The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-02-07

strotfcis bifi proposing to cali an eiec-
/ ton ON Statewide prohibition OF the
sale of intoxicants in Virginia will
probably be heard by the Senate Com
mittee on Privileges and Election on
Wednesday. February IS. BY far the
largest number OF men and women
who ever gathered at the Capital to
argue for and against bill will as
sembie, probably In the Corporation
Commission room or Senate chamber
TO speak on the passage or non-pas-
sage of the measure.
Senator STROBE Is prepared to make
memorable fight for a favorable re-
por on the bill by the committee. With
him will be scores of the States most
prominent ministers, doctors, lawyers.
business men and women. Strong OPP
position is expected, and there will
be no disappointment In this regard.
Chairman Sale. of the Committee on
Privileges and Elections, has assured
Mr.. Strobe and other supporters of
the bill that no effort win be made
to smother UP" the measure In COM
mittee to retard Its coming before the
Senate. The bill, involving, as IL does,
s400, geo or 100000 of State revenue,
may go to the Committee on Finance
of the Senate. Members of that conn
mittee also disclaim any intention of
impeding the bills progress, although
they are frank In their admission OF
uneasiness lest the measure pass and
the people of the dry districts vote
the entire State dry. an dthus "gnaw
at the States vitals" or revenues for
the support OF the government.
Little Is being said for publication
about the bill by Senators. 1T is
known, however, that all of them have
something to say. and they are reserv-
ing their aYanfanitton fef-tte debate
In committee or in the Senate.
-ei,rrrrrri~~fouer- fzsi,or -pettgfefty
will lead the opposition to the bin
providing for more than 10 hours
work a day by women and childrer,
hearing on which will be continued
by the Senate Committee on General
Laws, Monday night at s o'clock. a
number of prominent labor leaders
| and ministers will also appear before
the committee TO lend their word OF
I retard.
| The law at present prohibits the
performance of more than 10 hours
work day by women or children,
and fixes SO hours as a maximum OF
/ time they may be required to work IN
week. At the suggestion of their
employees, they say, number OF mill
I and factory owners appeared before the
committee last week to advocate the
passage of bill which would permit
the women and children to work ten
and half or eleven hours on Mondays,
Tuesdays. Wednesdays, Thursdays
',-sI hat IA
overtime of those Ave days may be de-
Quoted from their labors on Satur-
DAYS, and allow them to leave their
places of employment at 2 or 2'"o
on the last day Of the week
| Twelve more days remain for the
introduction of pet measures LOOKING
toward local legislation. Members OF
the "Buncombe Club are expected
to march forth with a grand array OF
minor bills so as to get them in before
the gong sounds. Both houses have
agreed that no bill shall be intro
duced after February unless unani-
1nutts consent Is obtained from ma
ierity An both houses, This rule VIII
not Apply to financial bills, as the
slogan has gone around the State
needs the money"
'erhe resolutions offered In the Sen
ate and House calling for the vacation
of certain rooms in the Capitol by tha
various commissioners and the agri
cultural exhibit did not come any too
soon,'. said Il prominent Senator, Mon
day. eve have been greatly hampered
and bothered by lack of rooms In
which to hold committee meetings
many sessions" he continued land
it is high time there was q show
down as to whether the Capitol was
:. built for the Legislature or Commits
sioner this. that or the other.
AT present we utilize the Corpora
ton Commissions room for practical
lily every committee hearing that at
tracts d dozen or more persons. Of
ten times we are compelled to use the
Senate or House chamber. The com
mittee rooms should be sufficiently
numerous and large to accommodate all
the committeeman and those who
wish to appear before them. II is al
most as easy to lift ones self by ones
own bootstraps as to find a committee
meeting in the Capitol II the Senate
or Delegate happens to be little
late. / hope the writ of custer will be
granted before the 1910 Legislature
adjourns and that the Senators and
Delegates TO the next Legislature will
labor in more comfort"
Two very important hearing swlll
be held by Senate committees. Mon
day In the afternoon the COMMITTEES
on General Laws will hear argument
for and against the Strobe bill seek
ing to fix the responsibility Of en-
ploycrs for injury to their employees
This bin has been before several pre-
vious legislatures only to expire In
the dark and secluded confines of q
carefully selected pigeouhole. Sena-
tor Strobe IL in deadly earnest about
getting Ii before the Senate. The cor
porations which the bin would affect
have lined up phalanx of legal
consultations that almost bedazzles
as one contemplates 1t. Jack Frost
probably win shed his overcoat when
the pros and cons begin to ornament
the empyrean blue with their thun-
dered verbiage on the merits or "des'
of the measure.
Shall Roanoke be bankrupt: shall
Petersburg be reduced to increasing
her liquor licenses, and shall city
fathers in Richmond kiss that con-
crete bridge project a fond goodbye.
seem to be the questions involved in