The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-02-05
First Gun Fired In Sen.
ate Yesterday and Long
/ Struggle WillFollow.
ABOUT LOBBYISTS
| AND LEGISLATORS
Many Former Members, Now
Representatives Of Private In
terests, Have Privileges Of
4 Floor, and May Pursue
Members to Desks
II They Wish.
ny LEWIS II. MAcHEN.

rs ny LEWIS II. sI.tCHEN.
Tho road bill In the House and the
railroad bill In the Senate had the
tight OF way in the Legislature yes
terdny. The. first gun was fired In
Tho Senate in the fight over the pro-
posed repeal OF the statute forbiddlng
the paralleling of the Richmond. Fred
Sricksburg and Potomac Railway, and
IN the House some last shots were
taken at the bill to increase the State
convict road force by adding those con-
ficts who have been sentenced to terms
bf two to five years. IS.
I Considerable interest has been
sroused over the charge that the Davis
Foot and Shoe Company has heen
maintaining q lobby at the Capitol to
defeat the bill. II Is admitted that
representatives OF the company appear
ed before the Roads Committees and
opposed the bill on the ground that
1t would greatly reduce the number
OF men in the Penitentiary available for
the use Of the company under Its con.
tract with the state.
It Is also remembered by members
OF. the last General Assembly that at
torneys for this company appc AIRED
before the committees and endeavored
! lOf QSleAl lIle DlIl 4tel3.tle SWOS
year convicts, which is now law.
Just to what extent the representatives
Of the company wing failed to So
cure an adverse repor; from the COM
Jr1ittees. arc now seeking to Influence
the members OF the House by personal
appeals cannot be exactly known. but
}tis not unreasonable to suppose that
they are sayirg q good word for their
Elient's interest whenever they can
ind willing ear.
Have Privilege of Floor.
Exactly how far such solicitations
gre IN good taste Is u difficult question
to decide A number OF those repre-,
senting private interests around the
Capitol are former members OF the
Legislature. and as such are entitled
to the floors OF both housss, and II $ts
{. natural that t.7they4 s,ould svail them.
selves OF thelr privilege to argue With
members at their desks and In til 4 cloak
rooms during the sessions OF the
hauscs. This gives them decided ad !.
vantage over those representatives who
have never Sbeen members, In addition
to the other advantage of friendships
formed with colleagues during their
period of service together.
There has never been any suggestion
that those ex-members of the LeRis-
1ature who habitually appear nt the
Capitol as lobbyists or Representatives
of private interests. as they prefer
to be called. should be denied the priv
ileso of the fioors,sfin order to place
them IN the same position MS others
engaged ingthe same occupation. and
also to save the members from the I'M.
portunities to which they have been
known to be subjected: but 1t is not
Impossible that such a rule may some
day be adopted. OF course, 1t would be
most unjust to charge these gentlemen
generally with q desire or intention to
violate the proprieties in any way,
hut their zeal may sometimes carry
some of them to the extent OF Impeding
legislation considerably
In Wisconsin no representative OF
any private interest may discuss any
subject Of Legislation privately with
any legislator. 1t being considered bet
ter that all such discussions OF public
matters should be In public before the
committees. There does not seem 20
he any necessity for such q law here,
mt M The there have been frequent complaints
that the work OF the Legislature has
been interfered with by some persons
whose clients are Interested In pending
legislation.
The Repeal Rill. S
The repeal bill In the Senate. as It
IS being called for the sake %. brevl1ts,
got a good send.off yesterday In Sena-
earnest and forcenble. lie did not
descend greatly into detail but pro-
claimed the broad proposition that the
state should play no favorite among
tlie railroads, and should not cripple
nm important and historic section ot
3 the sCommonwealth for the sake OF en-
rlching five-slxths OF the stockholders
of the road and incidentally of en'
hancing the value of her own one sixth
interest.
Two riders to the bill We're offered,
one by Senator Saunders. which is the
l1yans-Lewis bill heretofore introduced
III the House, and the other by Senator
Ilalsey, who. allows parallellng un-
conditionallySbys electric roads. but for-
bids the building Of a parall e. ~ steam
road until the stock OF. the State Is
bought ats s2,O00O0o.5 or, q road Is first
built which develops territory not now
& having railroad facilities. These will
be sure to cause extended debate.
Tho advocates OF unconditional re-
y peal assert that thirty-nine members
Of the Senate and slXty-tlYe members
selves s favorable to such repeal, II
that be the case, 1t would seem to- he
useless for tho opposition to prolong
tho discussion very greatly II
Thine In Pressing.
ES Time. IS pressing, and so are many
i important Ill measures. The l2llea u IN
vestisation Is not ended. nor IL the
end in sight. The Blackstone investi-
gatlon is looming up and bids fair to
oclispe legislative matters for quite
attimc. Committees are crowded With
work, aud have no time to attend ia
It. The calendars OF both houses ara
full. but the measures are disposed OF
Slowly, much OF the time being con-
3 sllncd by readings Of lis and super
+ fluous roll calls N ss$
To day the social BIS Will have an
inhtng hefofs tile Finance Committee
tsStlle Senate In regard to Senator
Atann'Eibill to.placo all such eli BIS prac-
tically under the Law. re gulntlng. sn-
1oons. ynturull enough the severul
& large and en,nentlyl respsc table clubs
an, the s tate vi Il have rcprese eptattyes
= NasLs (CQntipueQ !. n ~ laPaEt.l 49,.