The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-02-19
JORDAN ENABLING
ACT UP TUESDAY
Dry Majority Declared to Be
Not Less Than Twenty
Eight Votes
PROLONGED DEBATE
NOT ANTICIPATED
Were Unable to Get Report
from Senate Finance
Committee on Fee

fne features or tne Wceh III thc
General Assembly OF Virginia viii he
the passage of the Jordan enabling
act in the House on Tuesday, when
It comes up as the special and con
tinuing order: the setting of the date
for the public hearing on the senate
bill having the same object in view
as the Jordan measure on "ednes-
day; the probable Democratic caucus
on Wednesday night for the settle
ment Of the question of congressional
reapportionment: and the Byrd tax
commission BILL which Will proba bly,
be reached by Thursday.
Buried in the Senate Finance Com
fnittee is the West bill to require all
officials drawing fees In Virginia TO
file Il report of such fees with the
auditor OF public accounts annually.
Public Has Grievance.
The people Of Virginia. declare
friends OF the West measure. have a
just grievance They are not asking
at this time that the fee system be
abolished out of hand. They do feel
that such report as Is called Tor
by the West bin Is information Of a
public nature. To which every citizen
Is entitled. The milk in the cocoanut
seems to be that 1t Is realized that
with the Information given by the bill
made public the fat fee officials would
soon find themselves on salary
basis, because the public would not
stand for the payment of such huge
incomes to men who have used or
may use the means provided thereby
to create powerful political machines.
such as have been built up In some
portions of Virginia by Office holders
Debate May BE Short on Enabling
Act.
fu irYprnhahIa much TINA
viii be expended in debate In the
House on Tuesday when the enabling
act comes up. There are a few who
may be wished to be heard on both
sides of the question but. on a final
vote. there Is such a large majority
in favor of the bill that anything like
q long running discussion will be con-
sidered useless.
IT IL believed that Mr.. Oliver. OF
Fairfax, Will address the House on
the constitutional phase Of the case.
and probably Mr.. Cox. Of Richmond.
The maximum wet" vote when the
bill comes up on its iina, passage
VIII not he more than thirty-six, and
Ii ia doubted that the wet" vote
win reach that number II is be-
liesed that the dry ma terity- WIFI
be not less than twenty eight which
Is not far less than two TO one
II the House of Delegates is a fair
criterion by which To Judge the entire
state. and there can be little doubt
that such Is the case. as the entire
House membership was elected less
than four months ago. the sentiment
OF Virginia IL overwhelming dry"
AS To the Senate no man will know
until the final vote is taken how IL
will go. The Senators are hearing
from their constituents. They Will
continue to hear from them in in
creasing volume.
Says dry" man: The sole anas-
ton at issue seems TO be shall n hand
full of Senator's or the whole people
of Virginia decide the greatest aues-
ton ever proposed for decision of
the people in Virginia Section of
the Constitution OF Virginia reads
That all power is vested in, and con-
seauently derived from. the people:
that magistrates are their trustees
and servants. and at all times amen
able to them The right Of the peo-
pie to vote on the liquor question is
indefeasibls and absolute even with
out regard to the explicit declaration
OF section 81. which gives the Leg
islatnre wide latitude and great power
In dealing with the liquor question"
Constitution Ia Their Plea.
The members Of the General As
sembly who are opposing the enabling
act are basing their opposition prfn-
cipally upon the constitutionality OF
the act. declaring that the General
Assembly may, should 1t 30 desire.
pass a Statewide prohibition bill that
would close every saloon In the State
but that the Assembly has no right to
delegate the power to enact such leg
isIation to the people. or to permit
any legislation to become operative as
result Of an election by the people.
! While It is not the desire OF. the tenn
perance people to declare for State
wide prohibition by legislative enact
ment It is generally understood that
should by any manner Of means the
right Of the people to vote on the
question be successfully fought, they
would welcome a trial Of strength on
the issue forced by the "wets'' of
Statewide by legislative enactment, al
though they would expect to hear be-
fore the next General Assembly as
violent protest against the consti-
tutionality Of such an act as is now
heard against the rieht OF the peo-
pie to control the policy of the State.
Rsdistrietins = Tough Problem.
Notwithstanding the fact that the
Committee on Privileges and Elections
OF the House made no changes in any
district lines save those of the Fifth.
Sixth and Ninth, 1t was learned on
Saturday that the move looking to taxi
ing Chesterfield county out OF the
Third and placing 1t in..the Fourth
district was being resurrected. 1t Ia
generally felt by number of the
Chesterfield people, especially those
living In the Southern portion Of the
county. that they would amount to a
great deal more from political stand
point In the Fourth district than they
would in the Third. Hence they are
pleased with the idea OF a change
while the great bulk Of the Richmond
ers who have sought suburban homes
in Chesterfield county have an en-
tirely different view 0f the situation
Sixth District Fight.
N It II understood that ono of the sub
jects discussed when Senator Martin
made his recent trip to Richmond was
the Sixth district situation. although
there has been nothing given out by
q any person with whom he talked. Sixth
A lCanflnusd On second paEel