The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-02-21
BIG INCREASE IN
PENSION FUND
Rhea Committee About Ready to
Make Its Report-Final Rush
to Get New Bills In-Many
Measures Passed in
Lower Branch
Yesterday.
BY LEWIS H. MACHEN.


u the blackstone investigation at
the Capitol yesterday. The ma
ture of the charges, the char
acter OF some Of the witnesses who
had been summoned by the prosecu-
ton. the calm demeanor OF the central
figure and the frankness and directness
of the testimony and Of the statements
OF counsel on both sides combined to-
make the proceedings unusual, II not
unparalleled. among Legislative inves-
legations in this State.
The committee held three meetings,
aggregating eight hours. and pushed
the taking OF testimony with all pos
sible speed The hearing Will be con-
tnued at 10 O'Clock to-day. and 1t Is
hoped that In one, or possibly two, daya
more the matter may be concluded. SO
far as the Courts Committee is con-
cerned. Interest in the hearing is at
concert pitch, and all t1ie sessions have
been largele attended by the public,
and, when possible. by the members OF
the Legislature.
Important Bills.
Naturally the withdrawal of so many
members OF the House has crippled
the work of a number Of committees
and of the body itself. Nevertheless.
the House passed q large volume of
bills yesterday. most of which pro-
voked little debate.
In the Senate two measures OF wide
application were passed. namely, the
Senate Confederate pension bill and
the bill to exempt the physicians of
the Commonwealth from the payment
of a State license tax.
The debate over the pension bill was
protracted and some feeling was shown
In the zeal with which amendments
were urged and opposed. With the
exception of one amendment, regard
ing widows, the bill passed in the form
in which II came from the COMMITTEES.
1t provides an increase in the ap-
preparation for this purpose from $300,-
600 to $450.000. This Is $4,000 more
than is allowed by the bill which has
passed the House. This discrepancy
will probably have to be dealt with by
a conference committee, and 1t is not
unlikely that some compromise figure
will be adopted.
The doctors bill, as 1t Is popularly
called, provoked one Of the warmest
debates which has occurred in the Sen
ate this session. Telling blows were
given back and forth and some ridi-
cule, badinage and irony were resorted
to- but good nature prevailed. and.
when the measure finally reached the
goal. all parties appeared to be satis-
fled. If 1t can be reached In the
House 1t is expected that 1t VIII nave
an excellent chance of passage. AN
amendment was made to the bill. as
reported from the committee. allow
ing municipalities to impose license
tax upon physicians for local purposes.
II ia thought that this will remove
the objection that many city members
NAV have had to the bill. All the
States but six have taken similar
action, and 1t was said during the de-
bate that, outside OF our state. there
was only small part of the ctvtliz-
ed world where physicians were re-
quired to pay license tax. and that
was in part of France.
The Final Rush.
In both houses the bills which had
been agreed upon by the members OF
the Virginia and Maryland representa-
tives In regard to fish and oysters in
the Potomac River were presented.
Yesterday was the last day. under
the Joint resolution passed some weeks
ago, that bills could be introduced. and.
as might have been expected. there
was final rush to get them IN. Just
what likelihood there Is of any new
measures going through in the remain
ing fourteen working days OF the ses-
sion, is conjectural. The chances are
probably more than sixteen to one
that 1t will not.
The bill to tax the output of mines
Is a special order in the Senate to-day
and 1t is sure to meet with vigorous
Many mining interests in the South
west have oeen aroused by the meas
ure, and their representatives are said
to be here In full force to oppose it.
To-day 1t will be announced In the
two houses upon what day the report
of the Rhea investigating committee
will be presented. In the minds of most
such an announcement would indicate
that the repor. will be unanimous
one, though that is not a necessary
Inference. No doubt the committee
will defer presenting the report until
such time as the members OF the Gen
eral Assembly may have received the
printed evidence in the case. which will
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