Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1904-03-08
Virginia Legislature.

held three sessions, and the House two,
much of the time of the former body
being devoted to a consideration of the
Edmonson bill, which makes radical
changes in the road laws Of the State.
The rule passed last week to allow no
new bills after Saturday was adhered to
Yesterday by the House, but in the SEN
ate the bars were let down in order to
validate certain records OF Powhatan
county, left incomplete by the death of
the Judge, and shrewd members succeed
ed in getting several special bills admit
ted on the same plea. A large number
of measures that have been fought
through the first stages of legislation are
hanging in the balance and it is touch
and 20 with several important bills that
have been fought inch by inch, through
two sessions. Among these is the Ed
mondson road bill, which the House
amended, and yesterday the Senate adj
hered to its original provisions, which
will probably preclude its passage at this
session.
SENATE.
The Senate amended the EdmOndson
road bill so as to allow county superyl-
sors to appoint road overseers. This fea-
ture was in the original bill, but the
House put the power in the hands OF cir
cult Judges. At the afternoon session the
bill was passed.
Favorable reports we're made on the
bills requiring the State board of medical
examiners to preserve examination papers
and prohibiting the enticing away OF
laborers under contract.
An adverse report was made on the
bill allowing Mella d. Matthews and Lee
YarreIl to erect pier at Virginia Beach.
The Hobbs bill to makeall executions
public was defeated by considerable ma
jority.
The Jordan oyster bill, which has
passed the House and is now on the cal
endar of the Senate, will be defeated, ac-
cording to the views of the leading mem
bers of that body. 1t has beer amended
in committee and if passed by The Senate
could scarcely run the gantlet OF the
House again.
The Senate adjourned at IL o'clock at
night having passed many bills OF local
moment including one exempting tele-
phone companies whose capital stock
does not exceed So, 900, from the fran
ckise tax.
HOUSE.
DIR. Snead from Princess Anne, rose
to question of personal privilege, with
a clipping from New York paper IN
his hand which, in rather humorous
STYLE. suggested that Dr. Snead's bill to
repeal all the present laws for the pro-
lection of wild fowl in the waters OF
Back Bay was in the interest of ex-
President Grover Cleveland, whose
fayorite hunting grounds is Back Bay.
DR.. Snead denied that the bill had any
connection whatsoever with Mr.. Cleye-
land and added that Mr.. Cleveland had
broken faith with the democratic party
and should not be again the nominee of
that party. ,,
There was debate on the House bill,
amended by the Senate, in relation to
State repositories, the effect of which, 1t
was said, would be to allow any bank
selected by the treasurer and the governor
which could give the bonds required to
be depository for State funds. Many
amendments were offered and the bill SO
changed that no one understood its pro-
visions, whereupon the House defeated
it, leaving the law as at present.
The House passed the bill to compel
persons deserving their wives or children
without cause to provide for them.
The bill making provision for a travel
ing auditor to examine accounts of State
and county officers and to report to the
next legislature a better method OF
keeping accounts was defeated. A
motion to reconsider was made and left
pending.
Senate bill providing for the regular
inspection of large bodies of laborers was
passed. 1t is designed to prevent cpl
denies.
At its afternoon session the House
passed the bill making January 10, the
birthday of Lee and Jackson, a legal
holiday.
hepassage of bills occupied the greater
portion of the time of the House, but
there were objections raised to so many
of the measures that the progress was
slow.
A favorable report was presented on
the bill making April nexta legal hCli-
day, so thatall may attend the launching
of the warship Virginia at Newport News.
An unfavorable report was made on the
bill appropriating So, 900 to remove the
Virginia exhibit at st. Louis to the ex-
hibition at Portland, Ore.
The bill, redistricting the State so as
to put Norfolk and Newport News in
separate districts, received q setback, the
House refusing to fix time for its con-
sideration. 1t will likely be allowed to
die.
The finance committee was discharged
from consideration of the bill to put all
social clubs chartered since April 16,
1903, on the same footing as barrooms.
This foreshadows its passage.
The House agreed to the amendments
to the Anderson annexation bill, which
now goes to the governor. Mr.. Lee, Of
Fairfax, moved to amend the bill, so as
to provide that city shall notgo within
three miles of theological seminary.
The amendment was opposed by Messrs.
Gum and Kelley, and Mr.. Lee declared
in support of the proposition that if
Alexandria were allowed to go on, she