Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-02-12
BOTH BRANCHES
AGREE TO RECESS
General Assembly Will Recon
vene on March to Perfect
Tax Bills.
MAIN ISSUES ARE DECIDED
Efforts to Force Second Call for
Extraordinary Session, With
Pay, Fail.
MAIN ISSUES ARE DECIDED

The tax bills. constituting the essen
tial features of the administrations
partial segregation system OF taxa
/ tion, will have been passed by both
branches of the Legislature when the
General Assembly goes into recess to-
night. The recess ends at 10 o'clock
on the morning of March S.
For time yesterday morning 1t
| looked like rough seas ahead. Some OF
the members who had fought a losing
Tight cvinced an inclination TO further
complicatc perplcXing situation by
forcing the Governor to call second
>Nira session. something without pre-
c"dcnt in the history of the State.
The more conservative element pre-
vailed. ava an attempt to obtain suf-
ficicnt signatures to "a petition for the
extra session was made in vain. The
leaders Of the Tax Commission element
gave no encouragement to the move
mcnt, which would have cost the state
at least $4,000 had 1t succeeded
LEEDi FAILS TO FORCE
CALI. FOR EXTRA SESSION
Colonel Robert +. Leedy. of Page
gave notice at the morning session of
the House OF Delegates that n petition
asking the Governor TO call another
extra session would be Immediately cir
culated. The canvass for signatures
however. disclosed that there were COM
paratively few members OF the House
willing TO acknowledge that they were
not inclined to give their services to
the state, even in dire emergency
without pay. There were fewer still
in the Senate.
Thrce-fifths OF the membership Of
each branch OF General Assembly was
necessary TO put across the demand for
another thirty days OF life In the forum
at sS.33 day. with travelling expenses
at 20 cents mile added.
While the double-extra a-sc ssion with
full-pay members rushed excitedly
about in legislative halls and corridors
importuning their more moderate COL
leagues to force the call upon the Gov
ernor. the executive sat in his office
examining and signing the bills that
had been enacted into laws. Governor
Stuart was advised of the clamorous
demand for the second extra session.
but he was not sufficiently, moved to
even comment upon IT.
HOUSES ARE IN DEADLOCK
FOR SEVERAL HOURS
The preteXt for harassing the
the Senate amended the resolution call
Ing for three weeks recess, which
had been adopted by the House Wednes-
day. The Senate amendment changed
the time for taking the recess from
Thursday to Saturday
Judge Martin Williams. Democratic
floor leader. advised the House to ac-
ccpt the amendment. Several OF the
Tax Commission followers protested
and long and exciting debate ensued
Delegate Spessard, with a view to
compromise and conciliation, en-
deaNored TO get through an amend
ment TO the Scnate's amendments
changing the time to Friday. 1t failed
for lack of two-thirds majority. the
vote being 81 to -. y vote was then
taken on the Senate amendment. and
the House rejected the amendment nv
rising vote of "a TO 80.
On roll call, the vote by which the
Senate amendment was rejected was
~ ayes to 46 nays
SPESSARD AND COX
BRING ORDER OUT OF CHAOS
Early in the afternoon. the two
branches having been deadlocked three
hours on the question of the recess a
way out of the dilemma was discoy
cred by the segregation leaders. Dele
gate Spessard, OF Craig, moved to re-
consider the vote by which the Senate
amendment had been rejected Sneaker
Cox took the floor and urged the mem
ners 10 support the motion to recon-
sider' ana Mr.. Spessard's motion was
adopted. He then moved to amend On
as TO fix the time for recess at Friday
night, saying that he had been assured
amendment. The Spessard amendment
was then adopted. by vote of So to II.
Mr.. Spessard was designated by the
Speaker TO communicate the action OF
the House to the Senate, and half an
hour later messenger from the Sem
ate reported acceptance OF the amend
ment by that body
The effect of this harmonious action
was to obviatc any further excuse for
second extra session. The Senate,s
reason Tor not concurring in the reso-
luton fixing the recess time for
Thursday night was the volume of
business with which the Senate cal
cndar is burdened, and the anxiety of
the Senators to take action on MANY
Of the bills before going into recess
HOUSE ADVANCES
TORNENS LAND BILL,
The House accomplished something
In the way of constructive legislation
yesterday. and the Senate made proc-
ress In the same direction. Prolonged
discussion. however. inDeded the
scgregationists to considerable ex
tent.
The Torrens land registry bin was
put prominently forward by Aubrey
G. Weaver and Delegate Adams. ito
patron. who were eager to secure its
passage. and succeeded: I'm getting n
advanced to it's third reading. Had the
bill been put on Its passage, an in
te:mnable debate would have been
precipitated. The segregation leaders
discovered the obstruction they were
rolling Into their own path at the
eleventh hour. Hence tho measure was
not put upon Its passage
REED URGES ALL FACTIONS
TO WORK IN HARMONY
An agreeable surprise OF the day
was brief speech made by Delegate J.
David Reed Port Fnr,>,>.,