The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-02-29
SENATE PROCEEDINGS

o.
Almost the whole OF the first hours
session yesterday was taken up with
committee reportH More than ffV
loal bills were reported BY half a
dozen committees
Senate members OF the conference
committee named TO come to an
agreement with the House on the
rolling stock bill. returned report
The House request that electric lines
be Included I'm the bill With steam
railroads was granted by Senate
members. No change was made in
the Is and Is per cent. division.
Mr.. Rison offered joint resolu-
ton, which was adopted. naming
joint committee to ascertain II the
Corporation Court bench of Danviile
Is vacant and report to the General
ASse mbly.
Insurance accepted the findings o. y
special subcommittee and reDurted to
the Senate substitute for ali the
biih considered. The substitute IL
mild. Unlike the Holt bill II will not
interfere with combination - raise
insurances rates, and unlike the Banks
bill II does not leave the matter OF
adjustment of rates with the iusur-
ance commissioner. The Blanks dill
put in the hanis et the commissioner
the power to change rates IL he
thought them unjust or extortionate.
The bill reported directs the commits
sioner to make an effort to adjust
rates and II he is unsuccessful report
to the General Assembly.
The general appropriations bill was
taken up on Y special order shortly
before 10 o'clock. It was read sec.
ton by section.
Mr.. Hartman moved that an a mend
ment be adopted giving an increase
Of 500 to the contingent fund OF
the secretarys Of the Commonwealth.
The fund has been 500. The amend
mtnt was adopse1.
Mr.. Tucker offered an amendment
appropriatinE $4,000 to place metal
shelving In. the State library. The
amendment was adopted by q vote Of
70 to. IL. Mr.. tucker declared
valuable records In the library are
afforded no protection from fire. He
said the New England States would
appropriate half million dollars to
protect records that are in the State
library.
Mr.. Walker. a member Of the Sem
ate Library Committee. said they
should be kept In better condition:
that thre was no fire protection.
Mr.. Echois. chairman OF the commit
tee, said there were a great many
things the committee would have
been glad to have done. but the money
was lacking. The committee felt It
could not do H. The Senate would
probably find before 1t was through
with the bill that many other things
were needed: that It could not go
too hurriedly.
After the vote was taken the Ques-
ton was raised by Mr.. Folkes ana
Mr.. Royal that 1t took twenty-ons
votes TO carry an amendment. MIR.
Walker. occupying the chair. said he
did not think twenty-one votes were
required. but he did not care to rule.
He asked the Senate to take vote
and either sustain or reject the de.
ctsion.
Before q vote was taken Mr.. Echols
declared twenty-one votes were neces-
sary when AN amendment carried nm
appropriation. He was supported by
Mr.. Folkes.
Mr.. Walker said that az an occu-
pant OF the chair he could rule no
way but the way the matter appeared
to him. lie again asked someone to
appeal from his decision, and ask for
vote on his ruling.
Mr.. Walker ruled afterwards that
(
!. The ue.aanAn,ant. swaar .d9claxed defeat
ed
An amendment offered by Mr.. Early
was adopted, giving the night elevator
man at the capitol $3.50. which 10 the
amount paid the day man. The night
man now receives $500.
An amendment offered by Mr.. Folkes
to give the Governor 5000 for ex.
penses 1t the mansion was declared
contingent fund Of $4,000. including
expenditures by the. Governor. Mr..
FolkeS wanted definite sum ret aside
for expenses Of the Governor OF
public or offlcial nature.
Mr.. Brock offered an amendment
regarding the control Of oyster beds
which was declared by Mr.. Walker
mot gesmane. Mr.. Holt, In the chair.
ruled that the amendment could not
be added.
NJ. Folkes wanted TO know Il In AZ.
propriating sts.ooo the senate could
not say what Il was being spent for.
He entered an appeal from tho de-
cision Of the chair. The appeal was
defeated.
Twenty pages Of the bill were con-
sidered before the Senate adjourned.
Ateeruoen 9eesjen.
After giviug bond. but failing to
qualify. Roosevelt Page. elected second
auditor recently BY the. LEGISLATURE,
WAS again elected yesterday. This 4
wae vacant when Judge Dew's term
Nr. Pare failed TO qualify.
A Joint committee was named To
ascertatn the vote In the House and
Senate.
Consideration. Of the geAssal appro-