
organized and chartered. This was 7
intended to discriminate sharply
between the bar-room which assumed
the name of club and sold LIQUOR
promiscuously to any and all corners
and the club proper as social organ
ization.
The bill raises the assessment on
clubs to So per member. 1t is pre-
scribed also that such corporations
shall not sell directly or indirectly to
any persons resident of the county
in which the club is located who are
not members of the club. The club
house shall be kept open at least
twelve hours a day each and every
day, and the club shall furnish once
month a sworn list of its mem bers.
which shall be open for publication.
1t shall charge and collect an
entrance fee of not less than SO
md dues of not less than 81 per
month.