The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-03-12
HAVE WORKED HARD TO
GET MORE REVENUE
Session of General Assembly Ju Closing of Busiest
History Some of the Important

Piercing every niche and corner of
the proud old Commonwealth of vir-
ginia for sixty fruitful days. and keep
Ing the eyes OF every red biooded citi-
zen focused upon IL, the Legislative
sun is tasty sinking behind the west
ern hills TO rise no more until the
dawn of 1919. Saturday night, mid
night, perhaps. marks the close of the
iawrnaktng season In. the State for two
years, A few Legislators. just enough
to make the business they transact
legal. viii remain at the Capitol until
| Friday. to enroll bills, but Saturday
night virtually marks the end OF the
race which has been as interesting as
| II has been graelling.
This Is the seasqN at which every
citizen and every lawmaker pauses
to reflect and ask what has the Legis-
lature done?
1t has kept the aristocratic old
Commonwealth cut of bankruptcy by
increasing revenues with which to
face a deficit of a quarter of a million
dollars. made better provisions for the
brave old soldier who wore the gray
In teh days the. tried mems souls. and
put the educational system OF the
State on q higher plane and more
before. In fine. those are the achieve
nrents OF the 1910 Legislature. and
the task. which was no easy one, was
accomplished only after much earnest
and faithful raking and scraping here
and there to raise money from new
sources In order that the State might
be spared the humiliation OF looking
into empty vaults. or be subjected ts
the embarrassment of being asked for
money Justly due. but which It could
not pay. To the Finance Committee
of the two houses the people OF vlr-
ginia owe a tribute and a debt for ac-
comp,ishing this feat
In addition Y, rs lawmaking duties,
the Legislature witnessed the fnaugu.
ration Of new governor. a forme.
member OF the Senate. reelected SEN
ator John W. Daniel to congress.
elected Judge J. r. wtngfield to the
Corporation Commission to succeed
Colonel Joseph willard. and con-
irmed a score or more appointments
made by the governor. and elected
several judges to the minor courts.
Some Stirring Incidents.
The Legislature was stirred--if this
he the proper Worldwide. Once
when Delegate Johnston. of Russell
declared he had been offered a bribs
to vote for the Rtson divorce bill
giving either party to . suit for sep
aratton the right to sue for an ab
solute divorce, and In the olostnS dax4
when Senator Noel made charges d
1quandering state money. against the
State Board of Health. Both Of these
Affairs ended In smoke.
No Legislature has been 20 aroused
over bill ~ the 1910 General A.
aembly was over the Rison bill. and
Il was very properly dismined from
- A~t Aek
Senate during the early days Of the
session and before the solons Of the
upper house had time TO carefully
consider its provisions.
State Wide Not Acted Upon,
Tho Statewide prohibition bill In.
troduced by Senator Strobe, OF Am
hcrst. was not voted on by the LeE>s-
lature ~ . whole. In tho Senate ~
senators voted against engrossiNx the
bin and Is voted for enxrossiHx ri.
In the House ~ members voted 70
consider tho bill and vote on Il, ana
~ voted against considering Il. IN
mother house were the actual merits
OF the bill. which merely provided
that the people be allowed 70 decide
for themselves whether or not they
wanted me set,on In their midst.
voted upon. The Senate killed Sena-
tor Halsey's bill wiping out every
saloon In tho State and substituting
dtspensaries wherever the people
wanted them.
Measures for Roveuue.
Doubtless the most important reve-
nuo raising measure passed by the
Assembly was ths Byrd-Hott liquor
blu. which Increased the revenues OF
the 6tate BY from 1le0.oe0 to $4,000,
thus making the total revenue 10 be
derived from the liquor interests Ahr-
tng the naxt two years eeoO,o in
stead Of e1oo.eoo
A tax comnisDion, composed Of the
Governor. chairman Of the Cerpora-
ton Commission. an expsrt ON taxa.
tion, the Speaker Of the House and
President Of the Senate, was creafSd.
Five new State Repositories were
added 70 the twenty already existing
In the State: bureau OF bank exami-
nation, providing that the banks ny
for the examination, wac creaf6d.
Proy1ston was mAdp Tor the creation
Of ne ollio6 a. state esoeunkant who