The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-03-12
LEGISLATURE IS
AT|T'S ROPE s END.
Large Number OF lmpor-
tant Bills Passed
Both Houses.
AND MANY FAILED
TO GET THROUGH
Measure Providing for Travelling
Auditor Was One of Them.
Heavy Increases in Ap-
preparations, But
Bills Passed
Make Up.

1906 is at an end. though the session
will not actually terminate until next
Thursday.
No more business will be done and the
extension is made only in conformity
with the constitutional provisions which
require that the Legislature shall be in
session until the Governor signs all the
bills pending.
There will be no quorum from now on,
and the two bodies will meet each day at
noon In most formal manner and ad-
journ. A great many important bills have
been passed and numbers OF others of
perhaps equal public interest and i'm
portance were either killed in committee
or upon the floor OF one or the other OF
the two houses
The appropriation measures are natur-
ally first IN the eyes OF the people They
largely exceed those of former years,
the total amount reaching up to about
$4,000
The general appropriation bill carried
about si,g10.o39 and there was supple
mental one OF about sil5,ooo. There were
appropriations for pensions and primary
schools and other objects which will
carry the amount nearly to s5.oOo,p1o.
Help Public Schools.
Mr Cation. OF Alexandria. got through
two OF the, heavy increases
He Offered the bill Increasing the appro.
priation Tor primary schools from $4,000
TO $4,000 annually. and the amount for
pensions from S0p0oO TO s3so,ocs
There were other inereases-for exam
PIE, the office OF assistant attorney-Ien-
eral was created AT a salary OF s25,1 per
year. and the bill to pay the members
OF the Legislature 500 per session was
passed.
There are still other charges upon the
Treasury Five new judicial circuits were
created and the Office OF insurance Conn
missioner WAS for the first time introduced
in virginia. The salaries OF the judges
are Se,5eD each, and that OF the Insur-
ance Commissioner the same The sal
aries of the Supreme Court Judges were
Increased from, $1,000 TO $50. and there
were some minor increases OF salaries
elsewherp.
But the Finance Committees did more
tran TO increase salaries. They gave
jamestown 100000 for buildings and en-
tertainment and Increased the appropria-
,ions 10 nearly all the educational and
elemosynary institutions of the State.
The Finance Committees are responsible
for another thing, which is n6t only
of interest, but OF beneiI; to the people
OF Virginia, and that Is the passage of n
bin beginning the retirement OF state
bonds four years in advance of the time
stipualted in the contract with the bond
holders. The measure was recommended
by Governor Swanson. and earnestly ad-
vocated In both houses.
Courts of Justice.
This is about the size of the work of
the Finance Committees. Now for the
others:
The Torrens System blll considered by
the Courts of Justice Committee, was de-
feated in the House. The Courts Com
mittee had the pleasure of recommending
at least one bill that passed. This was to
create five new judicial circuits in the
State.
This called for a r,districing of the en-
tire State into judicial circuits. and while
this subject is being considered. 1t might
as we'll be told what has been done with
reference to other redistricting matters.
Mr.. Puller got through what Is known
as the snake bill'' preventing the re-
distrlc.ng of cities into wards except
once In five years, unless ordered by
fifths majority of the councils. The
sale le-Holtcongressional reapportionment
bill was passed. the main feature of
which is the separation of Norfolk and
Newport News. and putting them into
different districts. Only one slight change
was made in the districts for the House
of Delegates. This was to give Roanoke
city and county one Delegate each. tney
being now in the same district, and sund-
ing two delegates together.
Button Gets Place.
The Cation general insurance bill was
one of the features of the session. The
measure passed and Colonel Joseph But
ton has heen elected commissioner at
salary of $3.50 per year The Byrd bill,
regulating the speed of automobiles was
passed.
Another measure of interest which was
passed is the Jim Crow car law, apply
ing to all street railways in the Stare.
Senator Machen got through both
houses resolution amending the Con-
stitution so as to allow commissioners
OF the revenue to succeed themselves, il
elected by the people.
Both houses passed the bill providing
for the appointment of commissioners of
the revenue by the courts, as they did )
the two-cent passenger rate bills and the
bill known as the anti-scalper's measure.
The bill to enforce the Gull law In the
Potomac River was passed, as We're q
good many other measures affecting the
oyster industry.
A bill became law providing for the
establishment of district high schools in
the country sections, and it was fathered
by Mr.. Ould. of Campbell, and vigorously
pressed.
The bill providing for the consolida-
tion Of cities and towns was passed, as
was that to make the initial carrier re-
sponsible for the safe delivery of freight
Did Not Pass.
Here are some of the bills that did
hot pass
The Rev crab bill,
The Richmond. fredericksburg and Po-s
tomac merger bills.
The amendments 10 the Mann liquor
laws,
The Cation rolling stock bill.
The Williams anti-compact insurance