The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-12

Here and I here
IN the Legislature
In the 1--WE minutes time allotted
him. Mr.. West. OF Nansemond, made an
attractive presentation OF his fec bill
yesterday morning before the House
Committee on Finance. His measure
simply provides that all officials in
this State whose compensation Is COM
posed as a whole or in part of fees
must keep complete records of all fees
received by them. Mr.. West said he
mad had no objection to adding 20
the bill that these reports, after be-
ing sent to the county or city clerks,
be forwarded to the Secretary OF the
commonwealth, nor did he demur to
q point raised that 1T might be well TO
have the officials state what EXPENSE
they were put to for clerk hire and
other matters He wanted light, and
thought the people were entitled to
Know what their officers receive. In
most cases the officers won't tell. he
said.
II is not hitting, he said, that some
or our officials should be receiving, in
supposedly minor positions, several
times as much money as the Governor
Oh the state or member of the STU
preihe Court, and perhaps even ap.
proAir1atlng the salary of the Presi
dent of the United States At ali
events, the people. who pay the bills
are entitled to know what their ser
wants get.
Ihese statements of receipts are t,
DC sworn to. and are to be used n.
OASIS for future action by Legisla
lures.
me committee first heard Rev T,
=. BUCK on his proposition to allow
pension boards to summon witnesse,
anu examine them under oath in ma t.
teFs OF pension applications.
Soldiers Records.
MAJOR Robert W. Hunter. the Score.
tary of Virginia Military Records ron
uered an account Of his stewardship
ne emphasized the duty of preserving
the records of the States soldiers in
.ie confederate armies. Many of the
most valuable frecords of the Reyolu-
tlohary War have been lost. and as
| result virginia has not the credit
she should have for her part in that
contest, because she can't prove it.
And added Major Hunter ..as
notable as virginias part was in
Revolutionary times and in the for
NATIVE period OF the country,s history.
her most splendid record was made in
the times of the Civil War;" Therefore
the rolls should be gotten together
while 1t IS still practicable to do so.
The Spessard bill, reducing the fees
of examiners of records, was next con-
sidered, but its argument was not con-
cluded. ytro II Il,
terested persons.
An interested and interesting visitor
on the floor of the House this week
has been Judge Selden Longley. OF
Radford. Judge Longley sat in the
Same body as a member from Wash
ington county during the stormy
Legislature of 1884, he being the
youngest member. During that session
! he voted forty times for the late John
.ioode for the United States Senate.
The other candidates were Robert E.
! Withers and Major Robert w. Hunter.
Mr.. Goodies name was at last dropped
and Colonel Withers elected.
Judge Longley still wears with pride
watch presented to him by the mem
1 bers of the House. in which he served
thirty-six years ago. While in Rich
! ilOiiN q hGSto SlilClca IoOll otlt
/ night. stole all of his clothes, hi:
| money and watch. and as result o.
this occurrence the members gave him
a gold timepiece engraved with the
words Of presentation.
! The Committee on Federal Relations
| OF the House met yesterday morning
and favorably considered the Throck
morton Joint resolution asking the
/ United States government to send an
| expert TO Virginia to examine and
report upon the waste land. especially
the marsh land of the State. This
expert Is to state the number OF
| acres which can be reclaimed, the best
method and the cost of reclamation.
/ President Ellyson at last got to vote
! yesterday. The first tie OF the ses-
| sion in the Senate came up when Sem
! ator Lassiter wished to set his bills
+ special order for Monday. Senator Holt
| opposed, for he thought it is time
/ to go down the calendar in regular
| order and stop taking UP bills special
! w. When vote was taken Senator
Lasster alone voted in the affirma.
tive. and Senator Holt alone In the
negative Then the president broke
the tie in favor of Senator Lassiter
And everybody smiled at the humol
of the situation.
Lawyers will be interested in Sen,
ator Chase's bill to prohibit the direc-
J ton of verdicts. 1t is: I'm no actor
tried before a jury shall the court
give to the jury a peremptory instruc-
ton directing what verdict the jury
4 Shall render. This act shall apply tc
4 pending actions as we'll as to those
thereafter instituted Senator Chase
says that few of the judges In th'
:; state courts are trying to carry on
i the Federal practice of directing Yer
1 diets and he wishes to put an end T.
it. In case the verdict directed Is re
yersed BY the appellate court tn
!; case has to be tried all over again an,
this is the practice which Senate
chase would stop Monday at o'clocl
there will be a hearing on the bill
before the Senate Committee on Court
of Justice. Some opposition has al
} ready been manifested.
: Senator EARLY yesterday offered
bill empowering tho Alumni Associa
i Ition of the University of Virginia
, receive money and requests
cock firhtine in Alexandria count