Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-03-25
VETOES BILL AIMED
AT SUPREME COURT
Stuart Rejects Act Requiring
Written Statement of Reasons
for Refusing Appeals.
SIGNS APPROPRIATION BILL
Approves Budget Measure Carry
ing $l4,9e9,ooO. Exactly as
Passed by Legislature.

Governor stuart yesterday vc,ocJ
House bill No. iss, requiring the Sn-
prcmc Court OF appeals TO give rcasous
in writing for refusing an appeal.
thereby exercising for tho first time
in tho consideration of tho new crop
Of l"gislativ. acts his riGh, /" reject
amy measure which. whl. constitution
ally urohjcctiouabl", does not meet
with his judgment in other particulars
Around this bin ccntcrcd ono Of the
livoii,st fights %: the recent session.
u was rrccipitat"d early with the in
troJuction bv Delegate Gordon. or
Louisa. OF 81 resolution requiring the
supreme Court TO nlc s,atcmcut
showing how many appeals have been
granted by IL in recent wears TO cor
porations and indi, iduals. ani how
many appeals OF both classes s; has
refused The resolution was killed.
Rchiud this resolution and House bill
No. @lo was the vcil.d charge that in
granting and denying appeals tho SG-
pi enc cour, has shown disposition to
favor corporations As against private
individuals While ths charge was
never opcnly made. either in commit
;cc or on tho Ho"r of the House. its
rGrport vas common property.
AtT tEQiIUi:D COURT To
STATE RI:ASONS N WRITING:
Tho enactment Of law requiring
tho Supreme Court 10 state in writing
its reasons for refusing an aDpcal. il,
Was assumed by those who gave car
10 the charge OF discrimination. WOULD
correct the condition complained OF by
placing tho ccur; tho burden OF
grant AN appeal since the cages in
which individuals seek relief from
"'rdicts rendered in favor If corpora
tons form tho larger class. il, Was
souSh, by This bill TO meet the alleged
scrtmi"a;iou hy requiring Il state
mcnt Justtf!iur the courts action.
tndcr the present practice. the court
merely enters an orj,S allowing or
denying an appeal without assigning
any reasons.
the Official statement from the GOV.
crn"r's Office concerning The reason.
for rcJcciiuE :hc hill was brief:
Vetoed because. in addition TO other
substantial reasons. unnecessary to
mention. IL imposes a large additional
burden on a court that is already hav-
ing much difficulty in keeping UP with
lis docket Such an accumulation o.
cases or the docke, AS might result
from this regulation would prove an
injustice to the litigant ,s we'll as to
the court
Aside from its general Significance
the veto OF This bill is interesting as
the hrst instance of the Governors re.
tcctinS An act OF tho last General AS
semhly because OF - difference on the
question OF policy. In every other case
this year the veto was due either 10
defects in the measure itself or TO the
fact that another bill OF the same pur-
pcr, had already been signed
ArPUoPRIATION HiII.
rs SIGNED As PASSED
.\fter considering the bill carefully,
item by item. for nearly Two weeks.
Governor Stuart yesterday affixed his
signature TO the general appropriation
the form IN which it was adoptcd by
both houses IN tho stormy sabbath
morning hour that preceded adjourn
mcnt two weeks ago. 1t appropriatcs
tho estimated revenues OF the State for
the next two years and carried appro-
priaiions aGCrcGating Slf.??99T9.26.
While IL was the effort OF the Cen
eral Assembly III view OF the straight
continued on Fifth PaScD