The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-03-11
LEGISLATIVE COMMENT
BY LEWIS H. MACHEN.
THE CONCLUDING WEEK

ing each weeks legislative work in
this column. that of the concluding
week remains to be considered. II was
week of hustle and confusion, OF
oeadlocks and dlatory movements and
also of sporadic spurts of headlons
work under high pressure. 1t Illus
| trated what has been so often reiter-
ated-the absolute necessity of a
Longer legislative session. II orderly
effective and comprehensive work Is
TO be expected OF the General Assem-
bly. The passage of bills of far
reaching Importance with little or no
discussion, with all the attendant
hangers o. such proceeding, as well
as the failure of measures of even
greater significance through sheer lack
Oh the time necessary to bring them
to vote, must convince any impartial
observer that the whole system of
snort sessions, embarrassed by Il conf
piicated procedure, is fundamentally
faulty.
The congestion was worse at this
+, session than ever before. and will be-
come worse and worse, scssio by ses-
sion. us the business of the State OK
pands and the demands for legislation
are proportionabiy increased. Two
calendars fairly we'll filled with bills,
all of which had been carefully con-
sidered by commit tees. and some OF
which had been favorabiy passed upon
by one house or the other. failed Of
passage only because the session was
too short. II ma De true that some
OF these might have been unwise
measures and might nevertheless have
been enacted. Yet that Is danger
which is incident 10 popular Legisla
lures and canuot be removed without
abolishing those institutions. which
few In this period OF our history are
bold enough to advocate, though many
doubtless secretly desire IL. The
only condition under which human leg
islators can legislate IS the un-
hampcred opportunity I fully
consider those matters seriously pro-
posed and reject or accept them upon
their merits or dement's. whatever the
Lobbyist or obstruction!st may say.
Rcdistricting.
Both houses on Monday agreed on
the compromise Of the differences be-
tween them in regard to reshapinS the
congro ssional districts by passing "a
bill transferring the counties of Hall
fax and Charlotte from the Sixth Dis
trict to the Fifth this in the face OF
the fact that the Democratic caucus OF
the House had decided to allow the
congressional districts 10 remain as
they were. However, the action Of the
House in recanting the caucus rcso-
luton was supposed TO be justified by
necessity. as no DOUBT it was. Any
way, II makes the Fifth District much
more safely Democratic.
The stumbling block in the way OF
almost everything last week was tbs
question of changes IN the legislative
districts. More than anything else 1t
Gauss ed harsh words and bitter feelings
In both houses. The House, after a
violent wrangle, sent TO the senate
Thursday bill that made provision
only for changes In the House districts
An sorts of parliamentary tactics were
employed on both sides OF the Capitol
with the final result that nothing was
done. Both the House and Senate bills
persisted on the Senate calendar, but
there are those who think that .vcn
mad the Senate passed either ono OF
the o!lls the House would not have
concurrcd in its action Thus II is thar
the Legislature has failed TO comply
with ,he mandate OF the Constitution
that the Legislature should rearrange
the districts in 1912.
The Fee Him
hfte. the senate had thric. refused
TO take up out Of its order the Vast
bili requiring certain officers of the
by fees TO report each year to tn,
Auditor OF Public Accounts the compen-
station received by them in fees. IL was
suddenly taken up on Tuesday and
passed WIKI only three dissenting votes
was promptly reported TO the House
ana several ruthless Efforts were mad.
80 get II 10 Il vote before that BODY.
but though a clear majority of tho
house We're evidently in favor of the
measure IL could not command the
necessary vote to take 1t up. There
lore the Will OF the majority was null
liied, us II must often be In a short
session. The officers who did no, wisb
the Dill to pass thronYed the Capitol
while this measure was under consid
Grafton, and doubtless many 9th .rs
made their influence felt BY wire or
otherwise. but were not ablo TO dis-
suade a majority in either house TO
vote against the MEASURE. which would
nave passed but for tho fact that its
passage was delayed by the Senate.
senator West. finding that his bill
was Killed on the calendar OF the
House, got through the Sonata on
Saturday resolution requiring the
clerk OF the Senate TO request from the
Tee paid officers the information sought
by the fee bill for the information or
me next General Assembly. 1t IS be-
llered that most of them will comply
WIN inns request, except those who are
being grossly overpaid.
The Primnry Bill.
Inc Senate on Tuesday completed its
Gmascuiation OF the Byrd Featherston
primary bill. and sent 1t to the House,
where Speaker Byrd stated that many
o. It's most commendable features had
neeh struck out and requested the non
concurrence OF the House In the Senate
amendments. The House thereupon re.
FUSED 10 concur and Delegate Cox. in
me chalr, appointed on the conference
committee Speaker Byrd and Delegates
Jordan and Weaver, all OF whom ia vored
TIE phi as i; passed the House. Lieu.
tehnnt-Governor Ellyson appointed as
the Senate cOnferees Senators Holt,
hAson and itchols, all of whom had
voted for the Senate amendments, and
one OF whom Senator Echols) had
even voted against the Hill. Naturally.
no compromise could come out of these
"h'as on'atic elements, but n trifling