The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-03-15
Worn Out by Work,
All Hail Adjourn
ment With Joy.
NO BIG MEASURE
ON CLOSING DAY
Important Bills Cleared From
Calendar on Friday, Which
Makes Easy Sailing in Final
Hour-Gifts Presented to
Speaker, Clerks, Pages
and Members.

The General Assembly o, Virginia
ended its labors early this morning.
the House OF Delegates adjourning at
1929 o'clock, after repeatedly turrint,
back the clock TO make II possible TO
rush through few more minor bills
The Senate had been marking time all
evening It's calendar had been cleared
and the vote could not be obtained to
take up other measures not duly al
vanced.
While the final day was an Intense
ly busy one In tho House, the measures
OF most far-rcaching Importance had
oeen disposed Of on Friday, and tho
struggle throughout tho afternoon and
evening was to hold quorum present
to dispose OF routine matters, hear con-
terence committee reports. straighten
out amendments. and clear up all the
loose ends of legislation before tho
session could come to conclusion.
Many BILLS Not Touched.
= Technically tho General Assembly
Will not adjourn until Friday Extra
time has been given for the enrolling
OF bills which are to be signed by the
Speaker OF the House and the president
OF the Senate. but at no time will there
BIO more than "a few members present
TO witness those formalitiea. The PC
Rod for the passing OF bills ended with
the final adjournment last night.
end singing AUD Lang Syne," the
members iiled out OF the halls
vi the DlilS tIt on the House cal
endur which might have secured final
adoption, there was none of supreme
Importance or that, I'm the judgment OF
tho House leaders, would have justi-
fed an extension of tho actual work
ing session. Lower down on the CAL
cndar came more than 200 House bills
which were never reached or given
any serious consideration.
G;orham Measure Adopted.
Among the many bills passed yes
torday, that creating the greatest COM
ment allows tho Gorham Manufacture
ing Company to make and sell dupli-
cate casts OF the ioudon statue OF
Washington. the passage OF which
brought forth heated protests against
the presence on tho floor of attorneys.
oficc-holders, professional lobbyists
and politicians from several sections
of the State. who wcro openly attempt
ing to induce members to vote FOR tho
bill. The statue bill has been one OF
the most persistently lobbied meas
ures before this session. and was bit
terly though unsucccssfully fought un-
til Its final passage.
An important bill passed last night
viii. it is believed. to a large extent
abolish capital punishment In Vir-
Ginta. since II gives jurics. in cases of
murder in the first degree, the option
Of punishment by death or life impris-
onment.
anti shipping bills died In the Senate.
lacking the votes to get them advanced
to Il position OH the calendar where
they could secure final passage. Tho
Senate also failed to take final action
on the Adams bill for revision of the
antiquated system OF land rcgistra-
ton. making the Torrcns system OPP
tional with the various counties and
cities of the State. II passed the
House by large majority and had
the promise OF strong support In tho
Senate, hut never reached final vote.
Some Fcnturcs OF The Session.
Features OF tho session that stand
out are the reduction OF tax on bank
deposits. the plan for an extra session
for tax reform, the passage OF the
ena bling act, the fee reform bill. tho
primary bill and the revision OF the
Code hill Tho three measures most
generally discussed al over the State
which failed OF hnai enactment into
law were the game bill. the co-ortlin-
ate college bill and the Torrens land
registration bill
4 feature OF the closing day in the
House was the presentation OF a re-
port from the investigating committee
entirely indicating the management
of the Confederate Soldiers Home, and
highly praising the institution and It's
work. Another feature OF the morn
ing session was the presentation on
tho part OF the members OF the House
OF n handsome silver service to Speaker
Cox. and OF suitable rcmembvances to
Clerk John w. Williams and to tho
other employees.
To make it certain that no business
Will be taken UP at the special session,
which the Governor has been request
ed to call for the first "Wednesday iu
January. 1916, save that Which grows
out of the report OF the Special Com
mittee on Taxation, both houses yes
terday adopted joint resolution OF
record TO that effect, thus limiting tho
extra session to the one subject in
hand. and making it impossible for the
attention of members to be diverted TO
other subjects OF lesser Importance.
Closing Scenes in House.
The closing scenes in the House OF
Delegates last night were character
istio. The long hours of the final week,
continuous session, caused n rebound
hours this morning grave and senior
members of the House found them
selves as happy as schoolboys. II was
only by the personal efforts Of Speak
er Cox that quorum was held to-
gether until some important matters
had been disposed OF. and when the last
word had been said. piles OF printed
bills were thrown high into the air,
singing and cheering begun. and all over
the House there was Joy that the grucl-
ling work was over
Calm and unrufiled through the Wild
or scenes of the closing hours, Clerk
John w. Williams the one man whom
nothing has seemed 10 disturb ana
who has Stecrcd the House fbrnutsh