The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-03-07

LcSlSldLuTe Wts u DOug
yesterday.
In the Senate the proceed
ings. beyond the passage of the
Senate appropriation bill and q
few others. were uneventtul- The House.
however. was stormy most OF the day,
and, at times even turbulent. Per-
sonalities were freely exchanged and
encounters were narrowly ayerted.
Important Health Bill.
Perhaps the most significant act OF
the day was the passage by the Senate
OF the Baker Board OF Health bill,
which had previously passed the House.
The salient feature OF the bill is the
tuberculosis. Methods OF prevention
and cure are to be studied and suitable
camps established. By the meeting OF
the next General Assembly IL Is hoped
that information will be gathered and
reports Will be made which will resul:
In far-raaching measures for checking
the rayages Of this devastating plague.
The Page compulsory education bill.
which went through the House on
Tuesday. was, passed by the Senate at
last nights session. Though optional
with the cities and counties. 1t Is be-
lieved by many experienced educators
10 be of great value as putting
weapon into the hands of local authori
ties to punish neglect of school duties
through the Indifference of children
and OF parents
House the battle-ground.
The House was the battle-ground of
the forces contending for the location
of the proposed new normal school,
and right ,valiantly and vociferously
was the issue fought over for some
a
down to struggle between Harrison
burg, which had been selected by the
Senate, and Fredericksburg. The latter
won by practically a two to@one ma
jority. Applause and shouts greeted
the announcement of the vote.
The debate was earnest and at in
tcryals eloquent. though not at all
times entirely relevant. Much history
of the War between the States was
dwelt upon. and strong appeals We're
based upon it. Briefly stated. the ar
guments of some apparently were that
the school should be established at or
near the point where the greatest num-
ber OF battles were fought In the SIX
ties, and around which chung the most
Inspiring memories. AS the school is
not to be a military one, nor even pri-
llaril, historical one, 1t would seem
that more practical considerations
might have controlled, and possibly
did control. Certainly. the good old
town OF Fredericksburg deserved all
that was said Of it. though HARRISON
burg had able advocates also.
Interesting Situation.
There was noticeable, however, a GER
tain indifference in the ranks of the
supporters OF the Valley town. which
indicated a serene confidence that. no
far ho 6uv, ;,,
Harrisonburg would get the school,
II but one should be established. and
one of the schools. If there should be
two.
Now, the situation in regard to this
matter is more than interesting. The
Senate has written Harrisonburg into
the appropriation bill passed yesterday
by that body. The House. by its nc
tion yesterday, in effect wrote Freder-
icksburg into its appropriation bill.
Neither branch will recede from it's
action in the matter, and therefore the
controversy must be fought out In con-
ference. The conferees, or majority
of them, are suspected of being favor
able to Harrisonburg. The Senate will
accept tn cir report, but the House prob
ably will not. In that event there
would be another committee appointed.
with the same result.
FoH!e conference report must be ac-
oepted, or the s11,00O,O00 which the
Dill provides for running the State
government for two years cannot be-
appropriated.
To avoid this oalamitous result pr
rome other distasteful to one or the
other of the branches OF the General
Assembly. 1t is likely that compro-
mise will be reached
Two schools may be established one
at Fredericksburg and the other at
Harrlsonburg. The appropriation may
be divided between them; or If 1t Is
not sufficient to divide; the one which
II weaker In conference may concede
the whole amount to the stronger.
and content itself, for tile present,
with securing the location. Then
everybody will he happy, except the
representatives OF the towns whose
claims shall not have gone to confer
2r Ntt(COntinued on Third Pa ocN