The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-03-01
Senate Also Adopts Pilotage
Bill and Much Discussed
Railroad Measure.
BLACKSTONE MATTER
I'm HOUSE AGAIN
Both Branches Put in. a Hare
Days Work and Consider Many
Matters-Inportant Special
Orders Fixed for This
Week-List Of Bills
Passed.

IfiE General Assembly the chic
events of the day were the further
discussion nj tho Blackstone mat
Il ter In the House of Delegates ant
the passage by both branches OF &
great number OF bills, including, or
the Senate side. the measure
removing the license tax on coastwise
pllotagc. the much -amcndcd Byrt
liGuor bill, and the long debated bill
allowing any railroad company, will
the consent OF the State Corporation
Commission. to construct, purchase oil
take Il lease OF any railroad not ex.
ceeding twenty-five miles In length
which viii furnish cutoff or con-
necting 'ine for the r1ore efficient and
economical transportation of traffic.
Both houses lave now. adopted the
resolution permitting the United States
government TO erect in the southeast
corner of the Capitol Square s,ruc-
tnre to be used temporarily by the
Richmond post-oflce. pending the erec-
tion of the new Federal building here.
Pilotase Bili Passed.
The Senate was called to order
promptly at 10 a. NJ. but owing to the
small number of members present. the
chair was vacated for ten minutes.
When the session was resumed the
attendance had not materially in
creased, and Lieutenant- Governor Ely
son directed tho sergeant arms to
notify any Senators who might be in
the committee rooms that their pres
ence was desired on the floor.
The Committee on Insurance and
Banking reported the Williams anti
compact insurance bill, with the rec
omnendatfon that 1t do not pass This
measure seeks the re-enactment of the
Wharton law, which was In effect a
few years ago. 1t was passed In the
House by close vote last week.
Senator Sale called up House bill
No. 7s, and under a suspension of the
rules 1t was passed, as slightly amend
ed by the committee. This Is the we'll
known pilot bill. which has been hotly
fought ever since It was Introduced.
Under its provisions the license tax
upon coastwisa piIotage is removed.
and that on foreign pilotage is in
creased sufficiently to supply the rev.
enue lost on the coastwlse vessels.
Other bills of an unimportant char
acter affecting localities were called
up out of order by the request of their
patrons and passed.
When the hour set for the further
hearing of the Byrd liquor bill was
reached the matter was taken m
dilu lIlt duOVLlOH OF II lew amend
ments very slightly affecting It's pro-
visions. the bill was passed by a vote
of 32 to 4, Senator's Rson Folkes,
Wickham and Parks voting In the
negative. Senator Garrett was paired
with Senator Halsey. who was absent
on business. Had Senator HaIsey been
present he would have voted aye, SEN
ator Garrett no.
Amusing Incident.
After the passage of the measure
Senator Mann offered an amendment to
the title. which was accepted. Senator
Holt then moved that Senator Mann
be appointed to announce the passage
of the bill to the Rev. James Cannon.
chairman of tho legislative committed
of the Anti-Saloon League.
AT this point rather humorous In
cident occurred Senator Saunders
moved that Senator Lesner be appointed
to convey to the House information Of
The bills passage. Bot. the chair and
Senator Lesner misunderstood the mo-
tton. and thinking that Senator Saun-
ders had moved that he be added to |
the committee to inform Mr.. Cannon
of the passage of the bill. Senator
Lesner joined Judge Mann. and the
two, arm, in arm. proceeded. amid much
I'll
where the minister was seated.
When House bill No. 37-the rail.
road blll--was reached on the calendar
there was again much discussion, but
1t was finally passed by vote Of %
to IL. The bill was reported from the
committee on Roads and Internal |
:. -vigation. with the Recommendation
That 1t should not pass. and since the
matter came up on the floor 1t has
been hotly contested. The fight for
the measure was led by Senator's sims
and Hart. and 1t Is largely due to their
efforts that It WIS finally passed.
senator Strobe wanted the hill
passed by until tomorrow, as Senator
lalsey. who has been leading the on
position, was absent and could not
pc heard. Senator Sims opposed this,
SAYING that the SqueStion had not only
oeen thoroughly threshcd out In the
committee room. but for the past few
days had received the attention Of ia
Senate many hours each day. Senator
strode's motion was voted down.
Long Discussion,
Senator Sims again spoke, urging
ehe Senate to pass the bill which he
said should be done in order to meet
2 peculiar situation affecting the Nor.
To- and Western Railway.
Senator Strobe interrupted judge
Sims to say that he believed that prac-
fical harm could result from the pas
sage OF the bill. He commended that
under It's provisions the railway COM
panles could II they chose remove
their tracks from any town or city,l
leaving 1T high and dry, without rail-
road connections. Senator Sims claim-
ed that the amendment offered by SEN
ltor Rlson on Friday covered this point
and made It Impossible for a railway
company to cut off any town or city
by diyerting Its tracks, @
Senator King was opposed to thet'
passage of the bill. He thought Ill
was granting the Norfolk and West
rrn Railway special privileges, and all
lowing this company to float a debt