Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-01-21
Here and There
in the Legislature

Senate bills Nos. 81, 22 and %. have
been made special and continuing
order for Tuesday afternoons at 1880
O'Clock. These thrco bills prov lido for
tho establishment OF tho State high.
way system. Several days ago they
wcro reported by the Committee on
Roads favorably: and there Is no doubt
that any amendments to be suggested
if any, will he agreed to or withdrawn
after little discussion. And els very
likely that the bills will be passed in,
tho Senate Tuesday, removing this
State from the rear to the van OF road
building commonwealth. Many, IL not
all. the senators arc of opinion that
this road system marks tho most pro-
Srcssivc step taken by this State since
Colonial days. as it will invite people
and progress TO come through and not
60 around Virginia.
The two questions that seem TO he
engaging the attention of the members
OF tho General Assembly more than
any others, are the adoption of tho now
code and the election of the members
OF tho State Corporation Commission.
There is some doubt as to the passage
or both bills: but tho doubt is sltch,
as compared with trust that they will
both become Virginia laws soon. AS
10 the Code, very few, il any, Of tho
legislators fear anything in tho new
Code: but they are reluctant TO vote
for the passage of bin they could
not possibly acquaint themselves with
during the session.
There is considerable trcpidation in
the step OF some as they approach
placing the election of the Corpora
ton Commissioners in the hands Of the
people. One faction views the an
pointment OF the commissioners as n
political plum and contend for popular
election; the other faction insists that
the appointments SO far have been rca-
sonably satisfactory. and that the
popular election VIII only open up Il
new arena for politics. The bill is on
It's second reading, and. though yet in
its amendable state. will probably pass
| the Senate soon. The House has killed
the bill twice in the past after the
Senate had passed it by as few as two
dissenting votes. The bill appears to
havo it's best chance so far with the
House this session.
A rumor has crept out OF nowhere
| to the effect that the salaries of the
heads and employees of tho different
departments OF the State will! be de-
creased by this General Assembly.
! What ground there is for the report is
| difficult to determine. The salaries of
| the judges have been increased by $500
year; and all the departments nearly
Finance Committee.
Senate bill No. 60 provides for the
budget system OF making appropria-
tons for the various departments,
making the Governor. who shall ac-
quaint himself with the financial con-
ditions of the departments, the chief
budget agent, who shall present in
the form OF tentative bills the amounts
sought for the various departments.
! 1t is. of course, within the discretion
| OF the General Assembly 20 increase
or decrease the amount requested by
! the Governor for any department., bu.
reau or commission.
| In pursuance OF communications be-
tween the Governor of this State and
the acting Secretary of the Navy. Sena-
tor Rson, OF Pittsylvania County. has
/ as a matter of form presented a bill
| 20 the Senate providing for the con-
sent OF the Commonwealth to the ac-
! QUESTION Of various tracts Of land later
described by the United States for
! various naval purposes.
Among the tracts coded the Fedora,
I government is a parcel situated in
AieNandria County and containing three
acres. This land will be used as an
addition to the Naval Radio Station,
/ Radio. Va.
/ Another tract is 143 acres In Nor
! folk County, which will be used as
an addition TO the Naval Ammunition
/ Depot, st. Julicn's Creek
| The old site of the jamestown ES-
position and adjacent lands amounting
! TO Az acres. in Norfolk County, have
Z also been acquired for a naval operat-
Ing base.
The Temple farm. situated at York
! town. containing: 27a acres. has been
4 included in the acquisition of land for
/ war purposes
That quiet man who presidcs over
the meetings of the House Committee
on Counties. Cities and Towns is Il.
{. Buck He comes from WASHINGTON
I County. in the neishborhood Of Bris-
! toi. where lie is "A Clergyman OF the
Christian Church, and has two hobbies
! One is tho Catawba hospital for
! tnberculars. the other is providing.
! means through which worthy men in
/ penal institutions may be permitted to
| serve the nag. lie believes the Ca
! tawba Sanatorium one of the most
! deserving institutions of tho State
| because it is doing more to conserve
/ life through curbinG the ravages OF
! the white plague than any other
agency. OF the deserving men in
J penal institutions. lie says the love
| of country is Just q s strong and their
| hearts beat just as patriotically as Is
! the case with their less unfortunate
I brothers. He wants amnesty granted
| those men who arc deserving and do