Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1904-02-19
LEGIsLATURE DofNGs.

A committee will investigate sites
for the new State Normal, and will
report at the next session.
Mr.. Stewart introduced a bill pro
hibiting the burial of dead human
bodies within 200 feet of the loca.
ton of any water supply.
One day last week in his PRAYER
offered in the House Rev. g. s. Gard
ner. ID. d., appealed for divine aid
for the Japanese in their struggle
for liberty, and for the stricken peo-
pie OF Baltimore in their calamity.
BILLS PASSED.
Both branches of the Legislature
rushed through bills Monday designed
to overcome the danger of lynching
the negro, Henry Williams, at
Roanoke, charged with assault on
Mrs. Alice Shields The new law
permits the judge of any court to
allow the trial of case elsewhere on
petition of the prisoner and IN his
absence. They also permit the depo-
sition Of the victim of the assault to
be taken and read to the jury so as
to make it unnecessary for such per-
son to appear In court.
JORDAN BILL PASSES HOUSE.
The Jordan bill passed the House
on Tuesday last. This had been ex
pected, the opponents hoping to kill
1T in the Senate as they did last SEES
sion.
The vote stood Sc to 25, as fol-
lows:
Ayes-Messrs. Adams, Anderson, Bird,
Boaz, Bowman, Bridgforth, Brooks,
Bruce, Cardwell, Cation, ChuTchman,
Bruce Clarke, Coleman, Cox, Crawford,
Duke, Early, Edmondson, Gray, Green,
Gregory, Griffith, Harrison, Heermsns,
Hoge, jennings, Lacy, III K. Lee, r. E.
Lee, jr., Lewis, Lion, Lowry, MAYS, Nc
Neil, Mitchell, Moss, Guild, Pannill,
Powell, Powers, Read. Rosenegk Robson,
Rogers. Royal, Ssyers, Scott, Slaugh
ter, Smith, Sterrett, Thomson, Thorn
son, Thornbill, Walker, Watson, Willie
roy.
Noes-Messrs. Barnes, Beatie, Bryant,
Thomas f. Clarke, Collier, Daniel, Dick
enson, Grsveley, Gum, Howie, Huuley,
Kelley, Lambeth, Latsne, j. 81. Lewis,
Lyell, Owens, Parker, Rev, Charles
Smith, Stearnes, Stewart, Stubs, With
ers. Wood.
The Republicans voted with Mr..
Jordan.
The opponents of the bill were led
by Messrs. Rev, of Accomac, Withers,
of Nsnsemond, and Smith, of North
ampton. The following members of
the Legislature are named as the
commission to lease out the States
barren oyster grounds: Senator
George w. Keezell, of Rockingham;
Delegate George Y. Hunley, of Ma
thews and Delegate Z. @. Jordan, of
Frederick, patron of the bill. This
commission can, under the Constitu-
ton, receive no compensation.
Later Mr.. Hunley announced. his
decision not to serve on the commits
sion.
Whether the bill to break the Bay
lor survey aud lease barren or de-
pleted oyster rock now embraced
therein pass the General Assembly
or not at this session, it will not be-
come effective until another General
Assembly shall have met and ratified
the survey required to be made under
the terms OF the committee bill
which was substituted for House
bill IS.
Senator Sears, of Mathews, who
was chiefly instrumental in defeating
the bill in the last General Assembly,
made this point at recent hearing
of the bill, and the advocates of the
measure had to agree with him in
this view. There can be no lease of
any oyster rock or shoals embraced
in the present Baylor survey until
January or February, 1906. The
oystermen who oppose the bill are
assured of this respite. Mr.. Sears
and his constituents are naturally
well pleased with the situation.
Even when such surveys and plots
have been made they must pass mus
ter with the General Assembly.
When the Jordan bill was reached
on the calendar, Mr.. Withers, of
Nansemond, took his place near the
Speakers stand, and proceeded to
deliver an able and eloquent argu-
ment against the passage of the mea-
sure. Mr.. Withers started out by
giving brief history of oyster legis-
lation in the State, and coming to
the Jordan bill, he declared that this
measure was not only vicious piece
of legislation, but was in direct con-
flict with the best interests of the
people of the State. He had no
harsh words for the patron, who he
believed was honest in his efforts, but
here he contended that the member
from Frederick had the wrong idea
as to what was best for the people
on this subject. He contended that
If the depleted ground within the
Baylor Survey were allowed to rest,
it would replete itself in given time,
and be asserted that it was sought
here by covert means to throw down
the bars and allow commercial vul-
lures" to come in and feast upon the
public land of the State and grow
rich beyond the widest dream at the
expense of the people of Underwater
and of the entire Commonwealth. He
declared it was not "barren grounds
that was sought in the Jordan bill,
for "barren ground" lay without the
Baylor survey sufficient for all pur-
poses. Here Mr.. Jordan interrupted
the speaker. and the former produced
map of the Rappahannock river,
designed to show that all the barren
land there had been taken up. He
launched into strong appeal to the
House not to break the Baylor sur
vey. which had been established after