The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-01-17
UNANIMOUSLY FAvORS
ELECTION By PEOPLE
senate Committee Recommends Cor
poratlon Commissioner Be Elect"
ed by Popular Vote.
STATE BUDGET Is FAVORED
Cannon Bill TO Require Notice Of DIS
solution by Public Service Cor
porations FRyoFed-~-StrOdc Intro
duccs Coordinate Education tins

| The people of the state are 10 be
allowed to name the members OF 'he
stote corporation commission. as pro-
vided In "a bill offered in the senafe
eerly in the session by Senator Julien
Gum, OF HenTico. Yesterday morn
ing the senate committee on priv
leges and elections held meeting anu
called the bill up for consideration
The members discussed the measure
FOR Il short time and then ordered the
bin to be reported with the recon-
mendation that it become law. The
hin is the same that has been Of
fered many times in the legislature IN
the past. but il had never met with
success mt the hands of a committee.
The enactment Of the measure Is
al that liz necessary TO accomplish the
change In the method Of selecting
these officers. the first election IL 10
be held In November Of next year
the man elected TO take his office on
February /, as is the case 81 tn!S
time. The constitution stipuiates that
the method Of choosing them shail DC
~ the pleasure of the legislature. AS
the two members named BY Governor
stuart, G.. II. Carnett and Alexander
onward nave pEN8A ttfis3A fit'a'P va
next place to be filed will be that
nov held by Judge William r. Rhea,
Of Bristol This action Will remove
from Governor Davis the patronage
which has heretofore been exercised
by aIi preceding governors since the
ntw constitution became effective
Friends of Governor elect Davis do
not regard the measure as inimical
10 him, and they refer to the fact that
for many sessions the came thing has
been suggested OF each session of the
general assembly.
Must Have Hearings
Right on the heels of the recon-
n4cndation by the committee IN the
matter above. the senate committee
on general laws iast evening held
meeting y,and called up Senator Can
mons bill requiring public service cor
porations desiring to dissolve and re-
tire from business TO advertise such
fact and intention by notice publish
ed In "a newspaper for AT least four
wee ks prior to the Ming Of any applt-
cation to dissolve The state corpora
ton commission is ordered to afford
time for a hearing on such petition
for dissolution. 10 allow any and all
parties at interest TO be informed and
made of record at such hearing, a rec
ord To be made of all facts and evil
denoe adduced. and when such order
is finally passed on any OF the parties
To the proceedings shall have the
right OF appeal to the supreme court
of appeals This new law Will make
II impossible for other corporations
to dissolve and discontinue business
And service, as has been done by three
railroads In Virginia within the last
few months.
HopevvelI's Judgeship.
The committee for courts of jus
tice yesterday afternoon took up the
Wendenburg resolution directing the
committee to make report on the sta
tus Of Judge Walter L. Devaney, Of.
the corporation court of Hopeweil
elected at the last session Of the legis.
iature. The point was made by OPP
position to Judge Deyaney that his
term of office expired as of February
I, of this year, but he and his friends
locked into the law and discovered
that there was no mention OF his
term of office, and that the constitu-
tion provided that when a Judge is
elected IL Is for the fun term OF eight
years. unless the election is to MI
vacancy. There was no vacancy. the
court being a new one The commit
tee directed all parties at interest In
the proceedings to file briefs In the
case that the committee may know
the grounds of their contention.
State Budget Favored.
A bill presented yesterday in the
senate by Senators Drewry. Garrett.
JefYrys. Mitchell. Holt. Cannon, Ora
watt, Early, STROBE and Corbitt re.
quires the Inauguration of the budget
system for the expenses of the vari-
Gus state departments. These depart
rnents are to make up careful est. !
mate of their expenses of every sort
and to submit the same to the leg1x-
ature for the inspection of the mem |
hers of the Legislature, and when the
finance committees make up their
estimates OF the revenues for two
years these figures are to be consid-