The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1912-03-14

SO OF the Gil the penitentiary force
viii get ITO. and the overails people
viii get their 500. There will be an
extra man. but il is probable that Su-
perlhtendent Wood or the manager OF
me overalls factory will find some
thing for him to do.
Real Bin.
me tre0SurerS and commissioners
bill and the fee bill must not be over
/ loked. The State Constitution had
urers and commissioners Of the reve-
nue. should not succeed themselves in
oitice. The Constitution has already
been, CORRECTED. so that the county
succeed themselves, and this term the
/ city treashrers and commissioners
directed the Legislature to take care
, OF them as well.
There was much pressing business.
but the treaSurerS' and commissioners
bill went through both houses on
creased wheels. There was not a
mitch nor delay. Everything that
stood in its way was sidetracked.
To the Rescue.
Then someone introduced a bill re-
curing treasurers to make reports
four or five times a year to the State
Auditor. There was other important
business before the Legislature. but
the wheels were stopped until the bill
could be killed. The treasurers were
again taken care of.
How it managed to do 1t no one has
been able to explain. but the Senate
passed the West fee bill, requiring all
fee-collecting officers to keep an ac-
count Of ali fees collected and to make
the totals known at the end of the
year.
To the credit of the Senate Finance
Committee be IL said, however. that
! it did all it could to delay the bin. 1t
exhausted every means within its
power to Kill the bill and thus take
care of the treaSurers and clerks and
sheriffs and deputies and commission
ers.
1t postponed the bill no less than
five times. 1t set hearings. No one
was expected to appear and no one
ala appear. Still hearing after hear
ing was set, and after the bill had
been in committee almost two
months, when the committee could
stand the public pressure no longer. II
reported it out, recommending that it
be rejected.
When the Senate passed II and sent It
to the House every member of the
House knew all about il. A COMMITTEES
hearing was ordered. however, and thus
bin was reported out, and yesterday an
effort was made to get it on it's passag
tion was noticed: When the delegates
voted by raising their hands a ma
} }6eeS was AS AGAINST the bill but when
record-their names being called-e
majority was for the bill. But through.
this city. the bill was killed; that is
kept from being considered and that
at this late day is considered death for
any measure.
RedistrictInE Bill.
Inc House is now in the throes OF a
House is supposed TO be interested In
the whole State, il agreed to redistrict
House districts. while the Senate S Sne
supposed TO redistrict only with refer
enGe 10 senatorial districts.
when the redistricting bill was re-
ported from the House Committee on
Privileges and Elections there was an
HpIoar from every quarter. and many
committee. 1t was said that the bill
House. Then IT was that the commit
tee was forced to strike from it's bin
all reference TO senatorial districts and
0f1er only that portion fixing new
This. however. failed to please all the
members. Some considered their coun-
ties badly treated. and there was
imperative fight. when the committee
wanted TO give Appomattox county,
home county of Congressman Hal
Flood; a separate delegate. while other
population Of Appomattox were allow
ed only one member each.
So bitter did the struggle become
the point and give Appomattox and
Prince Edward one. delegate between
them. making AppomattoN thus only
part or III rf~ict instead of an indi-
W"r'd >"t Concur.
But in the Sem - y't.r the House had
passed it's bill, Apl.'.nuitoX was again
made a district of itselt. and the bill
House for concurrence. Ali Testerdnv
aIteEnoon-at the late session-the
dictates fought over the bill, but
sists upon giving Appomattox a dele
gate all It's own. The House up to this
Thus the matter stands, but after all
the redistricting is not the most i'm
portant matter which the Legislature
ed that the Legislature really does not
care great deal whether the new dis
triet lines are drawn or not. It is
ture be busy, dreadfully busy up to
the last minute, otherwise no one
knows when some senator or delegate
might bring up a bill affecting the in
terests OF the treasurers.
With the session now behind IT and
only explanations before il the Legis-
lature earnestly declares that IL did it's
pest; that IL seriously tried TO pass bills,
to say that the Legislature could not
nave passed the bills asked for by the
people. The Legislature can pass bills.
them it would have done so.
Such bills that the treasurers and
lature found abundant time to PASS
Bills that the officeholders did not |
want were not passed.
With few exceptions the other &C
tions of the General Assembly might !
De summarized under the one head
marking time. Having disposed of the
business transacted for the benefit of
the ofhceholders 1t marked time-day ]
after day-waiting, meEely waiting, for /
the day of adjournment.
Indications still are that there will |
De no redistricting by this session of |
the Legislature. There is a deadlock |
in the House over the status of Ap-
pomattox county. and an appeal has !
been made to Attorney General Will |
liams for an opinion as to whether, !
under the terms of the Constitution, |
redistricting is mandatory.
The Attorney General has replied /