The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-01-15
System ofReading Of Bills
Is Dead Letter and
Retards Work.
FLOOD STILL
POURING IN
Measure Accepting Federal Ap-
preparation to Militia Passed
Yesterday-Minority Re-
peat Charge Of Unfair
ness in Committee
Appointments.
by LEWIS II. MAcnEN.

The Legislature passed it's first bill
yesterday. il was an acceptance OF the
siS.oOO Federal appropriation under the
so-called Dick bill to the State militia.
or coirse, the action was taken under
suspension OF the rules, for only BY
such Suspension can the tirne.kllllng
routine prescribed by the Constitution
be avoided. This is the earliest that
any bill has passed In recent sessions.
The Governors appointments were
hoard with interest, but there was no
discussion OF them and scarcely any
private comment since they must be
passed upon by the committees recent.
~ constituted for that purpose.
Some Feeling shown.
IN tho Senate there was post
mortem discussion OF the appointment
OF the standing committees rs tie
Steering Committee and approved b.
the Senate on Monday Senator Sale.
the chairman OF the Steering Commit
tee. who was absent on Monday. re-
Piled to the structures OF Senator Noel
which were mentioned in these columns
yesterday. He stated that there were
only six members OF the minority and
they had made thirteen requests for
assignments. eleven of which ha,! hetn
granted. He disclaimed Intentional un-
fairness and like disclaimer w6s
made by other Senator's. Senator
Keezell read some statistics showing
that all tho districts represented Is
the minority after the payment of
into the State Treasury a little over
s22 900. whereas some other districts
represented on the Finance Committee
turned in two or three times that
amount.
The discussion was rot marked by
the bsst OF feelir and was quite fu-
tile inasmuch as the question at issue
had already been decided.
Bills Stiil Coming.
number OF bills and resolutions
were offered on both sides. Evidently.
the constructive craftsmanship OF the
two houses is still finding vent. and It
may be some weeks before all the real
ly important measures OF general In.
terest cease to be offered. After that
time, 1t is anticipated that most Of
the bills presented will be of local ap-
pl!cation.
The committees of both houses have
got down to work with commendabe
rapidity. number of measures having
been already reported and placed upon
the calendars. The Constitution re-
Tuires that all bills shall be read at
length on three different calendar days
III csiEll I!oHSc. ptlpI 10 us IdSSdSc, Out
there are many long bills. perhaps
changing an existing statute only q
word or two. which would consume
several hours II read at length six
times. The consequence is that the
Teading is only partially done by the
clerk. who skips swiftly through It.
only touching at high places, or the
reading is dispensed with. which it may
be by recorded vote of four-flfths of
the members voting.
Law n Dend Letter.
A roll call in the Senate, If verified.
takes about three minutes, and in the
House about twice as long, so 1t is
sometimes quicker and less trying on
the clerk to read few sentences of
the bill. These constitutional read
1ngs We're we'll intended, but in practi-
cai operation they amount to nothing
except to take up time that might be
tmployed In some more useful manner.
If they We're thoroughly done as In
tended. the work ct the two houses
would amount to little more than ar
evolutionary contest between their
clerks. One reading. thoroughly done
~ each house just prior TO the vote
upon the bill, might serve some useful
purpose. but the three readings are
regarded as impracticable, and the
whole system Is a dead letter.
The joint caucus Tonight viii dis
pose OF the nncontested judgeships and
most of the routine will then be fin
ished. ~ ~ ~