The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-03-05

Tae ansi.vi,e bsu hss had an extraordinary
h1stcry So Gar. j: was saotaered in The commit
tee on general .laese of the house OF delegates,
ard vas deeIared .laIsy dead, But the patron
d &he bill sIr. Land as sSotroway, asked the
house to diseharee 10. omnattee aud 70 place
tAis bill CT tile oaleaaar aud it was done by
.ote q nearly three io one. and 1t is nos on
lis second reading in the house.
TIE bfif was introduced lit tAe senate by Sena-
tor Saunders. OF 9liddiesex. ard The first hearing
was had or Wednesday, February 25th, before
the committee on general laws. At that hear
Ing there appeared in favor Of the bill DIR.
bowman. for the ministerial union, and
special committee OF FIVE, appointed by meet
ing of ministers and laymen. which committee
consisted Of Revs. ]. ". Shackford. r Claggatt
Skinner and James Cannon, and Messrs Jacob
Tmlauf and ". Fred Richardson Others who
spoke favoriug the bill were Or. c V. Darlington
and Or. W A. Christian, and Or II. D.-Maclach-
ian, the latter expressing himself as favoring
delay In putting the law into effect until Jan
nary i, 1915.
There appeared in opposition to the bill DR.
Price, a young physician; Mr.. James H. Drake,
Jr a young lawyer; MIR. Leroy r. Brown. real
estate agent. and Dr. u. s. Freeman. the editor
of the TimesDispateh.
The arguments Of opposition to the bin wore
exceedingly weak. and did not touch the real
issue, but the bill went over till Friday night
as 1t was understood to he considered in execu.
tive session. 1t Is a remarkable fact. however,
that certain persons were invited 10 attend the
executive session, all ofswhom were opposed to
the bill outright or favored q policy of post.
ponement OF the time when the bill should go
into effect. BY accide tn one or two of those
in favor of the bill were present, and insisted
upon remaining, otherwise one would have
been present who favored the bill in its orig
tnal form
The Timcs-Dtspatch, which had a representa-
tive present who persistently opposed the bill.
gave out the following statement: Even the
most earnest adgocaor Of the passage of the bill
agreed that il should be provided that it would
not take effect for some time, in order 10 give
an opportunity for the authorities to prepare TO
meet conditions"
How absurd and misleading this statement
IS: Gwen the most earnest adyocator agreed"
Tho wero some of them? They net even
present al that meeting. The only one present
salo cou4c properly be described in sutE language
As R.p Ial4sa-N- sshae1fardr and he did not agree
TO that as best, but stated that if the com.
snistee would not pass bill to go unto effect
in ninety days he would accept the later date,
not because he considered 1t best, but better
Khan nothing. Certainly the gentleman who adj
.ocateG deferriug action until the owners of the
nouses could be given opportunity TO arrange
their property interests, is not the earnest
friends Of the bin, even though he be a minister.
The action Of the senate committee In calling
lie leading opponents Of the bill to the hearing
and calling none of the leading advocates of the
bill was extraordinary. and did not give equal
treatment 10 both sides. 1t is not to be won
dered al that the bill was passed by. and the
enemies boosted that St was dead
But the real friends of the measure never fall
Tered. They determined to get the bin on the
1 calendar Of the senate, and after losing the
motion Oh "a close vote Tuesday, on Wednes-
day Sbe committee was discharged by vote OF
Il to :.
And now that it has escaped the darkness and
death Of Gre committee room. it is the marked
bin on the calendar. A vote must be had on it
in both houses. If il is 10 be killed, ii cannot
DC done in d corner. hui out in the open, and
sgery man must give an account 10 his CON
ssituen,s Of his vote this bill.
Aud his constituents have right to petition
sim either by letter or Ia person 10 vote for
ne Bill And moreover man, a voter. a con.
nitacnt, has right TO tell senator or delegate
That failure TO support this bin any other
siil viii mean the loss Of the support Of that
yoser and OF any other voters whom he in
3uehce
The incident al the capitol yesterday is case
n point afessrs Christian. Darlington, Mckee
sna SAaekford are all residents OF Richmond.
.ir Myers Is delegate from Richmond These
sentIefnen We're entirely within their rights 10
see Mr. Myers and to ask him to support the
Hsfinuisance bill When Mr.. Myers declared
sSat he was OPPOSED to the bill. that he not only
sd not think the Law should be enforced. but