The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-02-24
Introduces Resolution Stiff
ling Enabling Act, But
Is Ruled Out
WALKER SkILFULIY
MEETS, MANEUVERS
Effort to Get Test Vote lS
Blocked and Offers to
Make Special Order
Tuesday Is De-
clined

An attempt made in the Senate Yes.
terlay bA Mr. z. Z. Folkes, Of Ricn-a
nond, to force ii test vote on tn0@
Jordan enabling act and to kill the
/ measure by directing the Senate Com-
mittee on Privileges and Elections %
pass it by indefinitely failed wncn
Lieutena mt Governor ]. Taylor Ely
son ruled tho resolution offered ~
/ Mr. Folkes to be out of order.
The, resolution directed the COM
mittee TO postpone indefiniteeyB
action on House bin ais, known 49,
| tho Jordan enabling act.
! Its purpose was readily seen ana
Mr.. c. Harding Walker. leader Of
| the prohibition forces declared no.
such resolution could be Introduces
! either under the rules of the Scnaf0
! or the constitution of Virginia. he
demanded an Immediate ruling from
| the chair
| Character zing the action Of tho
| Richmond senator as Vaudeville
| performance" Mr.. Walker laughed ut
! the resolution, declaring its purpose
Nwas too plain to be mistaken. The
| liquor element hoped to smother the
/ bill in the committee and at the same
| time plunge the Senate into a PEE
| cipitate vote without debate and with
the dry forces unprepared and unsus-
! pccting.
The effort died before it began.
| Challenged by Mr. Walker to move
| to discharge the committee and throw
+. the question on the floor. Mr.. FolkeS
| accepted. Tho Folkes motion. how
| ever. carried with IL provision for
n vote at once. This the antf-fiquor
| forces refused to consider and the
motion was withdrawn.
/ Wanted Test Vote.
In introducing his resolution to in-
struct the committee TO postponed
action on the enabling act. Mr.. Feikes
/ made no secret of the fact that he
was doing 1t to learn how members
stood. Holding in his hand yester-
dogs Richmond virginian. he read
from an editorial: There is no longer
opportunity for eyagion, for delay.
for substitution. The answer must
be clear and unequivocal. The House
has spoken. The Senate must now
/ speak"
| I'VE have been here forty three
days" exclaimed Mr.. Foikes, waving
the paper aloft. land the people Of
Virginia have a right to know where
we stand l want the vote taken
now.
THE Issue Is fairly and squarely
presented. | want the Senate to show
! where 1t stands. / want to bring
a test vote. l say TO any man here
that If he wants the eneabling acy
passed to vote against this resolution.
Rules Mr.. Fokes Out Of Order.
| Mr.. Walker declared the resolution
| was out of order and demanded that
! the president of the Senate rule at
, once. This resolution is contrary nos
only to the rules of the senate, but
| to the Constitution of the State. The
| rules and the Constitution say that
bills have to be referred to commit.
tees; that the committee must report
back to the Senate. This resolution
asks us to help smother a bill In
the committee. which nothing gives
us the right to do. That is one OF the
| very things the rules guards against.
| The Senate can act when the matter
is before 1t. and until then it has no
| right to do the thing you ask"
Your objection" declared Mr..
! Folkes. "is unsupported by any rule of
the Senate. A majority of the Senate
| can tell g committee to do what e
| pleases. We see evasion and the rai8-
ing Of technical points yet they can-
not cite us to a single rule to bear
out their contention, They say give m
| time and they have had forty-thre0
| days. Why? Are you afraid to vote
nt,skt't. - s.-ga,-. l.;y@ -xsss
/ We can say we met you here on
the 23rd of February. challenger 500
to take the bill up, and offered to f1ght,
and that you refused. The Senator
from Northumberland can cite no rulos
| We cant forbid the committee to do
| anything but we can direct them. We
| can make suggestions just as tllAs
Democratic caucus directs the Finan0Ws
Committee. Let us show our conati-s
tuents now whether We arc for or
against the enabling act
frrSta
order sustaining Mr.. Walker.
The resolution read;
Resolved by the Senate that the
Senate Committee on Privileges and
Elections are instructed to pass by Sn0I
postpone indefinitely In said committee
the House hill known as the enabling
act"
Mr.. FoIkss Offers Amendment.
Amending the resolution SO that the
Senate requested instead Of ssdt~g
rected' the committee. Mr.. Foike~
again offered it. For second Tins
the president ruled the resolution on&s
of order. w
| II want to do nothing impr0pets
began Mr.. FcIkcs, but ! want NJ
find out"
THE gentleman is out of orders
said Mr. Walker. 3
Mr.. Folkes arose to a point Of 49,
sonal privilege. and began again: v i
have sought to do only the t0tg
the opposition has tried to Do
bring this to vote. / put 1t sQuNM
ly up to the Senate of VirgtniA
II II wants to vote today, all IN
think Mr.. Walker might have 49,
to discharges the COMMITTEES IL ~
not want the committee to pasn
question by
THE Richmond member r. a1M
interesting" declared Mr..
we have been treated to vau4o&
performances for the past
three days. We are not disap
today. am glad. however. IN
atnr Ii by himself. !. ssssE2&
Throws Down Gaume1uk III mi
when the time comes ME-
ready 10 vote. What wc e13p
tia q. vote on vagnry ~ the
SCoatinued q Third 1105 NJ