The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-01-26

AZ the time your committee were 'ne'
the company was making ten .v"' 10.
zinc per day, which WAS worth 81"
ton. 40,
Pitisyyania reported nothing In lo'l'
I'm 1892. and nothing In 1893. Large pu"n
ties or barytcs and iron ore are 80,
constantly mined and shipped from ''''0
county.
Russell county reported in 1891 sl'oh III
1882 nothing, and in 1893 nothing. Baryt.
is being shipped constantly from TINS
county, and has been for the past i've
or six years.
Roanoke county reported nothing In 1871,
nothing In 1892. and nothing in 1898 IL
is known to your committee that large
amounts OF iron ore used In Roanoke
furnaces were mined In Roanoke county.
Smyth county reported nothing in either
of.thc three years named. In this county
are located extensive salt works, which
have been sold recently for hundreds or
thousands of dollars
Tazewell reported nothing In 1891, moth
ing In 1899. and for 1893 the property books
have not been received. The coal from
the Pocahontas mines Is shipped from this
county. These mines supply coal to the
great Norfolk and Western system and
also ocean steamers
Wise county reported nothing In 1871
SIS in 1892. and nothing In 1898. III IS per
fectly well known to the committee 'i,a1
coal has been mined in this county for
about three wears. The furnace at BIG
gtone Gan is supplied with coal from
mines in this county. o. .-,o i.
Wvthe county reported in 1891 $40 IN
1892 ST ,52j, and IN 1888 S0V5''
Wan at .nxn i"n
7, some Of the counties OF this state
ov.,ng ,our committee believes. IN part
IL not entirely. 70 the want OF pioPe.
taxation. the school warrants are ~.
paid promptly, much to the detrimeht oi
the school system. L..
The committee has had an arduous
task 10 perform and has diligently prose
cuted It's work, believing that nothlhs
has eyer come before the Legislature OF
Virginia Of more importance, or "hich
Will he productive Of more good.
Your committee has not relied en-
tirely upon the testimony OF others,
but has made its own personal
examinations Of the subject. and
these examinations have revealed facts
which prove that the system OF
taxation has been wrong; that those
I'm many instances, who are most able
TO pay and have the largest possession
out OF which 10 draw wealth, or from
which they do draw wealth. have borne
but a small part OF the tributes demand
ed by the state.
The Just and wise theory Of our law
Is that taxation should be uniform ana
equal and that no class Of our citizens
should in any way be exempt. All must
share the burdens Of taxation IN pro-
portion TO the value Of property possess
ed. We cannot say That this is the
chic non ffa..4f
Virginia is not "A poor stat, and yet
we constantly hear complaints from one
class of our citizens that taxation is
grievous burden and their payment
hardship. This class never escapes the
tax collector. It's complaint often IS Juss'
and the chief end which your committee
have had i'm view is 10 discover as far as
they could the evil and offer some remedy
therefor.
The Commonwealth has steadily in
creasing demands her asylums Tor the
unfortunates have TO be maintained, and
are. as population increases growing
more expensive each year-and the same
may be said Of our prisons; the old
Confederate soldier has TO be supported
and cared for. the criminal expenses
since the decision IN the Miller case,
have necessarily increased; the interest
on the public debt has 10 be met; our
free schools ana colleges-the greatest
blessing in this age Of progress-haye
to be fostered, and here is also a heavy
expense each year.
Therefore, we cannot impress too ur-
gently upon the General Assembly the
great importance Of this subject-not that
we have any fears that the State. under
wise legislation. will not be able to meet
these demands. but because We know
"a. l,..
be uniform and equal. should be carried
out. This is but justice to all the people
of the State. If the evil has been dis
covered. or even partly discovered, and
a remedy is fairly and impartially APP
piled. with no injustice 10 any one. the
ultimate result will be that there will
be ample revenues i'm the Treasury 20
meet all demands and a decrease Of the
burdens Of some Of our people.
We have reached the following con-
illusions:
/. Taxation upon real estate in Vir-
ginia is not equal and uniform.
.. Lands used for agricultural pur-
poses are assessed far above lands con-
tanning minerals. and the burden Of taxa
tion is thus unfairly placed upon the
farmers.
8. Lands containing minerals-both de-
far below their value.
4. BY reason of the unequal assess
ments throughout the State the Com
monwealth has lost an untold amount
Of revenue.
D. Failure to express the true considera-
ton in deeds conveying property has
also deprived the Commonwealth Of her
just dues.
g. We believe If taxation upon real
estate be fair and equal the State Wilt
be able to meet promptly all her demands
and perfect her free-school system and
reduce the rate Of taxation.
Bills relating to the subject will here
after be introduced
Respectfully submitted.
A. F. Withrow, w. a. Fentress. John
T.. Mason, II. /. Anderson. NJ. +. Jack
son. on the part OF the House OF Dele
gates Henry Fairfax Conway r. Sands,
G. a. Mushbach, on part Of Senate.
COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
The Health. Wat T, and second Market