The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-03-05
Committee | t, Thinks r. 3.
q 2. M easure Is
Unconst stitutional.
MATTER COMES UP
In HOUSE MONDAY
Educational c Commission Continu.
ed in BusinessByrd Bill and
Governors Bill Reported to
Scnate-Hepburn Act Is
Adapted to Vir-
ginia.

Prospects for the passage Of any
sort OF bill at the present session OF
the Legislature which will permit the
merging OF the roads which so to
mako up the Richmond. Fredericks-
burg and Potomac system. are not par
ttIcularly bright. The plan received
another setback yesterday when the
House Committee on Roads and Inter
nal Navigation reported the bill pre-
pared by the Governor and the other
members of the special joint commit
tee. with Recommendation that 1t dc
not pass
The fight has. nowever, not been
abandoned. Mr.. Page. one Of the pat
rons OF the bill in the House. secured
rule making the bill. with It's COM
panion measure. the Coleman bill. a
special and continuing order for Mon
day at the conclusion OF the morning
hour. which will be at about 1880.
"A rather peculiar feature OF the sit
uation Is that the Coleman bill was
reported favorably by the same COM
mittee. 1t is designed to force COM
panies which are compelled by their
charters to stop anywhere to take on
or let off passengers. to comply with
that provision.
Perhaps UnconstItutional.
The Joint subcommittee OF the Sem
ate and House Committee on
Roads held meeting early yesterday
morning. and decided that there were
grave doubts about the constitutional
ity OF the Page-Cooke-Powers
Fletcher Echols- Saunders Mann bill
The House members so reported to
their committee. which as result
gave the bill an unfavorable report.
Those members of the Legislature
who composed the joint committee
which, together with the Governor.
prepared the merger bill, are as firm
as ever in their conviction that the
bill is fair and good and sconstitu-
stionaI one: that II ought TO be passed.
and that II It is enacted the Richmond.
fredericksburg and Potomac people
will gladly merge within six months.
In opp ostion to the Coleman bill. Mr..
ABraxton, of counsel for the railroad,
appeared before the House Committee
on Roads. In the first place. he thought
1t unwise to pass this bill II any sort
of merger bill were to be enacted,
since 1t would tend to destroy that
spirit of Cancellation which would
probably be essential to an inducement
to tho stockholders to give up their
charter. In addition. he argued that
there was, to say the least OF it.
gravesdoubt as to whether the charter
means just what has been said Of IT..
and whether such provisions as con-
tained in the Coleman bill could be en-
forced. Pending the settlement OF
that question in the. courts. he did not
think 1t right TO put the road In such
a chaotic condition as would ensue
prior to final judicial disposition OF the
question. a
The committee. however, for the
second time, reported the bill with a
favorable recommendation.
Byrd and Governors Bills.
No business at all was transacted In
tho Senate yesterday excepting that
pertaining to the STROBE Statewide
prohibition bill. which consumed the
entire day. During the morning hour.
however. two very important bills
were reported from the Committee on
Finance.
One Of these was the Byrd liquor
BILL The committee reported this with
a substitute. which is the House bill
word for word, with no changes made
at all. It's provisions were thoroughly
approved by the committee.
tt{IHe QUIET wa III q
Governors bill, providing for co-ordi-
Sricultural work In this State under a
united board. The only mat erial
change made in this bill was that the
appropriation carried by It should not
be available until 1911.
The House cleaned up all the re-
1naining House bills on their third
reading which were OF a local nature,
or which were uncontested. It started
.on one contested BILL but the debate
was not concluded.
This@is the Stephenson measure. re-
Iquiring simple notice instead Of a
formal declaration in case Of tort The
discussion was naturally limited to at
Ftorneys. and was not particularly en-
livening to the majority Of the mem.
sbers, who wanted to attend the sde-
bate in the Senate anyway No vote
was reached, and the matter will come
up to.day as unfinished business.
Varying Opinions.
For this bill the claim was made thar
1T would greatly simplify practice and
would rid the courts Of much OF tho
delays In Justice and greversals on
jtechnicalities which now obtain On
the other hand. there was est pros
CllaHs,i ~ 3
regarding torts which has existed dur
ing all theyhistory q, jurisprude ence. 4.9.}
q Several bills OF more or less importti
ance were passed. One 5of these APPLIES
the principles OF he Hepburn act pas
ed by Congress- In relation tO&inter-i
state traffic N to Yirgin The word
ing OF this part OF the bill Is an ex-
/ act copy OF the # auburn act s2
The House d etermlned to continue IN
sqtfice Il the Virginia Educational Com
mission which was Great ed two years
ago, Some Of he most dlstingl, ,isl,ed
cd ducntors of the State are members Of
this body. wlli oh ls desi gned Ito cause
'su III Ia Co operation between the higher
finstitutionsS5ofsl 5of learning as to prevent
waste and sdupli lications & 81 Ri 81 IA
Care Of Vagrants. isS s3s
E8gs putting persons who ARE va grants
and drum kard under he \ care OF 4
Sproba tion officer was Tho y d biect OF q
hill passed, Il, "a court ma il nd er 4 It'll
sproVislo ns.s st omlni Z such ga person ia
CQnttRRsd on Fstth Paxs:l lT