Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-01-11
MONTAGUE CALLS FOR
PROTECTION FOR VOTERS
Governor in His Message Which
he Delivers Himself Ur.
ges New Laws.
CORPORATIONS NOT OVERLOOKED
Criticises Vir0inia's Methods Of Tax
Collection and Accounts. Renews
Old Recommendations for School
and Highway Improvement, Re-
proves Use of Money in Elections.


RICHMOND, VA, Jan. 10. The
General Assembly o. Virginia was
called 10 order today III noon. The
Senate by Senator Wickham OF Han
over and the House of Delegates by
Clerk John w. Williams.
After tho election OF the various
officers who were selected last night
in caucus the two bodies met i'll
joint session at 1870 O'Clock TO hear
Governor Montague deliver his mes
sage which he himself read 10 the
assembled law makers.
Confusion Confounded.
The Senate OF Virginia rcsembled
sort OF town gathering today. The
desks for members had not arrived,
and 1t was half an hour before the
time for the body to convene the
floor was strewn with lumber, saw
horses and carpenters TOOLS Bits
" carpet were also laying around,
the men hammering and mailing like
mad
Two striking Incidents made no.
table the first day OF the new SEES
sion. The occasion marked the first
organization of the legislative body
In the new capitol and was signal.
lied by the reading Of the last
public message perhaps that Cover
nor Montague will communicate to
the tate lawmakers.
Crowd Not Large.
The crowd seeking the gallery to-
day was not as large as the door
keepers have had 10 contend with
at PAST sessions on the opening
day. The population of the feminine
contingent. however. was greater.
There is no "Jim Crow" section
in the house. The halfscore OF
blacks, however, were huddled to.
eether, apart from the white spec
tators.
Senator Hartman, of Richmond, Of
fered resolution naming the four
pages for The Senate. The resolution
was adopted.
Applause for Governor.
When the Governor, escorted by
the joint committee, appeared in the
hall of the House at 40 o'clock
every soul arose, and the applause
which greeted the Executive was
great.
The Governor displayed great skill
rs an elocutionist in the reading
or his message, and he enjoyed a
most attentive hearing from the
time he assembled the rostrum I'M
III he made his final bow. That
his suggestions met with receptive
ears was evinced by the generous
applause which followed his conclud.
ing remarks.
AT 2:3O o'clock the joint session
of the Senate and House came 70
a close and minute later the House
adjourned to meet tomorrow at
noon.
No bills we're introduced in the
House.
The Message.
The Governors message was in
part as follows:
Gentlemen of the General Assembly of
Virginia:
! congratulate upon assembling nm.
der circumstances SO auspicious The
involvement and enlargement of the
Cenitol will give you facilities for
work never enjoyed by your predecess.
ors: and the prosperous condition of
our treasury and of the Commonwealth
Is perhaps unsurpassed in its history
Yet amid such good cheer the call for
rigid economy and tho setting OF our
faces against extravaganza was never
so imperative.
The work on the Capitol seems a
gratifying success. The addition OF
wings to the old building has not mar.
red, but has rather improved the orig
1nal structure, and experience no re
gret at my somewhat venturesome re
commentator Of January, 1904, for
this particular form of enlargement.