The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-02-03

PROMPT ACTION FROM SENATE.
BY vote 50 conclusive as 10 permit Of neither
srgument nor explanation the House Of Dele
gates las passed The Woaver-Bu1 hauau segrega-
ton bill. which now goes 10 the Senate for con-
clrrenoe Thc FfrgHiaa feels natural gratih-
Gallon taat The House Should have supported It's
G. -enfIans fer tb3s TAX reform measure BY so
conclusive verdict White victory does not
znske 5ast cause a JUST cause deserves victory,
The House has bern hard AZ work on the two
proposals placed before II, ard after fun debate
and ample opportunity for all interests to make
q -ir piess !, expressed by vote Of sixty TO
ciple As a body nearer to the people Of yir.
ginia than the Senate, perhaps better acquainted
with their views, and more concerned with re-
suits than technical provisions the House mas
be taken as safe guide in gauging public sen
timent on The questions that vitality affect the
whole body Of the people. 1t has been stated
that the people a whole do not desire or APP
prove system of segregation. The House talk
ing these statements into consideration. mas
voted its belief III what is good for the State and
what it also believes the State wants.
The question Of what shape yirginias tax sys-
tenn for the future win take. now rests with
the Virginia State Senate That body has been
behind The House all through the present SEES
siou Its debate began several days after that
in the lower chamber. despite the fact that the
House disposed OF a large number OF related
A4lfs before taking Hf the measures prime
Importance The House now goes to considera-
real effect and force to the system for which
that body has recorded itself. This is of no
less, perhaps Of greater. Importance than
the question OF segregation itself for these bills
will help to decide what the practical operation
OF segregation shall be when It IS put into
actual operation.
The Senate, ne believe, will do the wise thing
In shutting of debate and coming to vote on
the bills Today Is Wednesday. Suppose only
two days more given TO debate by the Sen
ators, and supposing that the segregation bill IS
passed Friday Present indications give
practical assurance that the Senate bill win con
rain several amendments and will certainly carry
provisions not now in the House bills This will
mean that each body will reject tho others bill
and the matter viii have TO go 70 conference
Even the expeditions work would mean
that the conference committee could only begin
It's work next Monday. with adjournment sure
for the following Friday, We feel. therefore
THAI tho Senate can do no better than 10 close
its debate tomorrow, at the latest. IN order TO
give time for conference. aud more important
still. for the passage of supplemental bills.
A further point OF delay in the senate's pro
eeduTe Is that under the resolution under which
The body is now proceeding vote viii NOT be
taken until both the commission and segregation
bills have been debated. and both will be brought
10 the point Of engrossnent before either is
voted on. AT this stage OF the game we urge
for the consideration OF the Senate that even
with vote today for segregation there will he
al too short 4 time for perfecting the plan
adopted, ana # the vote is against segregation.
the Legislature viii be further than ever from
definite action
Senators have coulendod in defense Of their
dilatory tactics at The opening Of tho session
that their legislative work is not done on the
floor but in committees ami private conferences.
II that Is the case, By their own arguments the
Senators dispense with debate We do not
believe that further debate will change single
vote, or that one vote has been changed by the
debate that has taken place
With the issue squarely before the upper
body, the people are looking 10 IT for action in
time 10 assure wollconsidered supplementary
bills let us nave action
JOHN p. BRANCH