The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-03-12
Friends of Measure Dis
appointed at Poor
Showing.
RESULT OF BALLOT
NOT UNEXPECTED
Senate Returns Tax Commission
Bill With Minor Amendments,
Which House Accepts-White
Resolution for Constitutional
Amendment Providing for
Annual Sessions Adopted.

Woman suffrage went down to de-
feat in the House Of Delegates yester-
day morning by vote OF rs to 1s. Tho
result was not unexpected, but the
suffrage advocates wero disappointed
at the small size OF the vote cast in
its favor. Those voting for woman
suffrage were Messrs. Chalkley. Frank
lin. Hartley. Lincoln. Massie. Montague,
holland, Norris, Pitts, Stearnes Steck,
Willis and Winston.
Thero was little debate Mr. Chalk
ley, one Of the patrons OF the bill, pre-
dicted that every national party would
have In Its platform in 1916 IL woman
suffrage clause, and that within few
years those now voting against suf-
frage would be stumpng the state
in its favor. Colonel Leedy announced
that If the Democratic party ever In
cluded any such plank in It's PLATFORM
he might be regarded as n mug
wump' from that time on.
Mr. Montague, who proposed the
woman suffrage bill in the last session
and was one of the patrons this year.
spoke OF it as a nationwide movement
whichCthe Legislature OF Virginia could
not stop.
Tax Commission Bill.
Tho Senate returned with amend
rnents the House bill providing for the
appointment of n tax commission to
prepare bills on the subject of taxation
for consideration at n proposed extra
session of the General Assembly The
Senate amendments are in detail and
do not affect the appointment OF tho
commission OF ten members. They pro-
vide that the commission shall report
bills both for an equalization and a
segregation plan OF taxation so that
the General Assembly may tako it's
choice. Another amendment added an
emergency clause making the bill take
eject from Its passage.
Chairman Weaver Of fhe HNurn
nance Committee, moved that the House
concur In the Senate amendments
which was adopted. 81 to 7. and the bill
Will now go TO the Governor. 1t car
ries All appropriation OF $4,000 for
the expenses of the special comnis-
sion.
The House was convened at 10 o'clock
yesterdas morning. with prayer by Rev.
russell Cecil. ID d., pastor OF the Sec
ond Presbyterian Church
On motion of Mr.. Field of Madison
IA resolution of sympathy was adopted
Tor Mr. Browning, of Orange, on the
death of his brother
Would Extend Session.
Mr.. Gordon offered resolution pro-
HidinS that this session be extended for
fiVe days without pay. The House had
spent the session, he asserted, on unim-
portant bills, and now proposed to rush
! through without deliberation the meas
ures which were the real issues on
u.
Williams suggested that such reso-
luton might be necessary on Saturday,
but until the Rouse had made its ut
most effort to get through the busi-
ness 1t need not be adopted. Ii the
House would work on Senate bills for
the remaining four days, as it did on
( Tuesday on House bills the important
measures would be disposed OF. The
Gordon resolution was referred to the
Rules Committee, RS was 4 resolution
offered by Mr.. Oliver. of Fairfax, ex-
tending the session for two weeks
without pay, bills to be considered
during the first week only and the
second week to be merely q construc-
tive session for the enrolling and sign
ing OF bills to go to the Governor
Senate resolution proposing to tho
| next General Assembly an amendment
to the State Constitution making the
biennial sessions of the General AS
sembly ninety days instead OF sixty
days was agreed TO. y Senate reso-
luton proposing constitutional
amendment as to Legislative procedure
eliminating unnecessary reading OF bills
and the multiplication OF roll calls was
agreed to. after 1t had been explained
that it merely made tho Constitution
conform to the practice already in
vogue. the elaborate plan for complete
readings and for roll calls on three sep
arate calendar days having been found
to be utterly impracticable in the con-
sideration and passage OF local bills
Wants Annual Session.
Mr.. White called up Il House resoiu-
ton submitting to tho next General
Assembly a constitutional amendment
providing for annual sessions of tho
General Assembly OF forty-five days
each. The amendment provides that
bills must be introduced at the first
session, that all local bills must be dis
posed of at that session, leaving the
second session open for the considera-
ton and passage OF general bills al
ready under consideration. and for
which opportunity has been given for
discussion all over the state during
the recess between sessions. Mr..
White proposed that this also be sent
on to the next General Assembly. as an
alternate plan to the resolution pro-
vidtng for a ninety day session bIcn-
nially. After consideration. the next
General Assembly may then determine
which of the two plans 1t will submit
TO the people in the succeeding general
election. Mr.. Willis maue tho point
that the resolution pending did not
amend the Constitution, but merely re-
TERED to the next General Assembly
the propriety of submitting this ques-
tion to vote OF the people Tho
White resolution was adopted.
Economy Resolution Defeated.
Judge Williams called up his Joint
resolution providing for special joint
committee, to he composed OF one Sena.
TOR and two members OF the House,
on Efficiency and Economy. The com.
mittee under the resolution was In.
structed to sit in the interim, and to
report to the next General Assembly
tf any State departments can be corr
soltdated or abolished, without detri- Ri
|, mcnt to the public service; n the Judi
r. iul oil ~ -