The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-02-24
MAY PREC|P|TATE
A BITTER FIGHT
Mann Bills Likely to be
Taken From Finance
Committee.
NEW CIDEE BILL
TO CAUSE STIR
Proposed Measure Believed BY
Many to Be Necessary in
View Of Occurrences of
the Past Few Years.
Rev Crab Bill
Reported.

Unless the improbable occurs in the
shape of report OF some sort, bringing
the matter up In regular form, Judge
Mann. OF Nottoway. will on Monday in
the Senate prccipitatc the bittcrest fight
OF the present General Assembly by
moving to discharge the Committee on
Finance and Banks from further con-
sireratton of his bills amending the laws
governing saloons. distilleries, cider
manufactures and social clubs.
unmistakable indications were given
yesterday that the Senate committee,
which has already conducted two hear
ings upon the proposed amendments. will
not reach vote shortly, and may not
do so at all before the sesslon ends
Press OF other work viii keep the guar
dIans of the public purse busy In differ
ent directions aiiS with the general ap-
preparation bill on their hands and a
swarm of money seekers to watch, they
will have time for attention to little
else. Realizing this and appreciating
that with but two weeks OF an over
crowded session remaining. the fate OF
the entire anti-saloon movement ex-
pressed In the suggested changes in the
statutes depends now upon prompt and
vigorous action Judge Mann yesterday
did what he could In the way OF circum-
4
taching some OF the amendments from
the general bill presenting them in sep
arnte acts and having these latter re-
ferred to othef committees. But since
nearly every one OF the changes affect
the public revenue in some manner II
was possible to accomplish very little in
this direction. For this reason and see
ing no other way out OF the difficulty,
Judge Mann has determined to ask that
the Finance fDrnniirtea fao
The Situation
III do not get a report by Monday,
shall ask that the committee be dis
charged from further consideration of
| the bills" said the Nottoway senator
yesterday afternoon. There is very little
that can be done in the way of special
acts. The amendments referring to sa-
loon Licenses social clubs and distiileres
are all tied UP In the Finance Commit
tee"
Shall you make fight for these
amendments on the floor nevertheless q,
he was asked.
Il certainly shall. The fight will begin
on the motion to discharge the commit
tee. The first alignment WIN be drawn
then"
When the attention of Mr.. Wickham
of Hanover. chairman of the Finance
made by Judge Mann upon the floor of the
Senate that the committee would prob
ably, with the mass of work before II,
not be able to resume consideration of
the amendments. he declared that the
prospect was very much of this sort.
1T is impossible, of course. to tell"
said Mr.. Wickham, "but it looks very
much as If we will not get a vote in the
committee. which is very much burtlened
with work.
rs there any likelihood that the COM
inittce will report on the Mann bill by
Monday?" he was asked.
There is not the slightest possibility
that the committee will report by Mon
day." said the Hanover Senator, posi-
lively.
Bitter Stuggle.
Tremendous opposition will meet every
movement Of the Mann forces and with
"a congested calendar that makes 1t ex-
ceedinG difficult to secure contested legis-
lation of any sort, measures of such COM
manding interest as the amendments pro
posed, affecting important and powerful
interests, prepared to fight to the death,
stand in imminent danger of being lost
In the maelstrom. Judge Mann declares
fatty, however, that he will make the
effort and both sides are girding them
selves for what all expect to be a bitter
struggle.
OF the three new bills offered by Judge
Mann yesterday, two relating to the man
ufacture OF cider and the other e1nbodies
one of the amendments now hung ,,p in
the Finance Comnittee. All three were
being referred to the Finance Committee,
when Judge Mann raised the point that
the Finance Committee could not report
upon what it already had before it. No
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