The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-03-11

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matte adoption BY the House
of Delegates. by bare constitutional
vote, of the report of the conferees
upon the appropriation bill. Applause
and shouts greeted the conclusion of the
closest warmest, and most skilfully
conducted contest OF the session. TWO
new normal schools are thereby seen
to rise above the horizon. when. in
the opinion of large number OF the
members of both houses. there should
have been but one.
1t has already been related how, for
elk years. nearly all the towns of .he
State have strfven to be selected as
the site OF a new normal: how a legis-
lative committee was appointed to can
vass the State and, not being able to
decide upon one place. reported in tu-
vor OF the ultimate establishment Of
four schools: how the rivalry of many
towns prevented the choice of any
school last session; how at this session,
after fierce conflicts in both branches.
the Senate pronounced for Harrison
burg and the House for Fredericks-
burg; how the matter got into the APP
preparation bill of the Senate and went
to the conferees. whose province 1t was
to consider the differences between the
two houses over matters financial.
The Long Fight.
Up to this point. there seemed to be
no suggestion from any source that
there might be more than one school
established.
The announcement in this column on
Saturday that there might be two
came as distinct surprise to prac:i-
calIy all the members of the Legisla-
ture, except the conferees themselves.
on Saturday night, when the report
- hot 4,
sailed on many grounds, and 1t was
said with especial emphasis that tn.
proposition for the two normals had
been undreamed OF and was indefen-
sible from any standpoint.
The report was Withdrawn from the
Senate on Monday morning and brought
back that night with nearly every OBJ
jectionable feature removed. except the
provision for the two schools. Around
this q wordy warfare ragged, and the
report was finally adopted with but
one vote to spAre.
It was submitted to the House OF
Delegates yesterday morning, but ew-
ing to the errors of the stenographer
who made the copy, it was unanimously
rejected and the mistakes We're rectl-
fled. When 1t came again to the House,
late In the afternoon, 1t was assailed
without mercy as an imposition, as a
hold-up. as an abortion from a con-
stltutional point of view, as an extrav-
agance and as a legislative crime. In
the meantime. members were beginning
to leave their homes, and it begun to
look as though the report and indeed,
the whole appropriation bill. might be
in grave peril.
Important Developments.
However. important developments
had been taking place during the day.
AS was suggested in yesterdays ac-
count. the delegation who had come
from Radford and vicinity with the
apparent purpose of defeating the con-
firmation of the report became con-
verted to the view that the establish
ment of the two schools selected by the
report would eliminate many compet-
Ing points and would strengthen the
chances of Radford for the fourth nor
NAL school, which 1t was expected
would eventually be provided. It
would not be fair to say that there
was deal, or that distinct pledges
were made, but it Is certain that there
were expressions of good Will for Rad
ford and concessions from some sources
that this town was the logical and pro-
per place for a normal school when tha
State should be in the position to es-
tablish another. However 1t was
brought about (and detailed report Of
the conference has not been submitted
for publ!cation), 1T Is certain that Rad
ford sympathizers. in the main, with
drew their opposition to the report Of
the conferees.
Then It was that smiles chased away
the frowns from the faces of the
friends Of the report. But as the at
tendance OF the House. which was fair
~ large In the morning, began to
lessen, and the attacks upon the re-
port made in debate and in conversa-
ton among little groups of members
increased. anxiety once more took the
place OF confidence among the adj
herents of the two favored towns. The
debate waXed warmer and warmer. The
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