The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-03-10
TAX MEASURE RATIFIED
AFTER STRENUOUS TINE
Necessary for Senate Sergeant to Arrest Absent
Members to Provide Quorum for Vote of Six
teenth Amendment to Constitution.

unfurled from every schoolhouse as
an inspiration to patriotism to the
young. Can We pass that bill and
In the same breath sound a note o
dtstrust in the government at Wash
ington by refusing to ratify this
amendment
He said there is no time limit for
the ratification of the amendment. and
that the people would send men to
Richmond later on to ratify it If this
Legislature did not.
Helped Write Plank.
Senator Early, the next speaker, told
of helping to writing into the Demo-
cratic platform adopted at Denver
the plank providing for an income t..
He urged the senators to vote for the
amendment as a Democratic princi-
pie.
In bringing the argument to a close,
Senator Halsey commented on MI.
Lassiter's reading from the organ o.
Wall street and q paper that has most
bitterly fought the Democratic party"
Mr.. HaIsey Concludes.
Mr.. Halsey said he would not try
the Republicans being absent) by
reading Republican paper. The
patron of the resolution read citations
from decisions to sustain the consul
nationality of the amendment
The speaker declared that Virginia
and the other States had for years
been taxed by the New England States,
and New York and Pennsylvania IN
the high tariff bill for protection and
privilege instead of revenue and tn,
time -had-coule- Virginia and her
sister States IL ratify the amendment
compelling the people OF the States he
named to pay taxes on their incomes
which are larger than those of the
people anywhere else in the country
.. No Quorum Present.
When Senator Halsey had concluded
his remarks II was discovered tina,
no quorum was present. Senator Las
siter moved that the Senate adjourn.
Upon the calling of the ayes and noes
Ii was seen that only eleven senator's
were present, seventeen of them voted
against adjournment. This was no.
sufficient to keep the Senate In seq
sion, and Senator Wickham> made "a
call OF the Senate" The call was
sustained, no senator was allowed TO
leave the chamber and Sergeant-at-
Arms Watkins and Doorkeeper Walsh
We're sent out to hunt up MISSING
golons. Senators Gravatt and Ward
were found in the House and escorreo
into the Senate. thus making twenty
one members present.
Senator Lassiter then renewed his
motion to adjourn. This was voted
down. MIR. Lassiter then left the Sem
ate to catch a train for Petersburg.
His leaving broke the quorum.
Arrests Ordered.
Confronted with this dilemma the
Senate WIS embarrassed until Senator
Halsey made "a call of the Senate"
Senator Walker then read the parlia-
mentary rules providing for the arrest
by the sergeant-at-arms of absentees.
A list of the absentees was furnished
Sergeant-at-Arms Watkins and he
was ordered to go forth into the night
and arrest the derelicts. The weary
sergeant-at-arrns sauntered into the
nocturnal chilliness In search of leg
islators playing hockey"
An interesting situation developed
II few moments later, when Senator
Lassiter returned Ito release the
mem ers," to find Senator Halsey.
whose resolution he had opposed. in
the chair. Mr. Lassiter moved that
the roll be called. Senator Strobe rose
to a point of order. saying no roll
could be called while call of the
Senate was pending. Senator-par-
don-President Haisey ruled that the
permit of order was welt taken.
Much "Dropping."
Half an hour later. at 1915 O'Clock,
Senator Noel. his looks plainly be-
speaking that he had been appre-
hended somewhere behind the veil of
darkness by the sergeant-at-arns. en-
tered the Senate chamber. Senator
owen dropped in" after the theater
and tried to drop out" but Door
keeper Donald locked the doors and
made the Nottoway solon to drop
back
They run like rabbits" said Ser-d
geant-at-Arms Watkins. as he breath |
lessly returned to the Senate minus |
prisoners"
Senators Owen, Lassiter and Noel |
having come in. twenty-three MEM |
bers were present.
AT 1880 Senator Thornton entered |
the Senate chamber.
The vote was then taken. 1t fol- |
lows:
Yeas--Messrs. F. p Carter. n B. /
Early. Jr.. II. A. Edmonston. f. C., |
Folkes. W. A. Garrett. Sands Gayle, |
Don p Halsey- A--C- Hartman. George |
B. Keezeli. F. w. King. J. j. Owen,
r. S. Parks. George T. Rison. w W. |
Sale. Frederick w. Sims. Aubrey E /
Strobe, J. Randolph Tucker, c. Hard
ing Walker. T. Ashby wiekham-19.
Nayes-Messrs. Charles w. Gravatt,
T. Lassiter, J. C. Noel, r. E
Thornton. Robert NJ. Wards.