The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-03-08
HOUSE

two resolutions. Tie first
provided that the work OF the session
shall end on saturday, March IL. and
that the time should be extended only |
for the purpose or enrolling bills No
bills shall be passed by either House
after Saturday. The second rcsolution
was that beginning on Thursday the
House should consider only Senate /
bills and senate amendments to House
bills. and that the Senate should con-
slider only House bills and House
amendments to Senate bills. However, !
this is not 10 prevent the considcra-
ton OF privileged matter or OF hnan-
cial measures.
Judge Williams explained that tho
revenue bills must pass afcad OIL the
general appropriation bill.
Mr.. Stubs thought the time for the
.fnal adjournment, after the signing OF
enrolled bills, should be fixed at T.
NJ next Tuesday.
Speaker Byrd (Mr. Cooke IN the
chair said that the resolutions were
to test the sense Of the HOUSE as 70
the time OF adjournment.
Attention was called by Mr. west,
OF Bedford. to the fact that II neces-
5sary the House could later change Its
attitude.
9 Revenue Bills to Come Up.
On motion OF Chairman Bowman, OF
the Committee on Finance. bunch OF
Senate and House revenue bills, to-
gether with the general approximation
bill, were made special and contiln'su nv.
ing order to succeed the R,chmono,
Fredericksburg and Potomac Din.
on motion OF Mr.. West, OF Beu e.it' $.
the House decided that this week US
session should be held as folioM vs.! !, ~
"A. NJ to P. NJ. q P. NJ TO r :. NJ
IS P. NJ to adjournment.
The Tagging" bill, as offered py Mt ~;
Coleman, was taken up as a special
order. 1t would require the r., =. q
p. to take on or4let off passengers ~
accordance with the terms OF us
charter
Mr.. powers spoke for the bill. He
offered an amendment to the effect
that the bill should not become en- &c
tive until November next. SO as 70
give the road time to surrcnde rs US Is
charter and contemporaries. He thousht
1t only fair that this road should come
in and be on an equal basis With the
other railroads of the state. He want
ed no such corporation to stand out
against what Is for the best interests
OF the State and her people.
The Powers amendments We're
adopted and the bill engrossed. It
was passed by vote OF Il to ].
Argument on Merger.
Next, also on a special order. came
the bill giving the consent OF the Com
monwcalth to the merger of transpor-
tation companies in which the State
owns an interest.
tee. offered a substitute to the bill.
which the Committee on Roads and IN
ternal Navigation had reported I'M
favorably. In the new measure prac-
tically the only changes made were an
amendment to the title and provi-
sion that the merger should not affect
existing litigation regarding the Ii
cense taxes claimed to be due to the
State.
The member from Hanover asked the
House MOTTO be scared about questions
of constitutionality of the bill. It was
plain business proposition. If any
BODY had any interest in 1t other than
the best good OF the Commonwealth he
did not know 1t. It would give an
opportunity to the road to do what it
| says now 1t cannot do. He knew there
was objection to the bill. There was
always objection. Until the millennium
! there would never be time when an
| agreement could be had on an impor-
tant matter, he said.
Speaker Byrd characterized the Page
| substitute as a great Improvement on
the original bill. and said it answered
railroad or of the people who want to
see the States interests guarded.
Conditions Incquitnblc.
The Richmond, Fredericksburg and
Potomac road has dismissed the obli-
cations of its charter, but has held or
like grim death to its exemptions. The
thing, continued the Speaker, Is in.
equitable. 1t has no right to take ad-
vantage of the laws of the State, t.
1 which it contributes nothing. 1t should
take both or neither The Common
wealth should find some way to make
this road pay taxes. President White
had met the issue in an equitabl,
spirit. and had admitted that the char.
!. ter ought to be given up. and had sale
\ that he as a stockholder would vot,
i to get new charter and would ad.
wise others to do so. # ~ 554
1T had been feared, said Mr.. Byrd
d by some people that inasmuch as tn,
men who own the Washington-So South
ern Railroad own 81 per cent. OF TIL
j sRichmond, Fredericksburg and Poto
mac 4 they would be in position to SAY
lsunder the merger how much the re
sESSD9CllVeG sSlOChssis ny W
A would therefore be to Ethetr3interests II,
/ minimize the value of the Richmond
4 fredericksburg and Potomac stock ant
4 ma gnify that OF the Washington
/ Southern.
SO it had been determined In tn
Il bill that the merger should not b
4 legal unless and until It had beel
approved by the Governor. the Presi
:. dent pro tenn. ofSthe Senate, til
4 Speaker of the House and the mem
4 bers OF the State Corporation Com
!. Emissions, After the merger 1t is to b
I on the same plane with every othe
, railroad in the State.
8 Open Door and Club.
lie would not, he said approve q
! the spirit of the Coleman bill nor IA
: the Cooke amendment to the Sunda
Z bill unless a merger bill were ad opte
!, I5also. The State would thus open til
:. door with one hand and hold a. clu
Il in the other to invite the road to com
in, and at the same time to AXE
!, do So IT. would not respond. 4 / Nv
!, fair to the State and to tile railroad.
Mr. Moncure. OF Stafford, urged til
passage OF the BILL: saying that TO
4 years the people Of his section ha
I8been# deprived OF taxes from ,thi
source, Il 5ls
II uTgS,,of al a go II, {, I I n a r,nnl,