Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1905-09-15
CCommunicat- d.,
"AUNIY SPEC" EXPLAINS.
EDITOR CITIZEN:

NUN NJ DO uAI uhiNU
EDITOR CITIZEN:
The primary agony is over, aud
had no idea of "buttiug iu," bui
there are so many misleading rumor:
and Misunderstanding in the mind,
of the people that | feel | would be
remiss In my duty to my fellow.
man and to myself were | not to
make an explanation. l expect tc
confine my remarks to an editorial
that appeared in the VIRGINIA CIT
IzEN in its Issue of August 18th
At the outset | wish to say that
am writing this in no spirit of con.
troversy; nor to open any wounds
but simply and solely to give fact,
aud let the people Judge whether
some criticisms hear of the CrTI.
zEN's editorial on Judge Mann and
the Jordan bill are just or unjust.
Without one scintilla of egotism
think l can say that probably
know as much about the Jordan
oyster legislation as any man in
Tidewater, because of the fact that
for four months of the great fight
over the Jordan bill | was in the
thickest of the fIay; was in Rich.
mond In two fights-one in House
and the other in Senate. was also
organizing unions; was Chairman OF
the Executive Board of the OYSTER.
mans Protective Union, doing the
work of President, Secretary and
Treasurer for large part of the
time, AMI was, naturally, familiar
with every feature and detail of the
case. l kept my books, data and
newspaper clippings, and have them
to refer to now.
On December 18th, 1902, the flrst
Jordan bill was introduced. Feb.
ruary 27th, 1908, the Committee on
Chesapeake and It's Tributaries re.
ported unfavorably on the Jordan
bill, which was made special order
for March 18th in the House. On
March Goth, bill before House, Mr..
Cardwell offered a substitute, which
was engrossed and later passed; il
was a compromise between Jordan
and the oyster people Chat Jordan,
Cardwell and Matthews, of the
House, and Bryant and Watkins. of
the Senate, be appointed special
joint committee to investigate and
report to Legislature after recess all
facts In connection with the pro-
posed leasing of the "barren bottom
within the Baylor survey. This
killed Jordan bill Number One.
Legislature convened again No.
vember 10th, 1908, and the COM
mittee reported rs per cent. of bot
tom in the survey worthless; and
Mr.. Jordan introduced Jordan bill
No. 2. November 27th Mr.. Wat
klns introduced bill in the Senate
identical with Jordan's House bill.
First of December, House commit
tee reported against passage of bill.
8 to 2. Senate committee also pres.
ent, but not voting. Remember this
is the bill Judge Mann voted on IN
the Senate-bill No 2. A few days
afterwards the bill passed House by
vote of 43 ayes, 80 nays. This
ended the second Jordan bill in the
House. Made special order in Sen.
ate for Tuesday, December 18th.
Mr.. Keezell at that time offered an
amendment or substitute in place of
Jordan's bill which had passed the
House. The Keezell substitute was
defeated by vote of 20 to IL.
Senator Wickham moved to recon-
nit the Jordan bill to the Commit.
tee on Fish and Game for fear that
Keezell's friends would help Tide,
water defeat the Jordan bill on ac-
count of Jordan's friends helping
Tldewater defeat the Keezell substi.
tute; also with a purpose of making
few changes which discussion had
disclosed as essential to successful
passage. Senator Walker voted fo,
the Keezell substitute because he
thought it preferable to the Jordan
bill. Senator Mann voted against
the substitute with Tidewater repre.
sentatives; also with Senators Brv.
ant, Campbell, Cromwell and Wick.
ham, Mr.. Jordan's friends. Senate,
Barksdale called pending question
(Jordan billy. Then Senator Wick.
ham moved that bill be recommitted
Keep In mind that Wickham was :
friend of the Jordan bill and voted
against the Keezell substitute with
TIdewater Senators.)
On the vote to recommit Wake,
and every Tidewater Senator voted
against recommittal. Judge Mann
voted with Jordan's friends to re.
commit, and against every Tidewater
Senator, and if he voted for the oys.
termen when he voted with Tide.
water Senators against the substitute
he must certainly have voted against
the oyster people on recommittal,
the only time direct vote was taken
on the Jordan bill, as the CITIZENS
editorial accuses him.
/ don't see how any one can make
it any other way. Except, possibly,
NLr. Il