The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-01-29

Harry Rutherford Houston, dele
gate from the city Of Hampton and
from the county of Elizabeth City, is
a figure grown familiar in the halls of
the house through the length of his
previous servitude in that body. This
session MT Houston has the distinc-
ton 10 preside as chairman of the
Democratic caucus. which he has al
ready done on two occasions. He Is
chairman on the comnitte on the
Chesapeake and it's tributaries, among
the ranking members of the finance
committee. and is a member of the
committee on rules. He was prom
inent candidate for speakership hon
ors in the present house. and is among
the most popular members In either
branch of the legislature. He is re-
.garded as a member Of consummate
energy. and * very earnest and effec
tive in debate.
MT Houston was horn at Fincastle.
In Botctout county, Va, May 20. 1873.
He is son Of the Rev. r. II. and
Margaret Steele Houston. He was
educated at Hamden-Sidney college.
from which he graduated as bachelor
of arts in 1899. He next moved to
Hampton. his present home, where
he taught school. Mr.. Houston has
for many years been identified with
the newspaper and printing business.
'ton Publishing company, which is
engaged in conducting the Hampton
Monitor, and does commercial print
ing He has since also purchased the
Oysterman and Fisherman. a weekly
trade journal, which is devoted to sea
food and allied interests, is national
in seapa,-aad- which maintains fits
headquarters at New York. on the
eleventh floor of the Masonic Temple
building.
Delegate Houston was first sent to
the house of delegates from his sec
ton in 1906, at which time this dis
tinction was offered him without OPP
position. Since then he has contin-
ued each session to be chosen from
his city as its representative. each
time without an opposition candidate
Upon his advent into the arena of
the house Mr.. Houston jumped at
once into the spotlight by his opposi-
ton to the famous "crab BILL intro
duced in the general assembly of 1906
by Delegate John r. Rev. OF Accomac
This measure was drawn to prevent
the winter dredging of crabs In the
Chesapeake bay. and, If passed. would
have seriously effected the crab in
dustry in Houston's section. In the
lengthy debates which ensued in the
house over the crab bill, Houston
maintained his position with signal
ellSGl. I1S dONdACEu titt lutoIS What
the. crab was migratory, and that
dredging In the waters of the Ches-
! apeake, no matter Mt what season,
could not deplete the number Of crabs.
which were replenished from an in
exhaustable influx of the shell fish
from the capes and Atlantic coast.
Houston defeated the measure by
fectionately dubbed by his admiring
constituency Grab Bill Houston
MIR. Houston was patron of the bill,
which later became a law, establish
ing the Virginia State School for Col
Qred Deaf and Blind Childrep at
Newport News. This school has at
present 100 inmates. and has estab-
lished the lowest Der capita cost for
maintenance Of any similar institu-
ton in the State. Mr.. Houston is
president of the board of visitors of
this school.
Mr. Houston in 1906 presented what
he believes was the first bill looking
toward equalization of taxation in Vir-
ginia This measure was presented
by him at the request OF the Hampton
Business Mems association. and was
later urged by other civic bodies of
Hampton. At the present session the
Hampton delegate Is the patron Of
ia fee hill providing maximum fees for
county clerks at $4,000 and maximum
fees Ter city clerks at $1,000. the
.+4sysaunt To he fixed In each instance
either by the board Of supervisors OF
the counties or by the council Of the
cities or towns. Mr.. Houston expects
at the present session TO devote his
best energies to obtaining equalization
! .ss.ta xatsnn- He regards the fee and
! tax questions as the biggest matters
.ae general assembly OF 1914,
and will exert hiA best efforts to for
ward proper legislatiou along these
ts4ea. M 81 :5sgs II ss..