The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-02-02
TO FIX SALARIES
Of SOLICITORS
Bill Which Brings About Changes
in Payment of State Attorney
Goes to Second Reading.
WOULD SUBPOENA THEM
Especial To Tho T,mes.pspntch.)

especial 10 Inc I1mes.DtFpHtrh,)
RALEIGH, N. c., February 1.-The dis
tinguishing features OF the session Of the
General Assembly to-day were the pass
age tos the second reading Of the Webb
bill for putting solicitors of the State on
salaries instead of fees. and the introduce
ton of the Mason reformatory bill in the
Senate, and the final passage of the JUS
tice bill In the House, enlarging the
powers of the Corporation Commission,
including tho amendments asked for by
the commission, giving them all the adj
dtionai power they desire In the con-
troll Of railroads, telephone companies and
other public-servce corporations.
The Webb bill passed the Senate with
an important amendment that salaries
shall be $500 where the fees OF the dis
trict amount to that much. All fees in
excess to go to the educational fund of
the State, and no solicitor to receive more
salary than the aggregate OF the fees
in his district; also amendment by Ay-
cock that the bill shall not go into
effect until January, 1909.
Study What State Needs.
The Mason reforInhtory bill embodies
the recommendations OF Governor Glenn
In his message to the Assembly, providing
for commission OF three or Ave citizens.
to be appointed by the Governor. as u re-
formatory commission, who shall study
fully just what the State needs In the
way of reformatory. inspect other sue
cessful reformatores. prepare plans and
collect all Information possible on the
subject. Then, before December 1, 1908,
report fully with recommendations TO tho
Governor. who shall transmit the report
to the next General Assembly for action.
Ono thousand dollars is appropriated for
the ,autuai expenses of the commits
sion.
Some inclination on the part OF the
Assembly to modify the penalty statutes
against railroads was shown in an amend
ment adopted for the Corporation Com
mission bill in the House so that pen
atty for failure to move promptly freight
rendered shall be s25 for the first day
and only 81 for succeeding days.
Speaker Justice. of the House of Rep
resentatives. has demanded Of the Joint
Railroad Committee that First Vice
President a. 3. Andrews. OF the South
Atlantic Coast Line. and ex-President
Barr, of the seaboard Air Line. be sub
poenaed to appear before the committee
to give categorical answers to questions
he desired as a member of the General
Assembly to ask. Justice alluded espec-
tally to the denial President Finley had
made OF any threatened reprisals on the
Seaboard II 1t entered Greensboro. and
Barr was authority for the threat. Jus
tlce referred to criticisms by people and
the press OF his action in requiring Presi-
dent Finley to be sworn on the occasion
of his appearance to speak before the
committee and declared that II It is not
right to swear him then 1t was not right
to swear anybody.
Chairman Graham, for the committee.
stated that the request of Mr.. Justice
for railroad officials to be subpoenaed
would be considered later by the joint
committee
Judge Leigh H. Watts. OF Portsmouth,
general counsel for the Seaboard Air
Line. was introduced. and spoke for two
hours in oposltion to any reduction Of
passenger or freight rates at this time,
and made n plea for a modification CT
the present penalty statutes as to de-
layed or lost freight. These are. he said.
7>orking great hardships on railroad com
panies and considerable modihca ton is
imperative. He reviewed the affairs of
the Seaboard to prove the disastrous re-
suits that would follow freight-rate re-
duction, and declared II there was not
a halt in the radical Legislation by States
that has been on for thirty days in North
Carolina. South Carolina, Georgia. Vir-
ginia and other States. 1t would surely
lead to Federal control OF all commerce.
wping out the last vestige of so-called
States rights" The present course
was to "kl the goose that lays the
golden egg" Railroads could not main
tain even existence, to say nothing Of
efficiency, under such conditions.