Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-02-15

collection and settlement Of certain taxes
and levies.
Adjourned at $50
House OF Delegates.
The House met at IL oclock-Speaker
Cardwell in the chair. No prayer.
BUBKEvILLE JUNCTION.
A resolution was offered by Mr.. Dupuy
instructing the Committee on Roads and
Internal Navigation to inquire into the
matter of connections between the Nor
folk and Western and Richmond and
Danville railroads at Burkeyille. Re
ferred.
HOLIDAY.
Five days leave of absence was grant
ed Mr.. Moore, of Tazewell.
INTRODUCED AND REFERRED.
BY Mr. Scott: To protect farmers
against spurious fertilizers.
BY Mr.. Daingerfield TO amend the
law in regard to the preservation of oys-
ters.
BY Mr. Ash To regulate the appoint
ment Of teachers in certain cases in the
pubic ScuOOib VI iuo Oldlc.
SENATE BILLS PASSED.
To amend the charter of the South
Atlantic Railroad Committee.
10 incorporate the PocahOntas Tow
ing and Transportation Company.
FIRE COMMISSIONERS.
The bill to amend the charter OF the
city of Richmond commonly called the
fire commissioners bill was taken mp
and passed without discussion.
MIR. Buford communicated its pas
sage to the Senate.
STATE COMMERCE BILL.
The bill to regulate commerce IN the
State came NJ at II o'clock as the special
order and was extensively discussed by
Messrs. Dabney of Albemarle and
Martin of Norfolk county.
The question was on agreeing TO the
amendment of Mr.. Hay, striking out
that provision OF the bill proposing to
make the "railroads " pay the expenses
of the commission. Mr.. Hay thought
that this would be declared unconstitu-
tional, and that thus the whole law
would be defeated.
Mr.. Pollard stated that there were
three reasons why he should support the
amendment OF Mr.. Hay, first, because
he believed that to impose the expenses
OF the commission on the railroads would
be to violate the Constitution, which pro-
yided that taxation should be uniform;
second. because it would be unjust to
the railroads to saddle them with this
heavy expense against the spirit if not
against the letter of the Constitution;
and third, because when it becomes
known that the railroads are paying the
salaries of the commissioners they will
be looked upon by the people as the
mere agents OF the railroads, and all con-
fidence in the commission will be de-
stroyed.
Mr. Daingerfeld opposed the amend
ment of the member from Madison and
contended that the right OF eminent do
main gave to the Legislature the power
to require railroads to pay the expenses
Of the commission as proposed by the
bill, as this was in furtherance of agri-
culture. He showed that by our pilot
laws We tax vessels, which tax is only
justified by the interest of commerce.
The pending question was then called
and the amendment was defeated.
Mr.. Waddill asserted that the bill was
being made absurd, and he moved to
strike out the enacting clause. Lost
ayes, 3; noes, 81.
Mr.. Allensworth offered a resolution
at this point TO limit speeches to ten
minutes on the bill and to prevent mem
bers speaking more than once. Lost.
Messrs Cardwell (Mr. Ryan in the
chair and Buford spoke on the bill.
Mr.. Tinsley moved to recommit.
Lost.
Mr.. Dabney moved to strike ont the
words common carrier" in the first
section of the bill and insert "railroad
company engaged as common carrier
also, to so amend as to except express,
car, and parlor-car companies,
and all persons engaged in the transport
tation of freight by rail from the pro-
visions of the bill.
Mr.. Dabney argued that this amend
ment would meet many objections and
would simplify the bill, but yet leave it
in form to be of valuable service to
the people. The great complaint is
against the railroads. There Is not so
much against the express and sleeping
car companies. For the sake of clear
ness and to avoid number of legal OBJ
jectiens chat as to uniformity and
equality of taxation included) hethought
his amendment advisable.
The amendment was agreed to.
Dir. Figgat desired to offer as a substi-
tute for Mr.. Dabney's amendment an
to the bill providing that
the tax by which the commission is to
be supported shall be levied on railroads
and all other corporations and persons
subject TO the law-his purpose being to
make the apportionment of taxation for
this purpose bear equally upon the rail
roads, the express companies, the sleep
ing-c companies, &c.
The Chair (Mr. Ryan, ruled that the
amendment Of Mr.. Hay having been
adopted it was not in order to offe7 there
for a substitute.
Mr. Figgat's contention was that the
express companies practice discrimna-
tion 10 very great extent, especially rs
against places where little OF such busi.
ness is done, and that the House would
greatly err in allowing them to escape
from the provisions Of this act
Mr.. Starke was preparing an amend
nent when the chair was vacated until 4.
Afternoon sesston.
The Chair was resumed by Speaker
Cardwell at Z. NJ.
Mr. WaddiLl Of Hanrico unr,tad 10