The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-01-25
nY LEMIs n. ,IAcuEN.

Perhaps the biggest surprise OF the
Feat in the House of Delegates yester-
day OF the bill providing for the popu-
& lar election of members OF the State
Corporation Commission. The major
ity was not large--only two--but 1t
was sufficient To Kill the bill. * mo.
ton to reconsider wns lost. and another
matter that seemed settled the other
way is beyond recall.
There Is movement on foot to in.
troduce a new bill in the Senate to-day
or Monday. with practically the same
purpose, but with details as to tine OF
election SO changed as to enable the
House to pass on the question. Just
how such an unusual method Of secur--
Ing a reconsideration of the main
question will be regarded Is a matter
that Is full embarrassing uncertainties.
Great Surprise.
The bill passed the Senate several
days ago, with only two votes against
st. and after very little discussion
much less, In fact. than one might ex-.
3pect, considering the Importance of tho
ssubiect. When It went to the calendar
OF the House, with the approval Of
the Elections Committee of that body
tf was generally assumed that II would
tgo through like fire in dry stubble.
5 This was all the more to be expected
because the House has heretofore been
regarded as the body where popular
,scvereignty is held especially sacred.
The cry OF back to the people" is
81 potent one. and generally very
proper one, and nowhere is It heard
Oftener or with more effect. as q gem
ieral thing, than In the House OF Del
csates. Yesterday, however, a major-
ity went on record as saying that ther.
was at least one thing the people could
accomplish through delegated author
ity better than by direct action. and
that was the selection of the corpora
5tton commissioners The. debate was
earnest, able and fearless on both sides.
i In point OF numbers the speakers
against the bill had the advantage. but
there was zeal aplenty on both sides.
The Argument.
For the bill 1t was argued that there
was a popular demand for II; that 1t
gave the people q larger participation
y In the government of the State; that
s there was danger that a Governor
might pay off political debts by such
an appo.ntment-in fact. there was a
charge that there was ID rtlnlori that a
Governor hadaheen suspected OF doing
that very thing-and there was trong
stress laid upon the danger of corpo-
rnte control through some future Gov.
ernor. who might be elected by corpo.
rate influence. sIy5
On the other hand, It was said thai
there was no general demand for tho
/ change; that to make It at the frs
II, opportunity would be an sundeserved re-.
buke to a commission which had done
fnithful work; thatstit would be time
enough to change the method of selee.
tion when the power to appoint should
be abused; that the commission wa!
partly judicial in it's character, ant
that it$was contrary TO long estah
lished policy in Virginia to have Judge!
slected by the people; that the quail.
ties which fitted one for a position OF
the commission We're not those whicl
would make a man effective In tht
roug and tumble Of popular cam
paigps: thnt II was better that sucl
m office should seek the man, and tha
" It should come to him without the eA
Donse and sannoynnce OF primary AM
generated lections, and hat the power o
absolute. but subject to approval ba
the General Assembly, which nigh
& hold Y p an app lin tment--as Is beIpl
done at tn 9 presen t--uptl all Question
Y 0fE1ts prQprle etyS We're removed, or nigh
reject the u app % intnaent a. together
These points and others. pro and con
were urged with eloqu ence and force
Y VI There was lively cross-hring too an
come tirst-rate Srapartee,
When the previous question had bee
moved and carried and the roll bsgu
4 to- bag called the most intense interes
was manifested In the result.
The Speaker was twice Obliged I
raqlest manlbers who We're croWdlr
53 around tue Clerk g desk to Us stand bnc
and not imp de the taking the vol,
Continued on Third Paga,) n