The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-14
RUSHING NOW To
END GREAT WORK
Only Four Weeks Remain for
Legislature to Enact New
Laws.
HOUSE GRIsT IN SENATE
Long Debate Expected Over
General Appropriation Bill.
Many Local Measures.
HOUSE GRIsT IN SENATE

Many Local Measures.
-Four weeks remain OF the 1910 ses
sion of the General Assembly. The
last day of actual work will be on
Saturday, March IL. although tentative
sessions, with half dozen members
4 present In each house, are likely to be
held for day or two later to allow
the Lieutenant Governor and the
Speaker to sign bills.
i During these four weeks most of tho
actual work OF tho session Will be done.
great deal OF the ordinary routine
: has been disposed of, including most
of the local bills and those uncontested
measures designed to correct real or
imaginary defects III existing laws.
The really contested bills are still
ahead.
Although the Senate has passed the
Fletcher tax equalization bill and has
sent 1t over to the body on the eastern.
end of the Capitol it has the perma =
nent problems of taxation still before
! IT, the Fletcher bill being regarded as
! n temporary measure only, to apply
to the real estate assessment of this
year. More or less debate on tax mat
tiers is expected this week, including
not only n tax commission or commn-
tee. as the case may be, but also mat
ters with reference to increase in tho
public revenues.
The House has passed a sufficient
number of bills to keep the Senate and
its committee busy for some time -
come. and good deal OF this sort or
business VIII be taken up and disposed
OF during the next few days.
Spending the Money.
As to the general appropriation bill.
1t is expected that not much more time
} Will elapsc before the Senate Finance
Committee will be ready with meas
} urc for the consideration of that body.
1t is reasonable to suppose that with
| the start which the Senate COMMITTEES
, had in advance of the session the upper
body Will debate and pass a bill before
the House is in position TO do So
AS matter of course, such a meas
| ure will be the subject OF a great deal
, OF debate. No one institution will get
all 1t thinks it ought to have. and
, even after the Finance Committee
makes up its mind what it ought TO
do and what 1t viii do. individual Sem
, ators Will endeavor to have their own
ideas adopted. adding to or subtract
, Ing from whatever may be the bill re-
, ported
The House has plenty OF contested
work ahead for the week, and some in
, teresting debates are not at ALI I'M
probable. Barring accidents, the fun
, VIII begin to-day 1t was stated yes
teTday that not so many votes can be
secured to-day for tho Throckmorton
bill. providing for State accountant
! and uniform system of bookkeeping,
, as was the case Saturday, when four
votes short of the constitutional num-
Der of iifty-one were registered for the
measure. There seems to be some in
. disposition to create this Office to do
. work which boards of supervisors, for
instance, arc supposed to do with ref.
!. erence to the books OF county treas
urers.
!. officer In Needed.
q However, those who favor the bill
: are very much in earnest with regard
!, to 1t. and insist that its passage Is OF
q the utmost Importance to the State.
y 1t Is pointed out that while the super
/ visors theoretically audit the treasu-
y rer's books. as a matter OF fact they do
!. so practically in but very few in
t stances. and that it is unjust to expect
Q them to make an expert examination.
: It Is further said that a uniform sys-
G TEN of bookkeeping will greatly sim
n pify the work in the Office OF the Aud
itor of Public Accounts. 1t Is supposed
: that every treasurer in the State Is
thoroughly honest. and If this be true
no one OF them could possibly object to
an examination of his accounts, and
| '''SFS VIM arc IOl thoroughly 1aTnlllaf
with modern methods OF bookkeeping
J viii doubtless welcome the hints and
. adopt the rules laid down by the cx-
| pert accountant, who will represent the
, people of the Commonwealth
The appointment OF such an officer
was earnestly urged by Governor Swan
U son as result of the examination
MADE OF the books Of the departments
at the seat OF government, where, al
though nothing but honesty and ear
nest purpose was revealed. 1t became
evident that the methods practiced
t. were IN some casrs antiquatcd and un-
p satisfactory and were liable to subject
! tho State to possible heavy losses.
II Lack of cash is the only thing ia
8 the way OF the passage of the bill APP
- proprtating $4,000 for a monument a I
- Gettysburg, which will come un this
y morning. Sentiment among the Leeis-
e lators is all In favor OF the proposition.
! Afraid of Proposition.
IS The fate OF the measure establishing
g an advisory pardoning board and pro-
y viding for an indeterminate sentence
= Tor criminals is very doubtful On each
le occasion when this bill has come M
N on the calendar,sa strong opposition has
Is peen developed. many of the members
s. regarding the measure as taking awov
"a tho practical operation of tho iurv-
81 system.
J. AS to the optomctry bill, it NAV be-
" come law, but not without a fight,
n Another measure on which debate
e. IS certain to ensue is that prohibiting
is the selection of division or county
ID school superintendent who is not =
p resident of the district over which be
IS Is to preside. It is up near the head OF
le the calendar.
a. Differences of opinion will also %.
e cur over the sterilization bill. which
Ii aims to prevent procreation nv con :.
ID llrmed criminals. idiots. imbcciles and
. others. A feeling exists among some
of the members that Virginia is NOT
ready for this sort OF legislation.
J. At least two more fights within the
= next day or two arc ahead on tho hiII
iie making four instead of two-year term,
IL between local option elections, ana on
I'd that providing for the election OF mem.
" DerS OF the State Cnrnnra r On e, s,,,,,,.i.