The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-09-23
a rALLAo1ous ARGUMENT.

Advocates OF the proposed amend
ment to tho Virginia constitution ex-
tending the session of tho General AS
sembIy from sixty days as at present
to ninety days Will find no aid or
comfort in the statement made last
night by State Senator j. d. ELAN, OF I
Brunswick. one of the most conser-
vative and experienced members of the |
General Assembly His pronounce |
n:ent that that body does not have
SO much 10 do now as 1t used to have
carries with it the authority which is
based on actual experience in both
ninety and sixty days sessions, for
Senator ELAN has served in the Gen
eral Assembly before and after the
adoption of the new constitution.
This statement by Senator Elan was
made with reference to tho recent
editorial utterance Of the Brunswick
Gazette. The Gazette said in its issue
OF Sept. IS:
THE legislatures which have as
sembled since the adoption OF the
present constitution have found, by |
practical experience. that they cannot |
perform their duties within sixty days
and have. therefore, proposed this
amendment to the people. we
believe that the amendment had been
proposed because it was found that
the work could not be done within
sixty days.
BY way of REPUTATION of the con-
tcntion thas the public business has
grown to such an extent that 1t Is I'm
possible now to attend 10 1t properly
In sixty days, Senator Elan points
out that much of the time of the
n,nety-day session-which obtained
before the new constitutton-was con-
surned in the consideration of matters
which under the wise provisions OF
the new constitution have been taken
out of the province and sphere of
work of the General Assembly. Under
the old form of legislative procedure,
the General Assembly granted char
tiers to cities and towns, decided mat
ters relating to the annexation or
cities and towns, and granted char
tiers to corporations. These special,
local, and private matters were often
notify contested. involved many hear
ings. brought witnesses and advocates
and opponents swooping down on the
committees OF the General Assembly,
and consumed many days OF the lesis-
Iattve session.
Article ~, section 63 of the new
constitution of Virginia is most iliu-
minatlng evidence OF the truth of what
Senator Elan says. 1t expressly pro-
hlb1ts the General Assembly from
enact!ng any local, special, or prI-
waite law" as to more than one nun
ared subjects and cases. There are
twenty separate clauses OF these SUB :
4 tects and caset ALI these things the
Legislature ;'''haf to do before the
adoption of the constitution which 1T
Is now sought by some people TO
amend after only eight years of its
operation. All these things the Legls-
lature does not have to do now
-rhe ouestaons of annexation and
charters of cities are now substantially
regulated by general law. The State
corporation Commission, created by the
new constitution. has taken jurisdic-
ton over the grants of charters &c
corporations-and the Commission Is
loaded down with work.
The General Assembly is now re-
,ieved of these tremendous burdens
and yet there are those who go about
the land, crying that In sixty day
session the General Assembly cannot
attend to the public business. No
longer does a legislative committee
nave TO journey TO distant city tt
see whether IL ought to be annexed OF
not, no longer does it have to lister
10 the yoluna,lous and ponderous argu
ments OF lawyers interested IN cor
pcrate charters, and the citizens o
cities and towns thresh out with tn
courts aow, instead of the General AS
sembly, the pros and cons of annex
alton problems.
Sixty days IS enough. The Genera
Assembly has 10 do with pracicall
uotning now but general proposition:
ITS local business is small. What !
needed Is not more time. but NOR
concentrated attention on The pendin
business. If proposers OF pet project
and "buncompe" measures would re
srain from so doing, and realize tina
snere are certain Fundamental matter
that Will be disposed OF by the Gen
eral Assembly and little else--if. !
ether words. the General Assembi
would got down to business at III
Arst and stay down at business an
stick TO II, sixty days would be
comfortable period In which TO accom-
plish the proper work of the legisls
ture.
sixty days is enough. Let the pc,
Pile vote against further extensio
OF time which would be an unneee
sary and unwise additional hnrde
Upon the finances Of this Common
wealth
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