The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-01-23
Only Three Chang e S
Likely to Be Made by
Legislature.
WILL TAKE SMYTH
AWAY FROM NINTH
Halifax Goes to Fifth and Ches-
terheld Probably to Fourth.
Virginia Book Company
Completely Controls School
Publication Sales-Gam-
bling Bill Is Killed.

Very few changes will be made in
the appointment of Virginia coun-
ties and cities among congressional
districts, and the few fights which
have developed WILL il Is expected, be
quickly dispoaed of. This situation IL
tho result Of conferences hold ycstcr-
day afternoon By members from dis
triets as they now stand. together with
representatives Of the various counties
who came TO Richmond for the pur-
pore.
The case with which these people
got together was source OF great
surprise. Tho Senate and House Com
mttees on Privileges and Elections
had arranged for serlea OF Joint
hearings, which were to have dragged
along yesterday afternoon and last
night this afternoon and tonight, ana
THURSDAY afternoon and night. Hours
or experimenting had been expected.
Yet when the committees roac ut
O'Clock last evening ell tho few con-
tnatH had been heard from. and the
aa1ournment ~as taken 20 o'clock
Thursday afternoon. with tho eEpecte.
lion that at that time the whole mat.
ter VIII be settled within hftcen min
ues and that the committees will
forthwith report the Bowman bill or q
committee rubstitutc.
Hut Few CHANGES.
To comprise tho result In one para.
Rraph. Smyth county Will in all human
probability be taken from the Ninth
District and put In the Fifth; Halifax
"iIj ne taken f.oV, the sixth aid put
IN tho Fifth. while either Jouthainpton
or ChStserhnid will 30 into the Fourth,
probably the latter. This is really tina
only fight before the committee, and
Il promises to be OF short duration.
hg' IN 1T RI hn Atufr a T..
tationb announced thai they desired
nothing SO much az to stand pat
and not TO lose any part OF their
territory or TO take on any more. The
matter Of population was but little
regarded, as II was stated again and
again that Congress has repeatedly
held that this Is feature with which
Legislatures alone ere expected TO
deal. and or which they are held 10
be the Judges.
rhe Ninth District people asked
hat Craig be restored, but their atti-
tude indicated they did not expect IT,
The First District men wanted TO give
away some OF their counties to tho
Eighth. but they were not supported
even Oy their colleagues from the
First. One Halifax man said he had
4 little rather stay In the Sixth but
he Will make no fight, The Norfolk
people want to be rid OF Southampton
but that county, along With Rcpresen.
tat!ve Hollands friNnds. want AZ TO
stay In the Second. Judge Watson's
friends want Chesterfield in the Fourth,
and that Is where II will pro5a bly, go
y map OF the new districts drawn on
the basis here suggested will almost
certainly portray the lines OF the dis.
tricts for the next ten years.
Hook Compnny's business.
Evidence was heard yesterday af.
tho HouBc OH the nature of the bust
ness done by the Virginia Book Com.
pany. The evidence given by its OH.
GERS and by their witnesses was 10
ihe effect that It has a virtual mo-
nopoly OF the business. since it has
taken over all the contracts between
Lhe State and school book publishers
and acts as distributing agent II has
cut out the business formerly done nv
several Joboers, since there were seven
or eight III tho State, md there now
remain only the four who were mem
tsrs of this company.
But 1t was not shown that tho con-
Sumer is hurt by the concern, nor
that the local dealer who gets a CON
tract is injured. IN feet, his bust
ness Is probably increased, and he
has advantages in the pny OF PROMPT
shipment from Il stock kept In Rich
mond, But some local men cannot
get contracts, SINCE IL Is the policy
OF the company 10 have as fow retail
continued to Tomorrow morning. 10
hear from tho Attorney General.
Gamblins Bill Gets BLOW.
The antigumbling bill is probably
dead. The House, on it's final reading
sent 1t back 10 the Committee Dr. Gen
Gral Laws. The patron said this was
an effort to Kill 1t, and this conclusion
"a TT
Gas forced TO roll call which result
ed in fortyeight votes for reccmmit-
tai and thirty-cight against.
The Senate passed the bill restoring
the pensions to those whose checks
we're curtailed last year. The Iious.,
Committee on Finance acted faJorably
on bill to have the pension rolls
rnrgcd by local boards.
y partial hearing was given the
bill which would prevent the sale OF
:hc Seven Pines line OH the contem-
Ilated basis, and it went over In com
nittee to tomorrow morning.
With only one dissenting vote, the
House agreed TO the bill proposing an
amendment TO the Constitutions which
NIL allow city trcasurers and commits
sidners OF the revenue to succeed
themselves.
Robert &, Southall was elected by
the General Assembly to be judge OF
the Fourth Judicial Circuit. 10 sue
ceed Judge Walter y. Watson. esign-
ed, while Captain Richard S. Kerr.
was selected Judge Of the Corporation
Coart OF the City of Staunton. tc sue
coed Judge Henry ". Holt, promoted
the woman's college proposition did
not come up in the House.
The latter body disposed of Il great
deal Of matter on It's calendar. while
theI Senate continued It's policy of re-
naming on the lid.
ther legislative news on page S.