The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-02-22
CAUCUS REFUSES
RED|SIR|CT|MG
TURNS DOWN REPORT OF HOUSE
COMMITTEE ON PRIVILEGES
AND ELECTIONS.
WILLIAMS ACQUIESCES
ABIDEs By MAJORITY but DE-
CLAREs FIFTH CONGREsSIONA
DISTRICT WILL GO RE-
PUBLICAN.
WILLIAMS ACQUIESCES


disapproval on all congressional re-
districting for the present. The vote
was ~ to 81. Later 1t was made
unanimous.
With as many as seven or cigh.
clamoring for recognition by the
chairman at intervals, the meeting.
while not stormy, was by no means
placid. At times 1t was close to tu-
multuous.
A resolution offered by stebbins,
of Halifax, which was adopted, reads:
Resolved, That 1t is the sense OF
this caucus that in redistricting the
State OF Virginia into congressional
districts the present boundaries
should be preserved; and the House
Committee on Privileges and Eiec-
tons Is directed to have the bill re-
committed and report bill re-enact-
ing the present law SO that the same
boundary lines OF tins districts shall
be preserved"
Judge Martin Williams. chairman
Of the Committee on Privileges and
Elections. seconded motion to make
the vote on the resolution unani-
nous. declaring the will of the eau
Gus was his Will. and that the COM
mittee was in ful1 accord with the
decision.
Wanted Executive Session.
The meeting began with a motion
by Mr.. Oliver to hold executive ses-
sion. He thought there was going 10
be row. and did no: want family
squabbles aired 10 the general pub
lie. The motion was amended BY
Mr.. White, of Rockbridge, who want
ed newspaper men to remain To
this MIR. Oliver objected. declaring
the whole State would know all about
II in less than a day Ii the news
paper men were allowed to remain.
Amendments were offered freely.
Mr.. Houston. OF Elizabeth city.
was opposed to doing anything up a
dark alley. He vas for an open meet
ing. Mr.. Williams agreed with him
and went one further in declaring
that he was not going to say word
the whole world could not hear. An
open session was held.
rive IosvtuI.ous wsie offered. They
provoked 20 much debate and go
many side discussions that vote
was not taken until long after 10
o'clock. The adoption of the Steb-
bins resolution oDviated the necessity
of voting upon the other four. and
as soon as 1t was adopted the caucus
adjourned.
First of all came a resolution BY
Ar. Williams 1t outlined q plan
first on whether the caucus should
uphold the report of the committees.
| Failing in this. the resolution pro-
| vided for a vote on each OF the pro-
visions of the bill In turn.
| The second resolution was offered
!. by Mr.. Montague. Of richmond, VINO
wanted IL auoed as an amendment ID
the Williams resolution. 1t wanted
the report OF the committee taken
up and ADOPTED in 50 far as 1t related
first to the First, Second, Third.
districts, and that then vote he
taken on the adoption OF the residue
OF the committee report.
MIR. Stebbins Of Halifax, was att
thor OF the third resolution, which
was adopted some two hours later.
The. fourth was offered by Mr.
Oliver. of FAIRFAX. 1t held the caucus
TO an approval Of the apportionment
Of the FIRST. Second. Third. Fourtn,
Seventh. Eighth and Tenth districts
as reported by the committee. No
provision was contained relating 70
other recommendations.
The nth resolution was introduced
by Mir. Stebbins, which he offered az
a substitute TOR the others. 1t was
similar to the first he introduced, and
put the committee on record as fay-
oring no changes.
Each. resolution was argued. Part
Of the time they We're ali argued at
once. and although Chairman Cox
pounded, with all his might for order
two talked at the same time regard
less. Each man strayed far from the
subject. and in the discussion the
merits and dement's OF redistricting
were fought out again and again.
AnA .nts
on one or the other Of the resolutions
time after time. but his pleadings
we're in vain. At last Chairman Byrd.
of the House Of Delegates. tried to
clear the, atmosphere after Chairman
Cox had ruled that the Stebbins reso-
I'D sieas be- sseteas s,sss,nIse Ar;st. IL
declared the resolution should be de-
feated because II adopted II would
preclude any action on the commit
tee report. which should be taken up
in the order laid down by the VIII
liams resolution.
Explaining his resolution and ask
Ing Its adoption by the caucus. Mr..
Williams said:
Il want 10 say that l am bound by
what the caucus does and whatever
action II takes IL agreeable to me. The
COMMITTEES -haS made q. report that
does nothing to seven districts. II
makes changes In three. Halifax Is
taken from the Sixth and put into the
Fifth district. We are taking from
the Ninth the counties OF Tazeweil.
Bland and Giles and placing them,
In the Sixth.
Before the Legislature met there
was q newspaper agitation to the ef-
feet that IN effort would be made
to leGislate certain consressmen out
Of their districts.
Il have said that I have no COM
junction about making. Republican
districts Democratic, end haven't
The dominant party al over the land
does It.. Hut when Il comes to legis-
lating Democratic congressman out
Of his district. am no party to such
a deal.
we f,nd that Taft carried thu
Fifth district and that the Democratic
congressman was elected by osl3
IL majority. The only alternative
was to take Halifax out Of the sixth
ana put It In the Firth. The only
thing remaining was to. take TA&ewAll
| Bland and Giles out or tho Fifth and
| put then. In the Ninth.
| W11nAane Not C0aGx1nG1Ona1 Cam
!. ss d11n1ay
when the rapport Of ths ccnmlttal
| Was made there wae tremendoua OBJ
lection 70 Il. I have no doubt thosl
who oppotod & WeFo absolutely -
| core. The QFUk ne0aAG9tlon hGd u