Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1910-03-25
LEGISLATIVE AFTERMATH,
Looking Back on The Session Just
COTE.

"A handsome present was presented
Speaker Byrd. Among others landing
the Speaker was Mr.. Pendleton. the
| Republican floor leader, who said that
although there was a great gulf between
him and Speaker politically, he wished
to add his voice. He expressed not
1only his own opinion, but that of his
associates in testifying to their thanks
for the eminent fairness and courtesy
of the chair. 1t was remarkable. said
Mr.. Stubs, that in all of the MYRIAD
decisions during this session there had
not been single appeal.
In presenting the government appro-
priation bill in the State Senate re-
Gently Senator Keezell explained that
an unexpected drain on the treasury
was the criminal expense charges of the
State, which had exceeded by more than
$l4O,O 600 the amount set apart for that
purpose and that this was thing which
could not be anticipated, and the ex-
penses had to be met. One of the main
reasons given for calling constitution
al convention few years ago was to
reduce the legal and criminal expenses
of the State, but this object seems to
have woefully failed.
The Richmond Virginian thinks the
late Legislature is noted for the MANY
important bills killed. Among these it
recites the Strobe State wide enabling
bill; the several bills to give the State a
primary election law; the bill to change
the lines of the Baylor survey in James
river; the Byrd oil tax bill; the bill to
change the working hours of women:
the Richmond, Fredericksburg & Poto-
mac merger bill; the West fee bill: the
income tax listing bill; the Fletcher
equalization bill; the joint resolution to
ratify the proposed Sixteenth Amend
ment on income tax, and others.
The storm in the Assembly is still
sweeping on, but the sands of the Cal
endar are covered with the wrecks of
abandoned bills. The House has been
relentless, and the Angel who directs
the whirlwind has been unsparinp.
Many good measures have been
lost by the decision of the House. Chief
among these is the Byrd primary bill
J With this splendid measure have per.
lshed others. almost as good. The
West fee bill, the income tax-listing bill
and the Byrd-Wickham oyster bill arc
! all lost. The evils which they were
aimed TO correct must continue for two
; years more. 1t is too early yet to cas-
up and balance. for good or for evil. tn,
work of the Assembly, but it is not toe
soon to regret the spirit which wasted
hours in the trite discussion of mino,
matters and left untouched these
measures, so vitality affecting the public
veal We have lost d. a golden oppor-
tunity. -Times-Dispatch. -.,s
II .. SOME BILLS PASSED.
i To declare any person Of one-sixteenth
of'negro blood negro. and every per-
son not a colored person having one
quarter or more of Indian blood an
Indian.
To prohibit the use of opium in the
manufacture of cigarettes. 50
Making the drawing of check when
funds to cover are not in the bank
prima facie evidence of larceny.
Making it felony to deal in the
white Slave" traffic.
Creating State Accountant who will
periodically examine the accounts of
all State officers. Ex-Mayor McCarty
OF Richmond will likely be this officer.
THE OYSTER CODE"
One of the most important fish and
oyster enactments in the history of
Tidewater Virginia was the passage of
the two codifying bills which became
laws during the closing hours of the
last Legislature. Perhaps these laws
may not be rightly called Qualifications
for they are really old laws in new
words, amendments. revisions and sup
PIGMENTS rather than the mere collation.
of the statutes.
Such step was assuredly necessary.
The fish and oyster laws of the State
were in such tangled web of incon-
sistencies, contradictions and ambigui-
ties that the most intelligent and pains
taking lawyers were at loss to place
clear Interpretation upon some inn
portant part of the laws. Hampton
: Monitor.