The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-02-18
House Votes to Appropriate
100000 for Needy Con-
federates and Widows.
STATE TO GIVE s250,000
TO AID WORK ON ROADS
Question OF Extension of Session
Now Agitating Both Branches.
Byrd Modifies r., +. & P.
Bills-The Rfea Re
port Not Yet
Completed.
BY LEWIS II. MAcHEN.

BY LEWIS II. MACHEN.
In Legislative circles 1t was a day
OF strenuous activity. A great number
of bills were passed by the two houses.
and some Of them will now go to the
Governor. Many more were reported
by the committees. and score or
two score were introduced In spite
of heroic efforts at three sessions OF
tho House and two OF tho Senate. the
number OF bills on the calendars re-
mains about the same as on Saturday.
Extension of Session.
In the Senate the question OF extend. i.
ing the session and asking the Gov.
ernor to call an extra session was
the subject of resolutions, as pre-
dicted in yesterdays report in this
columns. These resolutions will be con.
sidered to-day, and it is certain that
strong representations will be made of
the impossibility of finishing the work
OF the session In the allotted period
of sixty days
Just what will be the fate OF the
resolutions cannot be stated. but 1t
is generally conceded that the re-
mainder of the sixty-day period is
wholly insufficient for the dispatch
OF even the more important business
now before the General Assembly. The
sentiment for extending the present
session. without pay. appears to be
stronger In the Senate than in the
House. AS 1t will be necessary TO have
a three-fifths vote of the members
elected to each branch. 1t is more than
doubtful IL such an extension will be
voted.
The proposition to have the Governor
call an extra session seems to meet
with greater favor. That method
would not call for so great a financial
sacrifice on the part OF the members.
Constitutional Amendment.
The constitutional amendment pro-
viding for ninety day sessions, which
passed the House without oppositioss.
was put on Its passage. A majority
OF two to one voted for II, but 1t failed
OF the constitutional vote owing to the
small attendance of Senators. The
vote was reconsidered and the reso-
luton will come up again to-day. and
it is believed that it will be adopted.
The Senate last session adopted a
similar resolution by unanimous vote.
But that was near the end OF the ses-
sion. when the necessity for longer
meetings was more apparent than 1t
is now to some new members. 1t must
be remembered, too that there are cer
tain persons and interests that make
a specially OF killing by obstruction
measures which could not be killed II
time were allowed to consider and vote
upon them. The short session tS an
ideal situation for this class, and their
influence may now be thrown against
the resolution.
The Senate passed large number
of bills. chiefly local. except one in
relation to the care of the insane, and
two in regard to schools.
In the House much work of import
ance was accomplished. Two hundred
and fifty thousand dollars was appro-
priated for State aid to roads, to be
expended conditionally in those coun-
ties not availing themselves of the
provisions of the Withers-Lassiter law
-Four hundred thousand dollars was
appropriated for pensions to needy
Confederate soldiers and INDECENT
widows of Confederate soldiers-an in
crease of about 100000 over previous
appropriations. This bill caused the
most picturesque, not to say flord. de-
bate of the session. The bravery of
the Confederate soldiers, the heroisnl
OF their wives and sweethearts. the
pathos OF their falling away, as the
withered leaves of Autumn-these are
themes that cannot but carry great
weight But the most eloquent pleas
could not avail against the stern fact
OF the States limited resources. and
the bill was adopted practically as it
came from the Finance Committee.
This is the more remarkable when 1t
is considered that about one-ifth of
the House served in the Confederate
Army, and large proportion of the
other members are sons of Confederate
veterans.
The House passed the bill for re-
vision of the Code by three persons,
to be chosen by the General Assembly.
If the Senate concurs in this action of
the House, there will be three respon-
sible positions to be filled, at salary
OF $4,000 each. The revision Of 1887
was done by Messrs. Riley, Staples and
Burks. all of whom were afterward
elected to tho Supreme Court of Ap-
peals, where they served with dis
tinguished ability.
The bill for placing replica or
modified copy Of the Houdon statue of
George Washington in Statuary Hall,
In Washington, was also passed by the
House. Considerable complaint has
been made Of the possibilities for evil
involved in the idea of the modified
copy, but it is not believed that any
artist will venture to engraft any ideas
of his own upon copy of this famous
and noble masterpiece.
To-day is expected to be stirring
one in the Legislature. It is possible
Il 1t the Rhea Investigating commit
tee may formulate it's report. 1t Is
thought that the Assembly will not
act upon this report until the members
have had time to read the printed evil
dence, which will not be ready until
next week.
In the Senate the proposition to re-
move the license tax from doctors. and
In the House the child-labor bill, are
expected to provoke warm discussions.
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