Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1908-03-06
HOT SHOTS ON THE FLOOR.

and none in the Senate.
HOT SHOTS ON THE FLOOR.
In opposing the Board of Fisheries
appropriation and salaries one day last
week Delegate Evans brought down
hornets nest about him. Doz-
ems of members were clamoring for
recognition to lay out the only Demo
crat in the whole General Assembly
who has made himself conspicuous by
absurd opposition to a measure which
has been thoroughly sifted and which
even all the up-country Democrats and
nearly all the Republicans are willing
to concede to Tidewater. Some local
newspapers had been fired into legisla-
tors mails and the venom in them raj
lied practically the whole body to the
side of the Board of Fisheries. When
the noes" were called the gentleman
from Middlesex alone answered from,
the Democratic side, and was joined by
two Republicans. The incident is
pictured thus by the Richmond News
Leader:
when the appropriation of $45, 900
for the Board of Fisheries was reached
In the appropriation bill in the house a
ratner sharp discussion was precipitated
by Delegate Evans, of Middlesex and
Mathews.
Delegate Houston, of Hampton. was
recognized when Mr.. Evans took his
seat. Mr.. Houston stated the speech
of the gentleman from Middlesex was
one that could be conjured with. That
he was greatly surprised, and he
thought the matter worthy of scrutiny.
that this gentleman should rise to
block an appropriation for the promo
ton and advancement of the oyster in
dustry, when it had been unanimously
reported by the committee on the Ches
apeake and its tributaries, had been
unanimously reported by the Finance
committee, was threshed out by and ac-
cepted by the up-country people and
was demanded by the people of Tide
water with few dissenting voices. The
speaker continued by asking what
he thought of the gentleman from
hockbridge opposing an appropriation
to the Virginia Military Institute. or
the gentleman from ALTERNATE. oppos-
ing an appropriation to the University
OF Virginia. That there seemed to be but
one conclusion and he wished to ask the
gentleman of Middlesex whether or
not he was not actuated by personal
feeling.
The gentleman from Middlesex quick
y arose to a personal privilege, and
stated such a charge was erroneous and
he did not think that it emanuated from
the fair mind of the gentleman from
Hampton and suggested that his con-
stltuents were not in favor of the an
preparation.
Subsequently Mr.. Houston was rec
ognized on-a point of personal privilege.
He said he was glad to say that the
citizens of Hampton and Elizabeth
City were anxious that this appropria-
ton be made for the advancement of
the oyster industry and that he repre-
sented them. He inquired of the gen
tleman from Middlesex if in private
conversation he had denied that he was
not actuated by personal feeling. The
matter then turned upon the gentlemen
from Gloucester, Delegate Stubs being
recognized.
Major Stubs made a most forcible
appeal in behalf of the appropriation.
supporting Mr.. Houston's contention.
He paid high tribute to the efficiency
of the present Board of Fisheries and
closed by stating that he would like to
see the members of the Board get
more pay and a larger appropriation
than the comparatively small sums
which the bill carried. All of the APP
preparation, salaries, etc., are to come
out of oyster collections and not from
the State treasury.
Strong speeches supporting the APP
preparation were made by Delegate
Howle, of Isle of Wight, and Delegate
Old, of Norfolk. These gentlemen
stated that the matter had been thor
oughly threshed out and had been unan-
imously agreed upon by Tidewater, the
valley and the mountains alike and ex-
pressed great surprise that the lone
voice should be raised against it.
Colonel A. M. Bowman, of Roanoke,
chairman of Finance Committee, stated
that he was greatly surprised that this
contention should be made when bill
carrying this appropriation was almost
unanimously passed by the House few
days ago.
The amendment offered by Mr.. Evans
cutting out the increase in the appro-
priation was then put, and was lost by
great uproar of noes"