The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-01-11
Governor Recommends
Partial Abolition by
Legis allure.
ANNUAL SESSION
BEGUN YESTERDAY.
House Decides to Keep Lobby,
lists From It's Floor-Speaker
Byrd Appoints Committees.
Few Bills ntr o d u c 6 d.
Spessard Still After Ex-
aniners Of Record. .

Most drastic and far-reaching of tho
many reforms urged by the Governor
In his biennial message to the General
Assembly, presented yesterday, in the
beginning of the session. Is that look
ing to the abolition of the fec system,
and the payment OF salaries as COM 4
pensation to public officials. True, no (
thinks 1T wise at this time to have 1t
apply only TO cities and to counties
with more than 10000 population,l
which would include thirty-one, Yet
1t IS tho first time that the insisteut
agitation for reform In the matter
OF the payment of fees from tho
pockets of the people has received Z
such high official sanction. iss
sEfThc effect upon the members OF th,
legislature was marked. Though re-9
ceiHed in silence In tho House (thc
message not being read at length In
the Senate) 1t was apparent that It
caused something of a flutter There
were nany who said there was no
chance OF the adoption OF a law TO
this end at this time, but the fact Of
lis prominence in the message--indeed,
the fact OF It's presence there ut all
was looked upon as Significant.
Early Approximation Bill.
Governor Mann also added the
.
ment to secure an early report on tho
general appropriation bill He has
made out blank guide, showing E.nog
appropriation for every purpose for
last year. and left those 3r tho two
succeeding years to be .ed out by
the members After saying that from
M knowledge of the finances OF tho
state no does not think5it sufc to APP
propriate more than $500, 900 for each
I ~ PC .l,a
ms information placed in the hands 4
the members OF tae General Assembly
at the commencement OF the session.
trust 1t will he their pleasure to mas,
the appropriation bill at an carly
date, to the end that 1t shall go 10 q
conference committee without delay,
and be acted upon with due doIib.ro.
ton. rather than that 1t be deferred
until the last hour of the Assembly,
when concessions of doubtful wisdom,
bill" 'no
a striking recommendation refers
TO Judicial procedure. The Governor
says; An act should he passed pro-
hihitinS trial and appellate courts
rom setting aside verdicts OF iurIes
and granting new trials in crimlnni
cases except on the merits" He he.
lleves that the practice OF cons!derinr
Iechnicalitie has become SO nrnly
nNed in Virginia procedure. thu. =
VIII be impossible for courts to remedy
this OWL, and therefore that the Leg
lslature should take hold or IL and .,ro-
vide the remedy.
Committees Named
me opening day of the session 90
the General Assembly OF 1910 waS,
without incident of great importauce.
Tho bodies were duly organized and
elected their officers Rules wera
adopted. and the Governor was heard
from. Committees were announced in
the House. but not in the Senate, tho
Steering Committee having not as ycr
made n report
There are no surprises In the tlousa
committees, the results being thoss
forecast months ago. Judge Martin
Williams still heads the Committee on
Privileges and Elections, the most i'm.
portant. carrying with IL the Demo.
cratic floor leadership. Alden Bell. or
Culpeper. Is chairman on Courts or
Justice; Walter Tansill Oliver, OF FAIR
FAX, on Schools and Colleges, and Har.
ry II. Houston. of Elizabeth City,
on Chesapeake and Its Tributar.H
les. Colonel a. NJ. Bowman. OF Roa-
noke county. Is still at tho head OF
Finance, while Edwin p. Cox. OF Rich
mond, again is chairman of General
Laws.
Lobbyists Arc Barred.
In the matter of rules, the House
decided to keep lobbyists from ira
floor This applies to those who come
under this mead, even though former
members. State officers, Judges. of.
cers and employees of the LesisIa,.
ture, "and such other persons as tha
Speaker may Designate" are pcrnlittcd
on the floor. To this rulo was added
yesterday, on motion OF Judge VIII
liams. the following: "Privided. that
the privileges granted hereunder shall
not DO exercised by any person hav-
Ing business for compensation barore
the House or any committee thereof.
This will debar canvassing of mem
bcrs on the floor for or against any
measure. 1t is believed 1t will bar
out saiaricd employees of the ANTI
Saloon League OF Virginia.
Surprisingly few bills are presented,
the total being only forty-elght in the
two houses, some of these being dupli4
Gates. Those covering the general aub.
jects mostly in the public mind vnrs
not introduced, II being evidently tina
desire to confer on such topics. Aside
from local bills. those presented AIRS
on serious subjects and freak bills
were eschewed
DO Away with E1nmincrs.
One introduced by n. Z. Spressard.
OF Craig, in the House. possesses mora
than ordinary interest 1t would abol-
ish the examiners of record. and i'm.
pose their duties on clerks at q noml-,.
nal oomponsation--10 cents on tho si.-
900 of amounts FOUND In the hands Je
tiduciarles. Mr. Spessard has been ne
work on this proposition for years. HIS
formerly got but little recognition, but
returns this year to lind tho State Tax
Commission thoroughly agreeing wipsS
him and urging that these ofices bas
Continued on Seventh Paae,l aa 81