The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-02-25
HOUSE OF DELEGATES.
Mr.. WithrOw, Charges That Finance
Committee was Packed Against Him


Committee was Packed A gainst Him
There was no prayer when Speaker
Ryan called the House to order at IL
o'clock The general appropriation bill
was set for that hour but the printed
copies of the bill were then only distrib-
uted.
Mr. Withrow, Of Bath. called the at
tentiOn of the House TO the injustice Of
rushing the bill through in that manner.
as long as the members were not in pos
session of the bill. He thought they should
be given an opportunity 10 inform them
selves as 10 It's provisions and he. there
fore. moved that the bill be passed by
for one day.
Mr.. Cooke, OF Norfolk. moved as an
amendment that the bill be postponed
until o'clock. and the amendment pre-
vailed.
On motion OF Captain Parks, OF Page, |
Senate bill No. $40 was taken up out OF
its order which allows the Richmond
and Petersburg and the Petersburg rail-
roads to consolidate and to accept the
name of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad
Company.
The bill had been up a few days ago,
when an amendment was offered providing
that the company. which was willing to
give up its exemption from paying state
taxes and to pay into the State treasury
the sum of $4,000 should also pay taxes 10
the county of Chesterfield. The amend
ment was agreed TO and the bill was then
dismissed on motion of Captain Parks.
Mr. Wood. Of Chesterfield. again offer
ed the same amendment and stated shat
the tax to be paid to Chesterfield county
d.. ,ft Of Ns4nrhaefar " ~
while the State tax only amounted TO
5000.
HE CHANGED HIS MIND.
Judge Watkins, of Prince Edward who
on the previous occasion was in favor
Of the amendment. opposed IT this time
| saying that he felt convinced that the
railroad company was not blufiing and
could not accept the amendment.
Mr.. owen. OF Manchester, earnestly
spoke I'm favor OF the amendment. which
was opposed by Mr.. Willard. Of Fair
fax.
Mr.. Wallace, of this city. opposed an
amendment under which the railroad
company shall be exempt from taxation
for ten years. until January 1, 1905
Mr.. Willard opposed botn amendments,
and said the opposition TO the bin was
| a dog in the manger business and he
| said he did not think 1t was right 10
| prevent the state from getting the money
| offered IT,
Mr.. Wallace wanted TO know whether the
| company was willing to accept the amend
ment offered by him and Mr.. Parks replied
that he was authorized TO state that
| the company would only accept the bill
| as it was before the House and that the
| least change would be followed by
| motion to dismiss the bill
| fp q1oniffguf epfFCn
advocated the acceptance OF the amend
ment and he finally withdrew his amend
ment. so that the vote might be taken
| directly on the amendment offered by
! the gentleman from Chesterfield.
| Mr. Reddy OF this city. who also spoke
| in favor of the amendment. said he had
1 been informed that by the consolidation
! the company would save the sum Of $4,000
annually and on the other hand IL hac
| been stated that the company was will
| ing to pay to the State 5000 or 5000
year, as some said. This was something
| which he could not understand and as
| long as this mystery was not explained TO
| him he would vote for the amendment.
| Mr.. Switzer. OF Rockingham, also spoke
| in favor of the amendment. and said IT
| was Just and right for Chesterfield county
to make this demand.
| Mr. Hicks. Of Roanoke. spoke against
| the amendment, and he was followed
| by Mr. Withrow. OF Bath who said that
| after looking over the appropriation bill
| and noticing the retrenchment introduced
there. he thought the General Assembly
| should accept the money Oncred the state
| by this company.
\ HIGH POLICY.
Or. Quesenberry of Caroline, said this
was not question OF dollars and cents
4 49,.
been granted exemption from taxation TO
encourage railroad enterprise. but sine,
| then the policy had been changed ana
the State should not De placed in the
| position TO make a bargain with a cor
| poration. II the company did not want
| the passage Of the bill very badly they
| would not have come back the next day
| after the bill had been defeated with the
| very same measure.
| Mr.. Parker, of Southampton, said the
| company did not come to the General
| Assembly in a spirit of dictatioE. but Il
| was merely a business proposition made
! in the bill and he saw no reason why
| the measure should not pass In its origi-
| nal form.
| Mr. Craig of Rockbridge. said he con-
| sidered the bill a business proposition
| which would not have been made uniess II
| was of value 10 the railroad company.
| He felt convinced that any member OF
| the House would insist on the payment OF
| county taxes If the railroad was running
| through their respective counties. The
| company did not only ask for consolida-
| ton. but also for the privilege OF increas-
1 ing its capital stock two million dollars.
| The pending question was then ordered
| on motion of Mr. Mann, OF Petersburg
| and the amendment was defeated by a
| vote of 90 TO %.
| The vote was as follows:
! Yeas--Messrs Bauserman, George G..
| Bland. Caldwell. Burlington. Chaplin.
| Craig Digs Early, Featherston, Fitz-
patrick. Folkes. Garrett. Garrett. Goad.
| Hale. Upton ID. Jennings. Jordan. Love-
lace. Matthews Murphy. owen. Palmer.
/ Reddy Saunders. Savers. Stoner. Swift
| GER Wallace. G.. Harding Walker. Silas
| H. Walker. Watson. Wharton. WOODS.
Nays-Messrs. Allen. Anderson. Barley,