Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-02-23
The Legislature.

Railroad. AS constituted the commit zee
ia composed Of Governor Mann, Pres;-
deaf pro tenn. Eshols, OF The Senate;
Speaker Bird, of The HOUSE; Senators
Fletcher and Slunders and Delegates
Page, Cooke and Powers. The only
opinions expressed in The legislature
we're f. the effect tina! the railroad
should understand that husioess Is
meant. The feeling is growing that the
officers of the railroad will not be sverse
to Incorporation on the same ba,ia
With the other public ser7ics corpora
tons of the State. The Diet rninalion
to give them an opportunity 10 do so Is
evident.
The most important Items of business
of the day was the unanimous approval
given By the House to the joint resolu.
ton approving an amendment to the
state constitution 40 that in future years
cities, If they so desire, may adopt a
commission form OF government. There
Is nothing compulsory about this feature
as It merely allows local option on this
subject later on. This amendment must
60 before the legislature at Its rext Sea-
sion before 1t is submitted to vote OF
thu pro &c.
Both hi 'es a'tsr disposing Of all the
business which they desired to take up,
sdj urned In memory Of George WASH
iDgtop. 1t was decided that the beat
way to honor the Father of His Country
was by attending to the business OF his
native state.
SENATE
Should the House agree with the Sen.
ate the governor, the chairman of the
S.eta Corporation Commission and tax
expert will compose the commission
which will examine the financial system
of this state, compate it With that oil
ether states, review the practical work.
irgs of the latter, aud submit to the next
general assembly revised and coDpre.
heDsive form o. public taxation.
After many days of debate the Senate
yesterday passed Whist was originally
known as the King tax commission bill.
Later, when Its d;shaveled form appeared
from the committee room, it was known
SO the finance committee substitute. B..
fore ira! passage the Holland plan was
made a subslIt tie for the whole. Ssna-
t)r Eli e, as a matter of personal priv.
lege, stated to the Senate. that he wrote
no:hitg of The bill as passed excepting
the wcrd "Whsress
Favorable reports we're received Oh
the following bills: To prohibit the
wearing of military uniforms By per-
sons not entitled so to do; to Ak the
tax on dogs; to authorize the sudl.or
to cancel warrants of more than five
years standing, to fix the fee OF print
ers; to dispense with fees to sherifs and
sergesnts for attendance on court; to
compromise taxes in certain cases; to
continue In force the Gettysburg monu'
ment appropriation.
HOUSE.
For The second time the House refused
to ALLOW school trustees to choose their
relatives ss teachers.
After hanging ere for yoara the Eouse
passed the Senate bill approprlstiDg
s., 800 for the relief of the estate of the
late ]. E. Phillips, of Richmond.
Forty bills, practically all OF them
local, were reported. Among the few
general bills were
From the onHiittee Tor ceu'ts OF
ju,tice The bill requiring acceptance
oil interchangeable mileage by conduct
ors, favorably, and the bill to make
railroads keep stations open, unfsVo:-
ably.
From the committee on finance: The
amended bill taxing sut0mobiles, along
the lines Of the Ssnsts bill wit1 t. x on
garages added; the delinquent tax bill.
From the committee on general laws :
The cornmeal bill, amended 80 ss to re-
quire the weight to be markedon pack
ages.
The House agreed TO The Senate
amendments " the bills allowing the
assessment of franchise tax on light,
hest, gas and power companies The
changes merely make the measures
emergency once.
The Senate bill changing the time for
holding courts In many of the cireu!'a
vas largely amended and passed.
The bill requiring the listing of eicb
brand OF fertilizer and lax on same vas
taken up out oi its order and went T.
It's eugrossnent.
The bill allowing physiciaus tt sell
drugs was passed without opposition.
The biggest sort of fight will comes
from the Favorable report made yes ter
day on the bill allowing school trustees
to be elected by the popular vote. A full
membership OF the committee Oh schools
and colleges was not present, 1t is under
stood. Many OF the members regard this
as an unfortunate tendency to bring the
school system Of the State back into the
mire of politics. At a conference yester-
day afternoon the patrons OF the House
bill providing for testing OF seeds sold IN
this State, ali agreement was reached
which, it is' believed, will insure the
passage of the bill in the Senate. 1t has
already passed the House.
The following represents days labor
on the part of what somebody called
yesterday the House committee on
counties, cities and liquor legislation. Z"
Bills on this subject were set for hear.
ing so as to dispose of legislation along
this line. The debate was at all times in
terestiug and occasionally warm. TIE
committee met both in the morning and
afternoon Keyser bill allowing all drug
stores to sell liquor approved, amend
ments; South Boston and Houston
dispensary bills killed; Syduor bill al
lowing counties to vote as unit on ga
lions killed; Byrd bill providing that
profits of dispensaries shall go entirely
to the Slate is elso dead; bill of Judge