Evening star., 1908-01-12
IN THE OLD DOMINION
ASSEMBLY SWAMPED WITH
BILLS ON MANY SUBJECTS.
Special Correspondence of The Star.


| RICHMOND. Va. January H. 1908.
The general assembly has been in ses-
sion since Tuesday and in that time
there have been more measures presented
for the consideration of the two branches
than the oldest member or official can
recall. The bills have covered a very
wide range of subjects and appear to
represent the work of many of the mem
bers in the period Immediately following
the campaign. One thing is making an
impression, however. The members are
not favorably disposed to the corporate
interests of the state. and it is not going
too far to say that indications are that
the community of interests finds little
favor with the lawmakers In fact, it
| alleged concerns affiliated with the com
| oination idea are to receive a setback
| that will surpass efforts of previous leg
| iSlatures
Senator Folkes of this CITY has offered
a bill which is innocent looking when the
title alone is considered. but when it is
taken in connection with the bill offered
| at the opening session TO provide for the
repeal of the statute which prohibits the
paralleling of the Richmond. Fredercks-
| burg and Potomac railroad it's purport
is easily understood. The bill in ques-
| tion demands that the attorney general
a
status of the suits appealed by the road
against the state corporation commission,
| which imposed a franchise tax on the
roa1, the suits now aggregating more than
Isl 900 and which have been pending in
the courts for more than four wears. The
road declines to pay the tax holding
| THAI as the state is a holder of the stock
of the company the officers of the state
have no right to collect taxes on it's own
property. The state owns one seven
40 ha
vania and allied properties owning a
control. 1t is held that the state is In
no position to undertake the regulation of
common carriers so long she is a
party TO the monopoly in the railroad
| business.
Judge Martin Williams of Giles county
has presented to the house a bill which
seeks to re-enact the old Wharton law
Wnlcn put the Southeastern Tariff Asso-
| ctation out of business a few years ago
| The bill is aimed at the organization of
insurance companies doing business in
the state. and which has fixed the rates
for fire insurance on all risks in Virginia
| and which rates are higher since the asso-
citation was organized than previously.
| The law was first enacted some ten years
ago. and following its enactment several
| OF the companies withdrew from the state.
| Since the law was repealed, some five
years ago. some of the companies have
returned, but there has been no reduction
whatever in the rates. The house passed
the bill at the last session, but the senate
failed to get it before the day for ad-
journment.
| There have been numerous other
measures along the same general line,
and they are coming up every day in
| larger number and reaching to every
| branch of business. There are few
members who have not presented some
| Dill which is aimed at some special
privilege, and there can be but little
doubt as to the fate of the majority
/ of them.
Will Wipe Out a County.
| Senator Early, who represents Albe-
marie Madison and Greene counties,
will soon offer bill which will abolish
the county of Greene. the idea to be
to make that county magisterial dis
trict in the county of Albemarle. The
senator says his people will welcome
the relief that will come to them by
Kidding them of the burden of county
| government and high rate of taxation,
and VIII lose to them none of the ben
efits which they now enjoy Greene
county has tax rate which is IS cents
higher on each 500 than prevails in
the county of Albemarle. BY the
change the people Of Greene will be
| able to send their children 10 the
Miller school, which is provided for
the residents of the county of Abe
| marie. Other members say they favor
| merging many of the smaller counties
| of the state to relieve the people of
the burden of county government.
Judge Alden Bell Of Culpeper. who was
mayor of the town of Culpeper at the
time Of the now celebrated Strether
tragedy, has introduced a bill in the
house, which. If it finds favor with the
majority, will forever put an end to the
so-called "unwritten law" in Virginia, or
else make its invocation of such nature
as to preclude it's avail. Judge Bell pro-
poses to allow the state to introduce evil
dence, medical and scientific, in such
cases as will disproye alleged assaults
or seek to establish the commission of
such assaults. There is no denial that
the reasons prompting such a measure
are due to the Strother case and to the
more recent case of Judge Loving, when
the lips Of the offending men were sealed
in death and no opportunity whatever
| afforded to rebut the charges made
against the names of the men in those
two noted cases, the slayers of the al
legged offenders now walking around as
| free men.
| Would Close Saloons at Sundown.
| Delegate John Curlett of Lancaster
county has introduced a bill that is by
far the most drastic measure yet pre-
sented to the general assembly or which
has been suggested. He proposes to
make penalty of 500 to $500 for every
violation of the Sunday selling law. and
| in addition. to require that each saloon
in the state shall close it's doors at s
o'clock every day and remain closed till
IL o'clock the following morning. This
would close the saloons at o'clock Sat
urday and keep them closed till o'clock
Monday. The bill has gone to the COM
mittee on general laws. 1t is the first
Of many bills that are believed to be in
| contemplation which refer to the liquor
traffic. The Anti-Saloon League has not
indicated what it will ask, but repre-
| sentatives OF that organization are seen
around the lObbfes.
| Senator w. W. Sale of Norfolk, who is
now serving his fourth term in the Vir-
| ginia senate, has announced that he ex-
poets to be a candidate for the congress
| sional nomination against Congressman
Harry L. Maynard of the second dis
| trict during the coming summer. Sena-
tor Sale is now chairman of the senate
steering committee the body which has
charge of matters pertaining to policy
and effect Of legislation. He is also
chairman of the committee of privileges
land elections, which carries with it the
leadership of the floor of the senate. He
is a young man and one of the most
popular in the state.
| Several years ago powder concern had
| a magazine in the suburbs near the city.
| The concern went out of business, yet the
| magazine was allowed to remain. Taxes
| on the property were unpaid. and no one
paid the least attention to the property or
| what 1t contained. The house began to
| show lack of attention. and a former
/ county officer went to make investiga-
ton. He saw that the roof was rotting
hn