Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-18
AFFAIRS TN VIRGINIA
PROPOSED INQUIRY OF STATE
CORPORATION COMMISSION.
Special Correspondence of The Star.

Special Correspondence of The Star.
RICHMOND, Va, February 1.-The
general assembly Will make rigid fnves-
tigation of the conduct of the state cor
poration commission, inquiring into tbs,
matter of maIfeasance In office. The COM
mission Will also be asked to explain why
three subordinates of the commission
were dismissed from the service when
others who are held to be equally culpable
were allowed to remain. The matter has
been brewing for more than a year, having
its origin in the formation of company
which had all sorts of powers and privt-
Ieges, and which engaged in the practice
OF law before the commission.
The company was capitalized at $4,000,
but only about one-tenth of the stock was
issued and 1T is alleged that more than
one person connected with the commits
sion held part of the stock. The matter
occasioned a great deal of talk last spring,
and there was a general demand for an
explanation of the matter, and now that
all the parties TO the controrersy-Chef
Clerk Upshur. A. S. Lanier twho is suing
Mr.. UpShur for effecting his dismlssaD
and Judge B. L. Crump, have expressed a
willingness to have the matter gone into,
the general assembly can do nothing else.
1t is believed that one effort of the IN
vestigation Will be to introduce certain
-
means of communication between Judge
Crump and Chief Clerk Upshur. resulting
in the dismissal of Lanier, the papers being
much desired as evidence in the suit now
pending between Upshur and Lanier. IL
is held that If there were any such papers
they were privileged, and such cannot
be produced in court unless by consent OF
the principals. This will not be done.
1t is believed that the utmost that VIII
be disclosed by the investigation will be
the indiscretion on the part of some one
connected with the commission at the time
the company was formed, which was to
practice before 1t, in taking stock in the
company. No one who knows the person
who is implicated in the matter has ever
irnpugned his integrity, and it is not be-
heved that for a moment did he fnten-
tionally try to evade the law or to do any
thing that would not stand the fullest
scrutiny. The resolution was introduced
by Delegate Byrd of Winchester. and has
been sent to committee for report. 1t is
believed that the resolution will be
agreed to.
Must Hurry the Work.
The general assembly has just twenty
days remaining in which to complete its
work. 1t will be a physical impossibiity
for the Legislature to consider matters
which are now pending and dispose of them
unless the sessions are extended to ten
hours a day. More than fifteen hundred
a hundred have been acted on by both
branches of the legislature. There are
MOI ethan two hundred bills on the calen-
dars of the senate and mouse which have
been reported from committee, and at the
rate at which the bills are being passed
three months viii be required to dispose
of them. The general assembly manifeStS
a determination to discuss matters, and
there are few measures which have so far
beer enacted which have not been debated
at length.
There is no disposition on the part Of
the members to stay here day after the
expiration of the sessions limit. That will
be three Weehs from today. If the MEM
bers remain away from their homes after
the expiration of the sixty days they will
do so at their own cost The state will pay
nothing. The only way in which the gen.
eral assembly can continue It's work Will
be to have the governor call an extra
ordinary session, which last only
thirty days. The members would then re-
ceive full pay. But We're that done. all
the measures on the calendars at this time
would have to go through the same process
as If they were new and will have to be
again reported. That would consume at
least a week. and practically nothing could
be accomplished.
1t is no secret that Governor Swanson is
anxious to have the legislature dispose OF
it's work without extra session. He
wants the state saved the expense of the
session of the lawmakers, but he would
call an extra session Were it necessary to
protect the states interests, but he sees
no reason for longer session.
Judge Charles T.. Nicol. who has been
for the past three weeks engaged in hear
ing argument against the proposition to ex-
tend the city limits. has announced his
decision in favor of the city. The area
of the city will be more than doubled and
her population viii get to close to 12a, 600
Some enthusiasts say that the city will go
far beyond that figure. as the outskirts or
the city are densely populated and there is
rapid growth in every direction.
The taxable values of the annexed terri
tory lat county rates. is about $1,000, 600
while under the new order of things it
will be more than doubled. The case will
be carried to the supreme court Of the state
and will be fought out there. 1t Will
be the end of the year before the annexa-
ton scheme can be made definite. in which
time the City will have to make provision
for increasing her police and fire depart
meDtS, paving the streets putting in water
and gas, running sewers and doing much
that is provided for in the decree of Judge
Nicol in order to make the annexation pos
sble.
Pleaded for Indian Maid
Chief Cook of the Pamunkey Indians a
remnant of a once powerful tribe now
living on the reservation below the city,
appeared in the police court a few days
ago to intercede for Indian girl, who
had taken a place In this city as servant.
her employer. The old Indian, tan,
! straight, with eyes bright and face I'M
moved, stepped TO the bar when the case
was called and made an impassioned ap-
peal for the pride of his race. He said
there We're now less than two hundred of
the Indians; they were proud of their his
tory, of long-standing friendship Tor the
whites. TO convict the girl would be a
blot on the tribal name, ard he urged
that fine be imposed against the girl,
and that she be allowed to go to her peo-
pie on the reservation. The chief an elo-
quent man, said his race would try to
make an exhibit at jamestown, and that
if the news were published to the world
that there was a thief among them 1t
would crush them.
MY people are in tears, said the Old
man. I'VE are mourning that one of our
girls has done an indiscreet and wrongful
act. Never before has one OF our people
been in the courts because of crime charged
against them. Were I possessed of a mil
lion dollars / would give it to have the
stigma of conviction spared us l would
sacrifice my arm before l would see ner