Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-03-05

ton Of the debt, which he thought very
desirable.
The Houre refused to discharge the
committee.
HOUSE VENTILATION.
Mr. Stuart (Mr. Darst in the chair
offered the following, which was agreed
to:
Resolrcd. That the Committee on Public
| Property be- and they are hereby, Instructed
| 10 inouire into the expedency OF opening
the fifeplaces In the hall or the rouse OF
| Delegates. or n part thereof ana u deemed
expedent then they shall order tne Sup ,h =
| intendent OF Public Buildings 10 cause the
| same to he opened at once.
THE TAX BILL.
Mr.. Stuart move to suspend the rules
and take up the general tax bill report
ed from the Senate. Agreed to.
MUTUAL BENEFIT SOCIETIES.
Mr.. Echols moved to strike out the
tax on assessments made by beneficial
societies to pay death claims. Agreed
to.
PEDDLERS.
Mr.. Ryan moved that the tax on ped
dlers be increased from $50 to 800 in
each county when they travel on foot.
Mr.. Mallory said he was in favor Of
increasing tie number of peddlers in
stead of virtually prohibiting them, as
this amendment would do.
Mr.. Starke said it was better to have
the country merchants always at hand
with the comforts and necessities Of
life rather than have peddlers to break
up these merchants and the people be
compelled to wait for their visits.
The House agreed to increase the
tax-ayes, 80 /; noes, 2G.
Mr.. Ryan then moved to increase the
tax on peddlerS in wagons from $50
to 5000.
Mr.. Buchanan said that there was no
reason for such heavy taxes on peddlers.
Why destroy these little men aiming
to make an honest living? he said. He
knew of some Of the wealthiest men in
the mountain counties who laid the
foundation of their fortunes by peddling
packs carried on their backs.
Mr.. Mayo claimed that the peddlers
interfered with the merchants, and that
they sold more goods than four fifths of
the small merchants, and all the money
the took in was in most cases carried
out Of the State.
The amendment was rejected.
NEWsPAPER-CLUB AGENTS.
Mr.. Thorne moved to exempt from
taxation those people who may get up
clubs for agricultural newspapers and
magazines. Agreed to.
SKATING-RINKS.
Mr.. Darst moved to tax skating
Kinks as follows $40 per three months
in cities Of 10000 and upwards; $3.50
in cities of 1000 and up to 10000,
and IS in all others. Agreed to.
LAND AGENTS.
Mr.. Terry offered an amendment
providing that any land agent desiring
to sell in one county only shall pay a
license of $50 and one quarter of per
cent. Rejected-ayes, 25; noes, 2N.
WHO Is NOTA PEDDLER.
Mr.. Waddll offered the following
amendment
Provided that no person shall he deemed
peddler who peddles what he raises or
manufactures himself or is raised or manu-
factuTed in his county.
Mr.. Waddill claimed that without his
amendment all county rasers of vegeta.
bles would be deemed peddlers.
Mr.. Bolen said that the bill as now
worded was not different from the Law
now on the statute-books, and the
farmer had never been counted a peddler
when he went to sell his cabbage.
Mr.. Hay said that Mr.. Waddill was
the first person who had ever construed
the law as applicable to these country
people.
The amendment was rejected.
The bill was then ordered to its en-
grossment.
Mr.. Hay moved to reconsider in or
der to supply certain omissions neces-
sary to perfect the bill. Agreed to.
The amendments were offered, agreed
to, and the bill then ordered to its en-
grossment.
OYSTER LAW.
Senate Bill No. 800, known as the
"oyster BILL" came up as the special
order.
Mr.. Shields moved to pass the bill
by indefinitely. He said that it was
impossible for the House now in the
hurry Of this closing session to under
stand its provisions. 1t might be a
good bill or it might be bad bill. No
copy of the bill is in the hands of the
Clerk, it being in the printers hands.
Mr.. Bohannan moved to postpone the
bill until 1 o'clock.
Mr.. Wise moved to amend by post
poning until to-day at - o'clock.
The Speaker ruled that as the bill
had not been returned from the printer
it must necessarily be postponed until
it is returned.
INVESTIGATION.
Mr.. McCandlish offered the following
resolution:
ResOiced, That the Committee on Roads
and Internal Navigation be, aud are hereby.
directed to lay before this House any and
all testimony taken before said committee
in connection with former resolution OF
this House asking for an Investigation OF
the Virginia and Carolina railroad.
The resolution was referred.
LIBRARY BUILDING.
The following Senate joint resolution
was passed:
Resoired That the special com mittee ap-
pointed TO consider the subject Of providing
"a building for a library and public offices
be continued, with authority to report at
the next session OF the General Assembly:
Provided that no expense shall be entailed