Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-03-17
The Legislature.

present SL tUS bS.SlUlS vi lue SooSiSi
assembly yesterday faced one of the most
remarkable parliamer try 81 u'tious Ia
The history of thu comut nv alth. The
fatal illness of S.nator john Warwick
Daniel, coming while the Legislature Is
In constructive session o1ly, and upon
the eve OF 6oal sGj urDment, has created
SD unparalleled problem.
Under the circumstances t1e leglse-
tors went to the bottom of the situation
and bsudled it according to their best
ability. If politics was played, II was
because it seemed necessary.
In few words, the si.uatio3 last night
was this: Should vacancy occur before
the adjournment sine die Of the legisla.
ture, the governor cannot appoint, since
he can only film this way Offices made
vacant during recess OF the general es-
senlbly. In that csse Virginia will have
but one representative In the United
ststss Senate until the Legislature of
1912 assem- bles, unless the governor
should call an extra session at an sp-
proximate cost of $40, 600.
The only possible hope OF avoiding
either horn of tho dilemDa would be The
presence before midnight t>oight and
the Affirmative votes of three.ffths OF
he members OF both houses OF the ques-
ton of still further extending the pres
ent SESSION. Nearly all of the membsrs
are at ,her homse, and it ia recoguized
Tia. It would BIZ hereulean task to
secure sufficient attendance before the
time comes when the session will end by
Limitation.
Ab.ut week ago both houses adopted
reso,u ion, which received q three
6itbs recorded so.e in each, extending
the session FIVE days from last Saturday
for the purpose of complying with the
provision Ct the constitution 80 to sign.
ing bills in The presence of The members.
The session wonld thus end by limite-
lion tonight at midnight.
Further e1te sions can be had only In
the same way; that lie, twenty-fcur sen.
a.ors and sIxiy delegates must before
midnight record themselves for al ex
tension. 1t Eas at once recognized thst
to secure the presence OF 80 many would
be almost sn lmpossibillty In SO short
time.
Il bas baan we'll settled, It Is under
It .od, in a cntest 10 The United Sta es
5ens'e, that governor csnuot appoint
If vacancy occnrs while the Legislature
is ia session. The Virginia general as-
semi bly, is &C ually in session, although
but few members were Ia the city yes
tsrday. 1t was at once seen tbs If Sen
asor Daniel should die before the time
fixed for adjournment, and should no
election tske place before that time,
there would be a vacancy In Virginis's
representation for the next tTo years.
The only wsy in which this could be
avoided would be an extra session called
by the governor. This Ia est;mstsd to
cost fully $40. 900, since every member
Hill receive $3.50, even II he remains but
one dsy. There Is milesge, officers
salaries and a host OF detail expenses.
Altogether, the situation was not one
csltu ated to promote peace. 1t vas
ny SDth.Sa
that Senator Daniel was dead.
As result OF the early conferences
resolution vas passed by the II use
dirscting Clerk Williams to request the
absent mern5 ers to report SO soon as pcs
sible, bu! this was net acted upon BY The
Senate. Further meetings held on the
sui ject apparently resulted In no sou
tlop, since adjournment vas merely lad
Until todsy, aud this would perhaps have
been The case bad there bean no outside
event.
Three stasions of the II use we're held
during the day. At noon the reading o.
the journal was dispensed With, and on
motion of Mr.. Cox the chair was vacated
until 1890, to give the lieu:ensnt-go7.
ernor an oppor, atty TO eign the last oil
the enrolled bills.
As soon as lhs House met again,
which vas not uatil o'clock, Major j.
N. Stubbs, OF al, u:ester, offered the fol-
loging resolution which were adopted
"BaIpg apprissd OF the desperate Ill.
ness of John Warwick Daniel, United
S .ates S :na!or, and learning tina. his de-
mise is momentarlly expected, the mem
bers in attendance upon The Legislature
OF 1910 feel tha! they arn expressing the
spontaneous Rlah cl ali VIginsns in
urging The Legislature to be in session 10
order tha! the represents YES OF Virginia
may be enabled, by proper rtsolutior
and by their personal presence, to pay
the last honor to the las; representative
10 nj sioual sfFairs who links Virginia's
present With her glorious and splendid
past.
Therefore, be 1t resolved, That The
clerk OF the House be Instructed tn im-
medistely uae all efllts in order tba!
Sufficient number OF members be present
on Thursday, the lib, to extend the
sesBion ia accordance viii the conatllu-
tioDal progiaion for the extension OF the
sessions OF the general assembly"
The bills having arrived from the Sen
ate, they were signed by the speaksr,
and the Il use rose until o'clock.
Major S:ubbs was asked to communi.
Gate the resou.ion to the Senate, but
hat tody adjourned to i O'Clock without
taking action.
Only three members we're on that side
of the Capitol. Lieutenant Governor
Ellyson signed the remainder Of the bills,
this marking the completion of this part
of the work of the general assembly.
When the time came for lhs afternoon
session committee OF conference on the
siu ton met In the Senate closkroom.
Present were all the members OF the two
hsu,ea vino we're in sight. Possibilities