Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1916-03-10
WORK OF
DELEGATES
Legislature Which Will Adjourn
This Week, Passed Many
Needel Laws = Coordinate
College Bill Defeated.

Mr. Editor: Tho Legislature, which
ndJourns this week has had a men,
orablc session.
1t was STORMY" in many ways, and
remarkable
Many important bills were passed,
and n number introduced that were
not passed, which were of special i'm
portnnce. The most notable action of
the General Assembly was the pas
sage of the Mapp bill, which will
make the State dry, lacking n ounrt'
on November 1st, next. How this now
Inv will affect such cities as Richmond
Norfolk, Petersburg, Roanoke and
some others, remains to be seen. In all
these cities and throughout tho Stat,
public sentiment favors strict ndhcr-
nnce to the provisions of the law.
Nobody expects that there will not be
drinking and drunkenness still. The
Ninpp bill proposes only to stop the
legal sale of liquor in the State OK
ccpt for medical purposes, and under
certain restrictions as much MS ono
quart is allowed each adult i'm the
State per month No doubt the next
legislature will wipe out this conccs-
sion and begin with II clean slate.
The passage of the Wittcn- Shumnlc
bill, which makes pocnhontus dry as
bone six months in advance of the
whole state, was an unexpected and
Sensational measure. Mr.. Wilton slip
ped up on tho boys and caught 'em
mapping
There was a strenuous, hard fight
made for and against the measure.
Not IL few contentious citizens took
he ground that the measure was un-
lnir, that the enabling net provided
for the closing OF the snloons ON Mo-
vcmbcr LIST and that this provision
should he carried out. a number OF
people who voted for the enabling
act last year fought the Wittcn bill.
ana did all they could to give the sn-
looms OF Pocnhonta6 six months longer
cease of life. TO no purpose, however
was MI this effort in favor of the omen
saloons IN Pocahonlns. And Pocnhon-
las, which has been IL stencil in the
nostrils OF the citizens of two states
Tor years, will now soon enter upon
II new era. Think of il! pocahontns
without Il saloon. What effect this
net VIII have upon the business Of the
little city, Judging from the expert
encc of liluclicld and other cities and
Towns in West Virginia is plain. There
wlll bc better conditions all around.
The great coal companies will con
tlnue to mine conl, and the miners
wlil have more money to spend for
groceries and clothing for their fam-
mes ana saloon keepers and others
who have grown rich Indirectly
through the traffic in souls and hui
man misery will no longer bank blood
money, and tho sidewalks of the
streets will be laid in honest concrete
instead of blood.
measure Of much Importance de-
leatcd, was the bill to establish in
charlottesville, in connection with the
University. AS this measure fortu-
hhlcly fnllcd, nothing more need be
said about it now. 1t will bob up
again.
1t was noticeable, that for once the
Legislature did not "jump on the rail
ronds" to any alarming extent. Tho
railroads furnish II ready source Of
attack when legislators run out of
something to talk about and fight.
Some town and city councils like
wise,
Something was started by bill Of
fcrcd providing for through ex-
animation into the expenses Of carry
ing on the State Government. Tho
committee should and will, no doubt
make recommendations for II reduc-
lion of expenses along several lines.
lnere are numerous commissions, So
cicties, assistants ct cctcra, which
could be disposed with. The exorbit-
ant salaries paid county and state Of
iicers, the attaches Of the school
boards and committees etc, amount
ing to 100000, is simply outrageous.
The salaries paid trcnsurcrs, runing
from $4,000 to IL and $4,000 could
be cut down without hurting any body.
The Itemittcr Bill.
bill was offered and passed au-
thorizing the Examiner of Records
who gets n salary of $4,000, to go no
further back than 1912, in assessing
for taxes due on unlisted property.
The examiner found that ThOs. l..
Ryan, the multi-millionair, owed back
taxes on several million dollars worth
OF property for years, in AlbcrmarIe
county, and his attorneys "started
something" which resulted in the Tax
Remtter bill. This bill and it's provi-
sions, we believe, applies only to state
taxes.
Much interest has cent, ed in the
appointment of prohibition COM
missioner for the State. There are
only two candidates for the office
now-Judge j. II. Stuart, of Roanoke
and Rev. Sidney Peters, according to
the statements made yesterday in the
Richmond papers. 1t is said the ap-
pointment will be made today.