Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1904-03-18
LEGISLATURES DoINGs.

bEGISLATURE DOINGS.
Ministers in meetings have adopt
ed resolutions requesting Governor
Montague to veto the bill passed by
the Legislature taking off the Jail
sentence in the case of liquor law
violators.
The Machen bill legalizing pri-
marles was passed by both Houses,
but the lower House added an
amendment allowing another to
enter the booth with the voter, and
struck out the clause which required
bar-rooms to be closed on the day
the primary was held. Because of
these amendments the bill died in
the Senate when it came back for
ratification.
During the last week both bodies
worked hard-morning afternoon
and night sessions being held. It,
was after midnight each night before
they ceased from their labors. One
night when the calendar had been
proceeded with for a few moments.
every light in the Capitol suddenly
went out, and few candles were
employed to bridge over the .emer-
gency. 1t was 8 O'Clock when the
lights flashed up again amid applause,
though while they were out business
was not suspended.
THE JORDAN BILL.
The Jordan Oyster bill died in
the Senate. A companion resolution
of MIR. Jordan, providing that the
committee on the Chesapeake and its
tributaries shall consist of not less
than one member from each Con-
gressionial district, was killed in the
House.
THE SUNDAY LIQUOR LAW.
The Virginia Legislature is unwil-
ling that liquor shall be sold to
student, even though the student be
thirty or forty years of age and en-
tirely able to take care Of himself,
but it passed bill striking out the
Jail penalty for violating the Sunday
liquor law,
After all the discussion on the
subject, the General Assembly at the
last minute passed the bill to do
away with the jail-sentence for viola
tions of the Sunday liquor law.
We are utterly at loss to under
stand why this should have been
done. If saloon keepers obey the
law, there is 10 danger of their being
put in Jail. We insist that this is
not question as to whether or not
it is morally wrong to sell liquor on
Sunday. 1t is question of violat-
ing the law, and those who violate
the law should be punished and the
punishment should be 80 severe as to
make men afraid to violate it, Times
Dispatch.
POLITICS VS.. BUSINESS
When the bill to redistrict the First
and Second congressional districts
came up the debate became spark
ling and entertaining. Ina nut shell
1T was business against politics. The
Newport News and Norfolk senators
asked for the change in the bounds
of the First and Second Districts
purely on business grounds, political
balances being equal, and the First
District people, who it seems, did
not want their district enlarged by
the addition of Newport News and
two Peninsula counties, took purely
a political view of the situation, their
sole idea seeming to be that enlarged
territory would increase the number
of Federal Office hunters and an en-
largement of the hungry army is evil
IDENTIFY not to the liking of the pre-
sent represen tative from the First
District, whose influence seemed to
be strong in the debate in the Legis-
latnre. The bill was finally passed
by, aud died.
SOME BILLS PASSED.
For Furnishing persons throwing
rocks or other missiles at trains.
vessels or steamboats,.
To have plats of oyster planting
ground endorsed abandoned" under |
certain conditions.
To prevent floating bars, by giving
courts and officers in local option
counties concurrent Jurisdiction to
low water mark on opposite side of |
river.
The bill to require the owners of |
steamboat wharves to provide suita-
BILE accommodations for patrons.
10 protect certain hook -and-line
fish in the bays, creeks, inlets and
streams tributary to the Potomac
river.
A bill to punish men who shall |
wantonly abandon their wives or
children, leaving them dependent on
others.
A bill placing heavy penalty for
selling liquor to students.
The following are some of the bills
which have become laws
10 authorize the supervisors of
Middlesex county to borrow money
to rebuild jail and clerks office.
The Keezell resolution, ndorsing a
single system of books for the public
schools.
A bull giving a death blow to
"Socisl" clubs.
Mr.. Rew's bill placing heavier
penalty for using patent tongs. The
penalty hereafter will be ten DAYS to
sI1 months in Jail and fine from
$l9p to $500, one-hslf of which is to
go to the informer. i
Mr.. Lyell's bill authorizing any
holder of planting ground to erect
piers or watch-honses on his shore.
providing he does not obstruct nayi-
CATION or interfere with the rights of
others.
Mr.. Lyelps bill exempting from
tax boarding tents. horse-lots, con
fectionery stands, ETC., at campmeet-
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