Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-01-25
RICHMOND CHARTER
BILL is OFF Erred
Gives Citizens Right to Elect
Charter Commission Inde-
pendent of Council.
TORRENS BILL UP TONIGHT
Advocates Of Land Registration
Measure to Be Given Hear
ing Before Committee.

Richmond's charter-cornmission bill
was launched in the Senate yesterday
by Senator's Cannon and Wendeuburr
and referred to tho Committee on
County, City and Town Organization.
The bin is designed 10 give 30 tho
city. upon petition of 25 per cent OF the
qualified voters. the right. at n special
election TO be called for the purpose. 10
eject a commission of seven members.
which would then draw up new form
OF government, 10 be submitted. after
It's approval by the people, to the Cen
eral Assembly for enactment. without
Tho obligation first TO sec'r" tho ap-
provai of the plan by the City Council.
Torrcns system advocates VIII rally
in force tonight before the House
Committee for Courts of Justice TO re-
new their fight for the passage OF tho
land registration law in Nirginia-a
campaign that has been wa.cd at the
three last succeeding Legislatures. each
time with better progress. huc always
short OF complete success The hear
ing will take place in the hall OF the
House Of Delegates AT O'Clock
STRONG DELIBERATIONS
FAVOR ToRKENS HIl.I.
The delegation that VIII appear in
support of the bill Will include some Of
the leading bankers and business mon
OF this city. In tn" party will be
Chairman William In-ic. OF the board
Of directors or the Federal Reserve
Bank of Richmond: President l. II.
Smith. Of the Planters National Bank.
Cashier ". Meade Addison. of the First
National Bank; Vice President Henry
L. Litchford, Of the Old Dominion Trust
Company; Secretary j. w. Sipton. OF
the Richmond Clearing House Associa-
;ion. Robert NJ Kent of the Bank OF
Commerce and Trusts; Colonel John
Murphy and Captain John Landstrcet.
Colonel Eugene G.. Massic and j. Il;
Tyler. Jr., the two Richmond"rs who
initiated the campaign for the enact
mcnt Of the Torrcns law in Virginia,
and champ:oncd the measure in tho
early days, when it encountered hos
tility in every direction, VIII address
the committee. Talks will be made
also by several members OF the Rich
mond dclcSat
The bill is virtually the same measure
that was introduced Il; the special scs-
sion last winter. II is believed that
II would have been passed at that
session had there remained sufficient
time to do so after il was introduced.
Supporters Of TIL" measure predict that
the bill will be made law by the pres
ent General Assembly.
PURt: ADVERTISING
HtLL. PASSED BY HOUSE
Little developed yesterday 10 disturb
the legislative seas. Attacking a
crowded calendar with the vigor born
passed more than a score Of local and
uncontested bills. which so now to the
Senate for concurrence. The Senate
passed FIVE bills and disposed of other
routine business in a session of thirty
five minutes.
State wide interest attaches TO the
pure advertising" hill passed yestcr-
day by the House. The measure makes
It n misdcmeanor for any person. firm
or corporation TO publish a deceptive or
misleading advertisement. and provides
for this ofense 4 f'nn OF from so5 TO
$3.50 or confinement in Jail from ten
TO sixty days. or both. The bill was
introduced by Delegates Jones. OF Rich
mond, and Murray. of Newport News.
An amendment incorporated AZ the
instance OF Delegate Hugh 4. White
requires that the Objectionable adver-
tiscmcnt shall have been published
"fraudulertly and knowingly" thus re-
lieving from punishment the individual
or firm that is guilty OF publishing a
misleading advertisement through m
advcrtence. The hill was introduced at
the request Of the Retail Merchants
Association of Richmond and has the
support OF retail merchants through
out the State.
or GENERAL ASSEMBLY
joint resolution introduced yestcr-
day by Delegate Hugh \. White pro-
vides for a constitutional amendm. Mt
calling for the assembling of the
Legislature every year for Il session OF
fortv-tive days. instead of hicnnially, ns
ct present, for a siXty-day session. Mr..
Whites plan is to model the Gencia al
Assembly after Congress. making the
two annual meetings the first and
second half of single session
At the first half Of the session. under
this resolution. would be introduced all
bills. local and general. hut only local
measures would be passed. During the
second half of the session The General
Assembly would be restricted to the
consideration and passage OF the con-
eral bills introduced AT the first half
of the session and such other general
bills OF urgent character as the Lccis-
lature would. by ninc-tenths vote.
permit to he offered.
ut is becoming more and more an
parent that the siXty-day biennial ses-
sion does not give enough time for the
proper disposition of all business" said
Mr.. White yesterday. at the past two
sessions amendments were proposed
looking to the lenEthcninK Of the ses-
sion to ninety days The same amend
ment will probably be offered this year.
1t will cost tho State no more to hold
annual sessions OF forty-frc days each
than to hold a biennial session OF ninety
days. and the yearly meetings Will be
far more satisfactory"
joint session of the Senate and
House Committees on Schools and Col
leEes will be held on Thursday after
noon at $3.50 o'clock to take up the
.s. (Continued on> Fifth pavel 800