The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-03-09


plred the members are sustain
ing themselves upon patriot
Ism, which is an unsatisfying Diet
and the remnants of their salaries.
which will not give. any OF them pluto
cratic sensations. Quite a number
have already departed. and the call OF
homo Is being heard by those that re-
main. There will be aNGuorum of both
houses until the appropriation bill is
passed, and after that will como the
exodus. Neither house this week can
consider it's own bills, and neither
house Is anxious to sacrifice itself
greatly for the bills of the other.
Therefore, as the appropriation bill will
almost certainly pass to-day. a quorum
tomorrow would be q distinct surprise.
Not that all the work of the Legisla-
ture has been disposed of by any means.
THE calendars of both Senate end
House have bills enoughE TO keep the
members busy for two weeks. some OF
them measures OF great Importance.
but just now the private affairs of the
legislators seem to them OF even great
or Importance.
Goes Back TO Conference.
In the Senate to-day the report of
tho eonferees upon the appropriation
bill Will be rejected. Unanimous con-
sent will be asked for the same co.a-
mittee to bring in another report, which
will be like the first, so far as the pro-
position for two normal schools is con-
cerned. In other respects, 1t is sur
missed. there will be concession to the
opinions expressed in the Senate on
Saturday night. The salary of the At
torney General will be put back to
$4,000.
The provision for special counsel for
the state Corporation Commission will
he eliminated. 1t was not in the ap-
preparation bill which passed the
House, but was put on by the Senate
with provision that the commission
Bhould select Its. counsel. The con-
ferees added the provision for confir-
nation by the Governor, and 1t was
this addition which called forth ,ne
protest of several Senator'S. The
negroes may get something for their
exhibit, but 1t Is understood that the
House conferees are decidedly against
this.
They say that the present General
Assembly has largely increased ap-
preparations to negro institutions. and
that the colored brother will also re-
ceivc his share OF the increased school
appropriations. They think that is
sufficient, and the idea Is likely to
prevail. especially in view of the fact
that the appropriation bill does not
appear to safeguard the expenditure
of the fund in satisfactory manner.
Anyway it is scarcely possible that the
second report viii be rejected because
of this item. The appropriation to
primary schools will probably be put
back nearly. or quite to that proposed
by the Senate bill. When all of these
sources of objection shall have been
removed there will be left only the
normal school matter.
Big Fight Coming.
Around this question will rage a
fierce controversy, In this form: Shall
there be two schools one school, or
no school? If the Legislature is will
ing to declare for two. it is settled
that they will be at Harrisonburg and
Fredericksburg; IL for only one. Har-
risonburg will win. If either does. be-
cause the conferees will hold out for
1t. The House, however, may be equal
" persistent in holding out against 1t.
Therefore. the wise ones say there will
be two schools or none.
The friends of the favored towns
have Joined hands. and have been work
ing like beavers to line up the Senate
and House for the two schools. 1t will
require twenty-one votes in the Senate
and fifty-one In the House to provide
them. 1t is claimed that, When all
allowances are made. there will be at
least twenty-five votes in the Senate
and sixty in the House for their estab-
lishment.
Nevertheless, there will be avigorous
assault in both houses on the whole
program. and 1t is among the possibili-
ties that in one body or the other, re-
duced as they are by absentees the
vote may be beaten down beyond the
danger line. 1t will be said that il
had been practically decided to have
only one new school, f5
To this it be replied that, though
there was some such decision In one OF
both committees, the Issue WAS never
{. fairly presented In either house, and
that, on account of the deadlock be-
tween the two houses over the loca-
i tion, there is no escape from the dilem.
ma but to establish two, one of which
will receive the smaller appropriation
to be available next year. Unless con-
siderable change Of sentiment has
taken place since Saturday night, this
solution will finally he adopted, as the
only way out of a very diflcult situa-
tion, Besides, the members are i'm
patient to go away, and Will be in NO
mood to stand upon the order of theil
going.
In the meantime, it must be remenr-
bered that the conference report has
not been presented to the House. and
It probably will not be- until It has
been modified to meetEthe views OF the
Senate. It is thought that it might
have gone through the House Saturday
night. but 1t was not considered en-
pedient to ask that body to adopt a
report SO unacceptable to the uppel
branch. It is likely that the second
report will be even moro fayorabiy
regarded by the House than the first.
Anxious to Get Away.
with the appropriation bill out Of
4 the way, other matters will so by the