The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-03-11
\ NEGATIVE RECORD.

\ which not included in it. Speaking broadly
the distinguished characteristic of the SEES
sion that is just over consists in the refusal
Of the Legislature to lend itself to biils which
were strongly urged upon it. in Instances
the Conservatism displayed OF great pub
lie value; in others. it was III the nature of
public calamity.
So far as constructive work Is concerned, the
Legislature has little 10 show for it's time. 1t
has passed appropriation bill which has
been kept within bounds, II has passed q law
\ 30 governing the labor of conyers TO promise
the placing Of penal labor where it naturally
belongs. upon the permanent Improvement OF
: HIGHWAYS. L has established colony for fee
bleminded women which marks the beginning
OF what ii is hoped will prove "a definite and
humane system looking to a healthier and more
moral people. It has made start toward the
settlement of the vexing problems growing out
OF the peculiar position occupied by the State
and the Richmond Fredericksburg and Poto-
mac railroad.
On the other hand. the number OF measures
which from general popular demand
for reform, only to be strangled MANNED,
peculiarly large. To partially capitulate
suits OF this sort:
The House passed the Enabling Act; the
Senate killed it. This act murdered with
the full knowledge IN the part of every man
who voted against it that it represented the
clear sentiment of large majority of the
voters Of the State.
The House passed the ten hour law app-
cable to all classes Of labor; the Senate put
il through the threshine machine. with the re-
suit that it came out mass of shredded pulp
where it went In "a definite branch.
The House passed the Byrd child labor law
The senate killed this as something which le-
presented place where killing good.
After munbling with the West fee BILL the
Senate suddenly passed it at a moment when
1t was apparent to ali parties that there would
be no chance Of It's passage in the House. 1t
died
On the matter of the tax commission bll
1t was The House that got in the deadly work,
saving the Senate The trouble. by sending for
ward the skeleton of the original measure de-
signed to equalize taxes by putting equal bur
dens on the various counties. When the Senate
came 10 the task Of looking such corpse in
the face. il had nothing to do except to give it
decent burial.
As a farewell the Senate declared its faith
BY killing the ByrdJordan bills designed 10
regulate registration in the interest of purify
ing the voting lists
From the above. which includes those mea-
snres which the people whole looked TO
the Legislature TO pass. II will be seen that for
the most part the hope of general progressive
and constructive legislation disappointed
Neither ~. slOe lbings. il did nor in many. in
stances in the reasons given for the things it
did not do was the assumption Of average
ability in the Legislature justified. We wonder
whether tremendous lot OF talk in the favor
of special interest designed to bolster a pride
In representative government TO the point
where il neryed representatives to refuse
u obedience TO popular opinion did not do the
deadly work Of fiattery. We wonder Whether
the Legislature whole did not stand so
straight upon it's dignity 10 lean backwards
whether in pompous nslstehce representing
nothing except it's own Importance it did
not run upon the disaster of largely falling
to represent anything else.
Beyond the work of a less routine
character incident to short session In a
peculiarly busy period Of the States history
1t will remain that the Legislature is to be
thanked chiefly for the things 1t did not do
II did little 1t is true: it had the opportunity
to do much worse While IL refusing GER
tain measures which reflected general popular
demand, 1t also refusing to consider other
things chimerieal and nsidiois In appeal An
unusually large number Of dangerous and
doubtful measures found their way to the com
snittees and the calendars Among these things
the Legislature laid about it with very hearty
will. In comparison with the opportunities
II had, the Legislature many times grasped at
the inecnsequent and the ephemeral at the ex-
pense Of the permanent and substantial. When
II comes to face the people with an explanation