The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-07
Present Plan for Home
Not Constitutional,
Says Williams.
WILL LEAD FIGHT
IN HOUSE TODAY
Delegate From Giles Points Out
Alleged Legal Defects in Bill,
Which May Be Sent Back to
Comrnitteefor Amendment.
Divorce Measure
Still Live.

That the bill extending State aid t.
the proposed home and school for way.
ward and incorrigible girls is uncon.
stilutional, is the argument which VIII
be advanced to-day on the floor of the
House by Judge Martin Williams. I,
Will be the contention OF the member
from Giles, who Is regarded as one OF
the best parliamentarians in the Leg
tslature, that the bill In Its presen,
form cannot become a legal enactment
Section TAI of the State Constitution
provides that mo appropriation of
public funds shall be made to any
school or institution of learning not
owned or exclusively controlled by the
state or some political subdivision
thereof" Inasmuch as the projected
Virginia Home and Industrial School
for Girls will not be under the control
OF the State or of any county or city,
IT is the positive Judgment OF Judge
Williams that the bill cannot pass.
Money Raised for School.
Certain public-spirited citizens, see
Ing that no provision is now being
made 10 save girls who are law-break-
ers and to train them in useful pur-
suits to become producing and satis-
factory members of society, have con
tributed quite large sum to be used
In rounding home and industrial
school. "A large part OF the money was
raised in Richmond. and contributions
arc now being solicited in other cities.
The plan is to secure sufficient funds
with which TO build and equip the In
stitution. and then to have the state
appropriate money for its maintenance
The bill now pending. and which comes
UP on its final passage to-day provides
that the sum OF so cents day shall
be paid TO the school out of the State
Treasury foE each girl committed to 1t
by the judges of courts.
Advocates of the bill are arguing
that The institution will not, strictly
speaking, be school. To this Judge
Williams In reply points to the name
Itself, which contains the word
School"
Under state Control.
IT is further contended that the home
VIII be sort of penal institution like
the Laurel Reformatory. To this the
answer is that IL such is It's nature.
and II to it are to be committed girls
sent by the courts, IL should In any
case be under the exclusive control OF
The state. II, on the other hand, II is
not penal affair. the argument is that
to make the appropriation constitu-
tional II should be placed under the
control of the city of Richmond or OF
the county of Henrico. which are po-
litical subdivisions. and would come
within the purview of the section re-
ferred to-
The bill is on it's third reading. and
cannot be amended. More than three
days having elapsed since 1t went to
Its enSrossment. the vote on the sec
ond reading cannot be reconsidered
Should Judge Williams show the House
that the bill will not stand the SCRUTINY
OF the courts but would be thrown
out by them. the only course will be
n recommittal to the Committee on
Finance for amendment
The constitutional question does not
waive Judge Williams's objection to
the appropriation itself. He opposes
any expenditure of money, no matter
for how praiseworthy purpose, by /
the Legislature at this session, unless I
It is matter of necessity
Those who favor the bill will prob
ably be out in full force at the Capitol
this morning.
Divorce Bill Up.
Next to the school bill always pro-
viding. of course. that nothing now -un- I
comes up) is the Rison divorce
bill, about which a good deal Of
shindy has been kicked up within the
past day or two. is understood that
an effort will be made to have the
bill sent back to the committee. The
night that they had fully considered
It in open session, and didn't want to-
go through with the same thing again.
These two measures are not the
Dnly interesting things ahead In the I
House this week. Aside from num-
Der of important committee hearings,
some bills which are likely to provoke
debate are on the calendar. Right
next to the divorce bill is the meas
IRE providing for the employment of
lpecial counsel for the Commonwealth
N the State debt litigation with West
There is believed to be
little doubt of It's passage. It has al
'eady passed the Senate.
other Debntnble Matters.
There may be something to say on
tho bill amending the act relating to
he sale OF commercial fertilizers; on
he bills enlarging the powers of the
State Board of Health; on the op-
ometry bill; on the sterilization bill, 4
md on the bill making persons ineli-
,ible for the position OF division school
who are not residents
# the district.
If tho Senate ever gets to vote on
he Fletcher bill there may come soma
lively debates in that body. 1t is ru-
lored that on the motion to reconsider
he vote by which the constitutional
,mendment prolonging the sessions of
he General Assembly, was passed.
here may be more than one change
f vote But the Sonata has a bunch
( local and uncontested House bills
pom which action will be pressed.
Most of the routine work of the 1
legislature is.at an end The debates I
nd the real fights, are yet to come, 1
burns to Death With Tug.
IocLSOnyille Fla ITebrlary Sac L 1