The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-03-07

. !. ~ plnssAt allowed sstsrans
Delsoats Hobson feared this mixht
raise the appropriation bill to an ad.
ditional 80 600. as there were %
mAny vettrans under this clasaifica-
ton. -. Brewer, chairman Of the
APPROPRIATENESS COMMITTEES. explained
thst 4 nsreiy ohansed the dsstribas.
ton ct the appropriation and would
not iucreaaa the total: that II would
take Il from one class and give 1t to
The bin vas passed to its third read
inE.
In ordsr to facilitate the work Of
the Hodse and to comply with the re-
quest Of the Governor. Delegate Hugh
White H11ed that revenus bills Nos.
66s. 667. SIS. $50 and $50, all OF
which bills constituted the revenue
measures which the Governor had
urged the House TO act on at once, be
passed, with the understanding that
they could be taken up later IL deemed
By unanimous vote. each bill when
read by the clerk was passed to its
third reading.
Bill TO Punish Publishers.
Delegate willis. of Roanoke. asked
$fses LA0ubC Olii INO. 0of D9 NhhGh uP
out Of order and passed to Its third
reading. This is a bill to amend the
statute az to contempt of courts by
newspaper publishers who use Ian
guage deemed insulting by the Judge
OF court and to provide that such
publishers be held In contempt and
published by the court under these
circumstances. He referred TO the
Yoder case In Lynchburg. where. he
said. the court was helpless, though
an honorable man had been grossly
insulted by publisher. He said the
bar OF the State and members of the
supreme Court had held that under
the law OF the State the court could
not hold the publisher in this instance
in contempt
Delegate Gordon, of Louisa, de-
clared that he thought the bill was
blow at. the freedom of the press.
He said that a judge had the same
redress. II libeled, as any other citi-
zen. and that a judge in the matter
OF a personal insult was privileged to
take such insult into the courts. just
as any other citizen.
Mr.. Gordon abruptly moved to ad-
1ourn.
Mr.. willis, with some feeling in his
voice. declared that he would not
have treated Mr. Gordon with such
contempt; that 1t was unworthy of
the gentleman from Louisa, and that
he considered the motion to adjourn
direct insult
Apology Out of Place.
Mr.. Gordon said he thought highly
or the gentleman from Roanoke and
meant no insult. He apologized
Mr.. Willis declared that the apollo
gy was out of place after the motion
to adjourn had been offered and not
withdrawn.
Thereupon Mr.. Gordon declared that
the bill was a vicious one and a blow
at the press of Virginia.
Mr.. Willis asked that the bill be
taken up out of its order. BY a vote
Of 4S to IA this was done.
Mr.. Gordon declared that this was
an eleventh hour attempt to railroad
bill that was extremely dangerous.
He hoped that the House would not
take such step. This bill puts it
in the power of judge to bring any
publisher into court. if he thinks he
has been offended" he said 'The
courts OF this country have ample
power to protect themselves" he cried.
with voice lifted. land they have ably
taken care of themselves in this State
and in this. nation for over hundred
years" es~eers
The bill was passed to its third
reading by vote that was almost
UNANIMOUS. ffN q I@