The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-08-03
.MACHEN LOSES IN
CluRIS; GIVES UP
Continued from First Page.)
the fight for the amendments until
the Legislature meets.
Interesting Case.

The case is most interesting one,
and 1t presents number of possibili-
ties. In the last Legislature, Senator
Machen introduced two resolutions
looking to amendments In the State
Constitution one extending the time
of the sessions OF the General Assem-
bly, from sixty to ninety days, and the
other providing that bills should be
read only once, instead of three times,
as at present. The resolutions passed
in both branches of the Legislature
and received the approval Of the Gov
ernor. According to the Constitution,
that instrument can be amended by a
certain routine, which, provides that
an act shall be passed by one Legisla-
ture, published in daily newspaper
lin every city in the State having as
much as ten thousand population, for
three months previous to the general
election approved BY the succeeding
Legislature, and then submitted to
the vote of the people. Sunday Will
be the time limit on which to COM
mencc publication Of these proposed
amendments IL they are to be pub
lished for three months previous to
the November election.
Mr.. John w. Williams. Clerk of the
House is also the Keeper of the Rolls.
| and when he came to the work OF
preparing the acts for publication, he
was surprised to find that though
spread in full on the journal of the
/ House they were listed only by title
! in the Senate Journal. Clerk Williams
asked Attorney eneral Anderson for
an opinion. and Major Anderson held
4 that the acts were voi> on account
4 Of the failure to enter them properly
"a Hare the mat
ter stood Until yesterday, when Sen
ator4 Machen. the patron OF the reso'
luton, sought to secure court order
compelling publication
4 Clerk Was Ready.
In speaking OF the matter last
night Clerk Williams said: 1T would
a be unjust to attach blame to the
journal clerk of the Senate, for the
examination made OF the matter shows
that II was the custom Of the Senate
lin many cases, to pass tn csc resolu-
4 tons by their title, and the journal
4 clerk OF the Senate was following the
i precedent set in the Senate records
The whole matter will now have tc
i go over until the next Legislature
4 where Senator Machen will have to in,
A troduce the papers as new resolu.
tons. The final amendment Of the
I Constitution. therefore, will be delay.
ed two years In its full contamination
All those concerned in the case in
Z dorse the course of Clerk Williams II
4 refusing to print the amendment
which had been declared void by TIL
Attorney General. 1t was pointed on
5. last night that had the amendment
been printed, approved by the mex
4 Legislature and finally engrafted as
part Of the organic law of the State
and term Of the Legislature held un
& der these clauses, reading the bills bu
once, and the body continuing In SEES
sion for ninety days, the Supreme Cour
might have declared the amendment
void on account of the improper en-
try on their initial passage, and all til
. acts of whole term of tho Legislature
might have been affected thereby.
;. Clerk Williams was ready yesterda
: with his notices for publication, and |
> the event of the granting OF an orde
: OF court directing the printing OF tn
. notices, would have rushed copies I
! the eleven papers In the State in whic
n the publication would have been re
!, CURED for three months.