The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-01-25

tho last session Of the Real Estate Con-
vention, Thursday evening, which was
adopted by practically unanimous vote:
"Inasmuch as this is free country,
and to tho end Of perpetrating this free
dom in its most perfect sense; be it
Resolved, That this convention
fayors the abolition of the present sys-
tenn of taxation upon transfers of real
estate, and in registering our dis
approval give as our reason that the
present law is relic Of an English law,
framed in tho especial interest OF landed
aristocracy, and intended to discourage
the transfer of real estate"
Dir. Cannon, of Bristol, Va, also
offered the following resolution on tho
subject OF taxation, which prevailed
"Whereas, Tho real estate agents
have been and are one Of the prime fac
tors in tho development of our great
State, and have done moro than any
other class of men to acquaint the world
with her wonderful resources, and have
contributed more literally than all
others to this purpose, and
Whereas, The State docs impose
upon them an income tax which it does
not place uppn tho lawyer, doctor,
journalist, architect, or any other pro-
iOoSlOis MalCn DuTQcuSOUlC III amount
and lowed in such u manner rs to place
a premium upon dishonesty; therefore
Oe it.
"Resolved, That the convention ap-
ppoint committee of five who shall at
the next session OF tic legislature pre-
sent to that body IL pt tition asking for
tho repeal of said tax
"Rcsolvod, That'we will, each of us,
use all tho means within our power 10
secure tho cooperation of our lcgisia-
tors in our various districts to this end"
Tho tax upon real estate transfers
of which DIR. Parsons strongly advocated
repeal in the convention is as follows:
On deeds on which tho amount of the
transfer is over 500 and not more than
5000, the tax is so cents.
On deeds in which tho amount of tho
transfer is in eXcoss of $500 and not over
$1,000 tho tax is 81.
On dcods showing the consideration
OF the transfer to be more than 81 900
the tax is ten cents on the hundred.
For instance a decd representing an
$1,000 transfer would be required to
pay into the State treasury Sl.S0.
The State taxes on deeds Of trust are
the same as on transfers, and ali deeds
OF release arc taxed fifty cents. Besides
these State taxes the clerk is entitled
to certain fees.
On deeds of bargain and sale the
clerks fee Sl.35 for deeds of ordinary
length (thati is, two pages), and for deeds
OF moro than ordinary length there is
an extra charge of twenty-five cents.
The clerk receives sixty cents for re-
cording deeds OF trust and Sl25 for
deeds of release.
So that. with clerks fee and State tax.
upcQS n bnrtnr nj In IN tnvoI
or, If larger than two pages. 81.
The tax of one-fourth of one per cent.
on thc gross sales OF all real estate men,
and collected every quarter, is tho tax
that Is most obnoxious. This permits
the ''curbstonc Dealers" who NAV go
into the business when it is good and go
out again when lots are not in demand,
To mako an unfair competition.
bill was introduced in the last lcgis-
lature by W. i. Dupuy; then of Farm
Vile, but now of the firm of Dupuy *
Taliafcrro. for the repeal of this tax,
but the bill was never reported to the
house from tho committee on finance, to
which it had been referred.
MIR. Dupuy told q TINES reporter yes
terday that he introduced tho bill, but
when he ascertaincd that the finance
committee intended to report it back adj
to report it at all, as this might have
an unfavorable bearing on it when it
should be introduced in the next legis-
lature. as it will undoubtedly be. Mr..
Dupuy appeared before the committee
thrce or four times to argue in favor OF
the bill.
Jno. W Woods, of this city, who was
in the Legislature at the time. said the
law was one of long standing, though
it had not al all times been enforced.
l!o was of the impression that it had
been introduced by Mr.. Saunders, OF
Franklin.
He said the tax was collected quar-
terly in order to prevent the ray
ment of licensed taxes in coupons.
Mr.. Woods said it only encour-
aged lying, and said he knew of in
stances whore real estate men had told
their clients that their sales were OF
such amount, but when the collector OF
revenue asked about it they put the
figures much lover.
The Ncw Secretary.
NJ. Charles S. Krch, of Frederick.
Md, has entered upon his duties as