The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-02-05
SESSIONS OF TWO HOUSES.
TOAD Dill and n, r. q r. Repeal Mess
~ urc Arc Discussed.

TOAD Dill and H., r. Il r. Repeal Meas
urc Are Discussed. f
speaker Byrd presided and prayer
was offered In the House OF Delegates
by the Rev. DR.. Richard Mc1lwaine, OF
the PRESBYTERIAN Church.
Mr.. Markham called up the Senate
resolution appointing Joint commit
tee to look Into the feasibility OF es-
tablishing restaurant In the basement
OF the Capitol. On motion OF Mr..
Jennings, It was referred to the Com
mites on Public Property. where It
Will probably have It's last long sleep.
Gigantic Petitiou.
Mr.. Adams offered resolution.
which was adopted, calling upon tn
Virginia Representatives and Senator'S
in Congress to support a bill offered
by Representative Flood. providing for
the distribution OF the surplus in the
United States Treasury among the
several states for road Improvement
Anlarge number OF bills were offered
and referred to their appropriate COM
mittees. and the clerks proceeded witt,
the call OF the calendar.
Speaker Byrd presented petition
from constituents In his district IN
relation to changes In the liquor laws.
This document measured many yards
In length. and contained hundreds OF
names. It went to tho Committee on
General Laws.
AT 1890 o'clock P. NJ. the House pro.
ceeded to elect Judge for the Cor.
poration Court OF the city Of Char
lottcsville to succeed the late George
". norris, and on motion OF Delegate
Pitts. Of Albemarle. 9. Burnley Sin.
clair was chosen.
Road Bill Discussed.
Senate bill No. 20. the special order
Of the day. was laid before the House,
It has for It's object the amendment OF
the present law so as to permit Judges
to sentence felons to hard labor on the
roads when the terms do not exceed
five years. The limit now fixed b,
law Is two years. Judge Williams. o.
Giles. spoke briefly and submitted
some figures In addition to those al.
ready cited in opposition to the meas.
ure. Mr.. Brewer spoke OF the constt
tutional features OF the bill. and incl
dentally in opposition TO its passage
0fr. Withers led the fight, for the
measure. and was kept on his feet for
some time answering questions pro.
pounded by various members. Tile
States moral obligation to the Davis
existing contract, was the burden OF
the opposition to the bill, and finally
Mr.. Withers declared that he would
not be surprised to see a move started
to prevent the angel Gabriel from
calling the people to heaven on the
ground that 1t would injure the Davis
Boot and Shoe Company.
Mr. Cation, of Alexandria, offered the
following amendment. to which he adj
dressed himself briefly:
provided. that NO one whose pun.
ishmcnt Is fixed at more than two yenra
shall be sentenced to labor ON the pub.
lie roads, unless mt the time of such
sentence there shall then be In the
under existing contracts with the State,
at least s5O.''
Mr.. Pulliam opposed the bill In the
present form. and had much to say
i.about the States contract with the
!. Davis Boot and Shoe Company, which
The finally admitted he had not read.
Mr.. gWithers argued In favor OF the
bill at some length. and was again
called upon by many OF his colleagues
to answer questions and to explain GER
tain features contained therein. He
read resolutions adopted blythe Travail
ers' Protective Association In favor OF
the bill. and declared that the press OF
the State was demanding that the pres
ent system be enlarged.
The House. at 2:09 P. n, adjourned
until noon to-day.
Large Portion Returned.
Governor Swanson sent to the House a
special message concerning the expen.
lsditure OF the funds appropriated by
the last General Assembly for enter.
tainments ETC.. on the part Of the State
at the Jamestown Exposition. The
message sets out that s14,702.37 of the
$4,000 appropriated is unexpended, and
remains In the treasury. The report
Twas ordered printed as q House docu-
ment. It is as follows:
In the act approved March 10. 1906