Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-01-26
House Committee Recon-
mends Bill Protecting
Judge James Keith
PROHIBITION FIGH
Split on Proposal to Create Moral
Welfare Commissioner-MOve to
Abolish Lcwdness.

Richmond, Jan. 2G-By divided
vote. the House Committee for Courts
of Justice reported favol'ably yes
terday the bill introduced by Dele
gate Buck which provides for the
repeal of the act passed in 1911, pro-
viding pensions for judges OF the
State Supreme Court OF Appeals upon
retirement after twelve years of con-
tinuous service, and after they have
reached the age of seventy years.
Before voting to report the measure,
however, the committee engrafted an
amendment which provides that the
repeal shall not apply to Supreme
Court Judges who retire from service
during the years 1916 and 1917. With
respect to these, the terms OF the act
of 1914 remain in full force and ef-
feet. The amendment will protect
Judge James Keith, who will retire
February /, 1917, and who will be
succeeded nthe bench by Judge
Frederick William Sims, of Louisa.
Governor Henry C. Stuart, backed
by some of the ablest members OF
the House and Senate, strong prohi-
bitionists but not enamoured Of the
leadership of Rev. James Cannon. Jr.,
has the whip hand in the fight to pre-
vent the appointment of a prohiti-
tion commissioner who is to be in
dependent of the authority Of the
governor.
Dr.. Cannon cannot win IN MS at
tempt to shear the chief executive OF
the State of a large part of his au-
thority and to make himself the real
power behind the throne in the ad-
ministration Of the prohibition laws
is the opinion Of observers of the sit
uation. A majority Of all the members
of each branch of the legislature will
be necessary if the Anti Saloon
League bill providing for the crca-
ton of the office of commissioner OF
moral and social welfare, or prohlbi-
ton commissioner-to give it the less
pretertious and more commonly used
title-is to be enacted into law. Iwo-
thirds of each branch must vote af-
firmatively if the bill, once passed, Is
to be enacted over the veto of the
governor should the latter care to
exercise that power
That necessary forty-one votes IN
the House and twenty-one votes IN
the Senate has been not obtained, ac-
cording to count made by those
leading the fight for the Strobe Ad-
olson bills, making the governor the
chief executive in this. as in other
matters left to him by the constitu-
ton of the State There will be no
need of the exercise Of the right OF
veto for the Anti Saloon League
commissioner will never be named
declared these leaders.
The tAnti-Saloon League bills have
not been introduced, but are expected
to make their appearance shortly. The
details of the measures are unknown
outside the sacred circles of the Ant
Saloon League leaders. but their gen.
era purport is no secret, having beer
foreshadowed by the report OF tine
| legislative committee of the league
made to the convention last week. o
chief interest is the proposal to create
the office of commissioner of mora
welfare. and it is here that the fgh
will center, with the prohibitionist
split and the anti-prohibitionists en-
loving themselves immensely.
A bill containing the strong featur
es of the law which cleared Washing
ton of disreputable houses was offer
ed in the House Yesterday by Delegat
Browning, declaring all such resort
nuisances. In the afternoon there wa
strong fight against bill provid
ing for the election of school trustee
by the people the measure finally go
ing to engrossment.