The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-01-19
BOIRD or ASSESSORS
or Property Of Express. Telegraph and
TeIephone Companies.

a called meeting yesterday "it'i HUN III
Room No. 1 on the upper noor OF the
Capitol building with Mr.. Merritt 1.
Cooke. of Norfolk. in the chair. The
meeting had been called for the purpose
OF taking into consideration Mr. Saund-
ers bin providing for the systematic tax
atom OF the property of express. telegraph
and telephone companies by q board Oh
appraisers and assessors.
Major Robert stiles. who was present
as attorney for the Western Union Tele-
graph Company. stated that he was ready
10 pay the fee prescribed for counsel APP
pearing before committees Of the General
Assembly. but he had not done so before
because he did not know whom 10 make
the check payable to- lie moved that the
consideration of the bill go over in order
TO enable the general superintendent OF
his company 20 appear before the COM
mittee That gentleman had started from
New York but he had been delayed in
order 10 attend the annual meeting of an
other company. Of which he was the vice
president. its president not being present.
He could assure the committee however.
that Mr.. Mercdieu. the general superin-
tendent, would be present at any time the
chairman saw M 10 call the committee.
In reply TO Major Stiles, Mr.. +. w.
Saunders. the patron Of the bill, stated
that this was one Of the earliest bills in
troduced I'm the House. IL had been print
ed i'm the Richmond papers before Christ
mas. Since the end OF the recess he had
been trying 10 obtain hearing on the
bill before the committee. IL had been
postponed twice. and one half Of the ses-
sion had already passed by. His bill in
tended 10 arrive at the value OF the prop
erty OF these companies. IL was not
new measure, and was familiar 10 the
gentlemen present and there could be no
question as to the constituionalty OF the
proposed bill The object of the measure
was merely 10 arrive at the value Of the
property that was taxable under the gen.
eral tax law of Virginia, and this had
been declared by the Supreme Court Of
the United States 70 be within the power
OF the state.
WAS DETAINED or THE WAY.
Major stiles said IL hadnot been negli-
gence on his part. for the general super
intendent Of his company had started for
Richmond to appear before the committee
but had been intercepted on his way,
while az Philadelphia.
Hon. John b. Moon. OF Charlottesville
a former member Of the House, stated
that he represented the American Long
Distance Telephone Company, and Mr.. \.
L. Thorn. of Norfolk, introduced himself
as the representative of General Meany,
the president Of that company. The
Adams Express Company was not repre-
scented.
Chairman Cooke called attention 10 the
fact that the consideration Of the bill had
been postponed several times. and on
motion OF Mr.. Boaz. OF Albemarle, tho
committee decided 10 go on with the in
vestigation.
II was then stated that the committee
had decided 20 allow each side two hours
to prevent their case and Mr.. Thorn sug-
gested that this time might not be sufli-
Gent TO fully explain the views OF the
opponents OF the bill. but no further ac-
ton was taken in regard 10 that matter.
Mr. Thorn then stated that at the last
meeting OF tho committee the consdera-
ton Of the bill had been postponed at
his request. lie was az the time engaged
in taking dispositions in New York TO be
used in court proceedings in NoroIk,
but i'm order 10 appear before the commit
tee at this time he had the court proceed
ings postponed. He was ready 10 go on
with the consideration Of the bin in con-
tinuous session. but the measure was so
than two hours for his side TO explain
why the bill should not pass.
After a brief consultation between Mr..
Thorn. Mr.. Clarence Young, who was also
present in the interest Of the American
Long Distance Telephone Company, and
Mr.. Saunders Il was decided at the sug-
gestion Of the last named gentleman,
which was by Mr.. willard OF Fairfax
embodied In a motion. TO take up tho
consideration OF the bill and 20 continue
the same subsequently until Thursday
afternoon. when IL is 10 be completed.
MIR. SAUNDERS EXPLAINS.
Mr. Saunders stated that he had been
working on the line Of the bill before the
Ohio statute had been passed. Later the
conflict was between the right OF the
State 10 tax what might be called the
localized estate OF foreign companies and
the right OF these companies doing bust
ness under the Interstate law. Tho next
question to settle was how 70 arrive al
tn value OF this localized estate. To-day
the Pullman Company's property could
be reached by law I'm this State for taxa
ton. the law having been passed at his
instance four years ago. The question 10
be ~ nsiderel as whether there was any
intangible property OF these railroad COM
panies.
In Ohio. under the new law, the value
OF the Adams Express Company was
given at SIC 10000 i'm bonds. while the
value Of the real estate in that State
was only estimated at $4,000 and that OF
the personal estate at 1000, while the
value Of the entire property OF that COM
pany i'm the various States up TO that
time had been given at 100000. Tine
object Of the bill was 10 take the Ohio
law and assimiate II into legislation for
this State so as TO get at the
tangible value of the property OF
the company. We only intend 10
secure the benefit OF that which the
Supreme Court of the United States had
declared to be constitutional.
Mr.. John Is. Moon Of Albemarle. said
he would not go into the legal argument
but would compare the bill with the laws
already on the statute books to see
whether II was fair. In his opinion II was
class legislation, which singled out three
classes OF companies from all the rest
and compelled them 10 open all their pri-
vate books and papers and make them
public before the board of appraisers and
assessors. The fact that the Legislature
had the power to impose such burdens
did not make It right to do 50 The