The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-01
.Speaker r Propose S
Amendments to His
Existing Law.
INCREASES AREA
OF PROHIBITION
Prohibits Licenses in Towns of
Less Than 1000 People-Reso-
luton Offered for Investiga-
ton of v. P. Popular
Election of Commissions
ers Opposed.

Extending slightly the zone Of alb.
solute prohibition, eliminating thc
ncar-bccr section. prohibiting saloons
within Il certain number OF feet of in
stitutions of learning. and adding to
the qualifications OF the person to
whom license TO sell Intoxicating Ii
quurs is Issued, Speaker Richard Eve
iyn Byrd yesterday introduced into
tho House n bill amending and re-
epactinG the far-famed Byrd liquor
bill Of 1908.
While this bill Is Of secondary i'm
portance, In the minds OF the legisla-
tors, to the measures referring tJ the
public revenues of the state. 1t will
arouse the greatest interest with tho
people at large. This is true because
in all probability 1t lis the bill which
VIII, perhaps with amendments, pass
the General Assembly and be the or
sanic law OF the State for the next
two years. 1t Is the final word on the
subject on the part OF the Speaker.
who led the forces OF temperance at
The last session and wrote the Byrd
bill on the statute books OF the State.
Makes Small Towns Dry.
The important changes In the exist
u.
in number. First. ii provides tina,
no license to sell intoxicating liquors
shall be issued in towns of less than
1000 population. The existing law in
this respect applies to towns of less
than 500 people. This part of the bill.
II is understood viii affect only one
town in the state. there being at pres
cnt only one place OF between 500 and
1000 people which has saloon. and
the town in question has only one.
The bill allows liquor TO be sold.
as at present, In summer resort hotels
and in territory contiguous TO wet
cities.
Socondif, the ncar-bcer section is
cut out eatireiy. There viii be nfre-
after no law under Which nianufa tu-
rers OF beer with small fra .i,nal
amounts OF alcohol can sell the pro-
duct in dry communities. The iaw as
to the sale of cider IS slightly modified
In the third place the bill prohibits
n saloon within 400 feet of any school.
college or university in the STATE.
Lastly. 1t provides that the person
TO whom license Is issued must be not
only citizen and qualified voter in
the community. but must also pay taxes
on either real or personal property.
Fight Will Come.
That there will be opposition TO this |
bill in committee and on the floor OF |
the House there can be little doubt. |
number of small towns which are
now dry. but which expect to vote wet,
arc likely to object. and there will |
probably be opposition on the part of |
those interested in the liquor business.
On the other hand, If there are any
advocates of the Anti-Saloon League
plan In the Legislature they may not
favor the passage of the Byrd bill
which, 1t. is expected, will be the only
liquor legislation of any kind which
will pass at this session.
Members feel however, that at the
and of the scrimmage the Speaker will
be at the top. with his bill enacted and
made into law.
Another change In the bill which is
important is that increasing the license
axes on sellers of liquor. This, how
sver, has been discounted as news be-
,ause OF the fact that bill making
.he same increases Is now pending in
.he Senate and has been fully ex-
olained.
The standing OF social clubs remains
tho same in the new Byrd
oill as in the old.
Joint Assembly To-day.
Both houses of the Legislature will
meet at II O'Clock to-day. instead of
It noon, as usual. 1t is expected that
10 public business other than the in
luguratfon ceremonies will be trans
lcted.
In the Senate yesterday four bills
Yere passed, all of them general in
heir interest. One was the House bill
prohibiting Indecent language; another
he Holland bill increasing the license
axes on foreign corporations; another
he Owen bill regulating the sale of
oodstuffs, and the last recommends the
University of Virginia to the Carnegie
Thirteen House bills passed the lower
,ody without opposition, all Of them
ocal or minor measures This cleaned
IN the third reading bills on the call
'ndar. Second reading bills were,
tarted on, but the House for the sec
md time ran up against and baked
t the Throckmorton bill providing in
leterminatc sentences for criminals,
nd promptly adjourned.
Election OF Commissioners.
An important committee decision
vas arrived at by the House Commit
ee on Privileges and Elections, which
eported unfavorably tho Bell bin for
he election Of State. Corporation Com
nissioners by the vote ofsthe people. ]
Bills employing additional counsel
Q fight West Virginia in the state
Iebt case, making allowance to the
Virginia Homo and Industrial School
or Girls. and making an emergency
appropriation for pensions. were ia ,
'orably reported to the House,
Captain Junins w. Williams, OF
southampton county. who has been
cry III. appeared yesterday for tho /.
trst time during tho present session
nd took the oath OF office. He re-
,eived a warm welcome.
The House did not seem to like the {
enate bill allowing the relnarriage | l
4 divorced persons, and passed 1t by.
t provoked an earnest speech from
ir, Cooke, OF Norfolk,
W. n. l. Investigations.
Senator Gravatt. or Caroline, intro I(
(C@nttnued on Third PaRel