Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-02-06
TRYING 70 GET RID Of LOBBYISTS
Delegate Rev Wants the Rules strict
~ Enforced in Rega d to tho Priv
iIcses OF the Floor-corporaticn Tax
for sate-sena,e Bcsins gnaroso.
ING Hlns.
fSnecInl 10 Thu DnIlv prcss'

lNiNfi MOND, VA, TOD. VIZ. w.
Withers OF Nansomond. won signal
victo y IN tile House today, when that
body coDcurred With the Senate III
the passage of the l.assiicr- Withera
road bill making 1t mandatory upon
the judges OF the state To compel
prisoners sentenced To the pcniter-
1iury for u torn not exceeding iivo
years to work on the public roads.
Through three entire Sessions or
the House the bill has been the
sculcc of continued and heated de-
bate, in which Mr.. Withers, aS the
central igurc, was called upon 10
answer numerous ohIcctions filed by
members from nearly every section
of Lgo state.
During the past fow days numer-
QUA lobbyists have labored for she
defeat OF the measure. conspicuous
among whom arc said To have been
tho attorneys for tho Davis Doot a.
Shoe Company. with whom tho Htgte
has a ..AA-...AA4.ssaet 40 Is;rnish 500 work
men.
The victory for the passage Of the
BIN was Overwhelming. the vote
standing--Ycss II, noes IL. Seven
hien'hers Of the House were absent
wl'cn the vote was taken.
Following the passage Of the SEN
nc bill, the House bin took up Houso
bill 30. which provides that iail pris-
|oners shall also be sentenced to coun-
~ road forces. Tho opposition TO
this latter bill was led by Joln Il.
Rev of Accomac
He Wished to Clear the Floor.
Another blow was struck toby al
the lobbyists and outsiders WHO some
how manage to get on the floor Of
the House and obstruct the business
of the lower branch of the legisla-
,rnre. Delegate Rev is the man who
struck It. or rather the man who got
in the first whack.
Arising and addressing the chair
after the morning hour. he said. 81
wish hat the rule to exclude visitors
could be strictly enforced II has been
common observation on my part for
number of ilays.-and ! say II with
out Intending TO retlect on anybody
that certain gentlemen arc enjoying
the privileges Of the floor while 9th
ers are being barred. | therefore ask
that the rule be strictly enforced"
Speaker Byrd explained that Il
would he well nigh impossible for tho
chair to have a sufficiently wide ac-
qiaiD'ance 10 know accurately who
was entitled to The floor ana who
not. He suggested that Delegate rev
notify the doorkeeper whenever he
saw on the floor outsiders who had
no business there. The Accomac leg
islator said that he had done this.
Speaker Byrd then added: Tho
chair deems II proper to state that
rule SO. which permits on shc nool
certain persons other than members
is courtesy whihc entities such per-
sons to presence on the floor. but
does not onitle them TO engage IN
conversation with members during
debate
CO 'porations Support State.
| The l.assiter Joint resolution re-
lauestine the safe orporation commits
sion. with the advice and assistance
: OF the state auditor ana attorney gen
eral- 10 prepare a plan whereby Tho
tW'ASS on ncOlic service corporation;
! should be levied alone for use of tht
state. and the taxes on all other per.
sonal property for the use Of com-
ties. cities and towns, was taken VI
as The special order in the Scuatc a
1890 TO-DAY,
Speaking Of his resolution. Senator
L'ssitcr showed that the total val.
nation of the properties of The pub
He service corporations in the stat,
was $1OO,OOo0oO, upon which the stat,
would receive an incomc OF 20 cent'
on the 500. aud in addition the fran
clisc tax of onc-balf OF one per cent
of such yalunticn. and of such in
lcrcsspd valuation as may accvuc II
IfuItTc. These amounts, he estimated
would nroiiuce Sufficient revenue {,
lsupport tho needs Of the state, lcay
ing all other classes OF personal prop
critics TO be taxed for local uses.
| Begin Ennrosseh Bills.
The Senate today made short worl