The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-01-31

f Mr.. POPHAM Sala iBhts LIZ -. I,ooo,,.o
offered from the Readl usters PLY 1e saa5,
nobody on the other side was io .l i.''us
md willing TO do IL - ,,.o, =, 100
Mr.. HANGER insisted +lhat baa 20. =, ,, uos
less MS unprecedented to pring up 'nv Hn a,.o
ton in this way..T-I gouiu cois up pr
perly in the bill about TO DC con h.t;.,,.a No
Mr.. KEYsER withdrew DIS suos.isu.e. ~ ne
said he did so at the urgent request u sen--
tlemen around him. .s.u,.,o, ,,ro
.nared and ntfered the following substitute
for Mr.. HARRIsoN's resolution ~
Resolued. That II, inter ascertaining the
exact amount OF the State debt, the reYe-,
,nues or the state under the present tax
bIll are insufficient, then the taxes on pro,
:pertv. or on other subjects, should De raisea
to nm amount sufficient to meet our ilaDlll-
ties.
Mr.. BoHAsSoN said Mr.. HARRIsoN's resolu-
ton was in Keeping with the tactics OF the
Readiusters. whether intended so or not, II
would have the effect Of decelYlng the pup
lie mind, while il practically means no ,.
thing, and the gentleman who oners IL
hopes it will be voted down. Inc gentle-
man knew that It would not receive many
votes, for the large majority on this moor
were elected by the Conservative party, ana
that party at the last Convention had
declared in its platform it was lneXpedlent
to raise taxation. So that whatever might
be the personal feelings OF gentlemen on
this floor they would feel compelled TO az
here to the platform upon which they
were elected. Mr.. BoHANN0N said that IN
five years. service this was the hrst tlme
he had spoken on the debt question, ana
regretted now the necessity OF saying any
thing. But the extraordinary course at
tempted to be pursued in this matter re-
ouired some remonstrance. He had nothing
to say about the funding bill except that we
cannot change our minds to the prejudice
OF vested rights; nor would he vote to Ylo-
late that contract. He was for adjustment;
not for readiustment; and would be giaa
OF an adjustment in the only practical way
with the assent of the creditors.
THE TAX-BILL.
Mr.. PopHAM had the floor at o'clock,
when the SPEAKERS gavel fell, announcing
the snecial order-the taX-bill.
Mr.. BARBOUR. chairman of the Finance
Committee (who has just returned to the
CITY from the sick-bcd Of his motherl, ex-
planned that it bad been arranged in his abb
sence that the gentleman from Rockingham
(Nfr. MoFFETT) should lead off in the debate.
He learned that Mr.. MoFFETT was ind:-
posed to-day. He thought it likely some
other gentlemen might desire to proceed.
No one claimed the floor.
Upon motion Of Mr.. MCMILLAN, who re-
iterated the statement about Mr. M0FFE7T's
indispostion. it-appearing that no one else
desired to speak to the bill, the special order
was postponed until tomorrow.
s,... PARIS EXPOSITION.
The resolution appropriating 81 900 for
at Paris came up.
Mr.. FICKLEN arose at the request OF Mr..
HARvIE 1.-THE chairman of the Committee on
Agriculture and Mining, from which it was
reported) to say that upon reconsideration
they had come to the conclusion that the
State was unable to make the appropriation.
He moved that the resolution be dismissed.
Agreed to.
THE RAILROAD COMMISSIONER.
House bill "to repeal an act entitled an
act to create Railroad Commissioner for
the State OF Virginia." approved March 81,
1877, reported from the Committee on Roads
adversely, came up.
Mr.. Lacy moved to dismiss the bill.
Mr.. STEVENS hoped that the bill would be
passed and the office abolished. Such was
the almost unanimous desire OF his cOnstitti-
ents. He argued that the office was use
less one, and that the railroad companies
had consented to the payment OF the eN-
penses OF the Commissioner only under
protest. He had no doubt the money so
paid would be eventually recovered by
them from the State. If the office is neccs-
sary, as does not appear, the expenses
el,o ha hnrpp nv the whnIn rnnnln mot
by the railroads entirely.
Mr.. POPHAM, chairman OF the Committee
on Roads, supported the motion of Mr..
LACY, though at the beginning Of the ses-
sion he had thought that the Office might
be abolished without public calamity.
Mr.. HARvIE was opposed to breaking up
the Bureau, but would improve it; make it
more useful. at present each railroad is q
law unto itself, and some restraint upon
them is needed. Mr.. HARvIE believed that
there were men in the State more familiar
with railroad matters than the present head
of the Bureau; but. taking him all-in-all,
he thought him the best man that could
have been obtained, as he was intelligent,
high in character, and far above office-seek-
ing. Mr.. HAEvIE believed that before the
end of the session they would be able to dou-
BILE the efficiency OF the office, and so make
it of great value to the people.
Mr.. GRAVES moved to postpone the bill
until the 18th of February, by which time
the House would probably have report
from the special Railroad Committee, OF
which Mr.. HARvIE is member.
Mr.. STEVENS expressed the hope that
there would be no postponemcDt. He read
from the Commissioners report items Of
the expenses of his Office, including eX-
pressage paid on books for the office OBJ
tanned. in Boston, Springfield, and Michi-
gan. while the amount Of stationery pur-
chased in this city was $40 worth from
Randolph IL English. MIR. STEVENS OBJ
jected to the Commissioner thus going
abroad to other States for books for his
office. .... ...
Mr.. FAuNTLERoY advocated postpone
ment, so that there might be fuller investi-
CATION as to the utility and cost OF the office,
and particularly to find il the cost will
eventually fall upon the State.
Mr.. BoCOcK thought if the duties OF the
Office were properly performed it would do
q great deal of good. When the railroads
knew that violations OF the law would be
promptly inquired into and reported by an
authoritative officer they would be more
particular. The question is whether the
Office Is necessary; it does not touch the
incumbent. At the same time he was free
to express his admiration for Colonel Car
ter. Colonel Carter, he said, had sent for his
books where such books could be best got :
to States where they had railroad commits
sioners. He sent to those States where the
books could be had already prepared. We
had had no experience withsuch an Office.
E[ From Colonel Carter's report, it is very
likely that the books in question were not