Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1904-01-30
Virginia Legislature.
SENATE.

eral moment came up. The bill appro-
priating money for the care of Coufed-
crate graves in cemeteries was passed.
The Senate finance committee took a
test vote OF the s~dvisability of appro-
priating $3.50, 900 for repairs to the State
Capitol. 1t stood 7 to 6 IN favor. A
further meeting will be held Monday to
consider hew the money can be raised.
The House bills passed we're as fol-
lows:
To amend the law in relation to the
collection Of fees of commissioners of
the revenue.
To amend the law relating to the sale
of cocaine and other poisons.
To amend the law in relation to the
land books of commissioners of the rev.
enue.
To amend the act in relation to the
mode in which land and property books
shall be made out.
To amend the charter of Clifton
Forge.
An amendment to State corporation
laws has been introduced in the Senate
under the provisions of which companies
chartered in this State will be allowed to
enter the District Of Columbia or any
government reservation.
HOUSE.
The old tonnage tax fight will be in
iected into the arena again by a bill in
troduced yesterday by Mr.. Wood to tax
the minerals mined in the State 81 on
every 800 of value. A similar bill was
defeated at the last session after Il hard
fight. 1t was charged then that the tide
water delegates helped defeat the bill in
return Tor aid in passing the jamestown
Exposition Appropriation Bill. There
was no acknowledgment of any such COM
pact then, nor any proof of the assertion.
1t was also suggested around the legis-
lature today that the re~intrOduction OF
the mineral tonnage tax will have a
strong bearing on the Jordan oyster bill.
1t is intimated that while there is no
tacit understanding between the repre-
sentatives of the two sections, it will like
Iy come about that if the tidewater men
assist in the defeat of the mineral tax the
southwest will be likely to vote against
the Jordan bill. Mr.. Woods bill pro-
vides that all mining companies shall
make sworn statements of the output OF
coal, Iron and other materials, and the
81 tax will apply to all alike.
rhe Jordan bill to lease the barren
oyster bottoms was yesterday adversely
reported from the committee on the
Chesapeake and its tributaries, and was
recommitted to the committee on courts
of justices to inquire into its consti-
tutionality. This action does not indi-
cafe an adverse fate. The bill was ad-
versely reported at the last session, and
then passed the House by a good ma
iority, but suffered defeat in the Senate
in the last hours of the session.
Mr.. Dickinson offered a bill empower
ing the supervisors of Spottsylvania
county to pay a bounty of Is cents each
for the scalps of owls and hawks aud
of so cents a piece for the scalps Of
foxes.
Two amendments were offered by Mr..
Gravely to the pension laws designed to
make their language clear and to rate
as partially disabled those veterans re-
ceiving only $15 under the act of 1908.
Mr.. Gravely also offered a bill making
more definite the law exempting
ex. Confederate soldiers, sailors, and
marines from the payment of capt.
tation tax.
A further bill presented by Mr..
Gravely allows supervisors of counties to
allow each treeholder one dog exempt
| from license tax.
Mr.. Daniel introduced a bill requiring
railroad companies to provide drop steps
to every passenger coach under penalty
of $40, the act to 60 into effectsix months
after its passage.
The House finance committee favora
bly, reported the bill assessing a license
tax of 5000 on gypsy bands.
A favorable report was also made on
the Royal bill, which requires all theaters
and other buildings used for assembling
to provide an ample number of exits not
under five feet in width; they shall be
kept unlocked during all times of meeting
in them, and,open outward. The original
bill specified a width Of six feet, and the
present bill is a compromise. A large
number Of local bills were introduced,
and the House spent much time in dis
cussing the Edmonds road bills, defeat
ed at the last session and again introduc-
ed.