Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1900-03-15
THE GOVERNOR TALKS
On the Matter of the Commissioners of
Valuations Bill.
Richmond Times.l

Richmond Times.
The Governor last night gave out the
following interview
81 cannot see wherein | can be justly
censured for having signed at once the
bill for the appointment of commission
ers of valuation The constitution vests
in the governor the right OF veto, but
allows the Legislature, by a twO'thlrds
vote of both branches, to pass the law
despite his objections. All laws that
come to the governor within five days
before tho adjournment Of the legislature
he is able to defeat 10y Withholding his
signature, even though the Legislature be
unanimously in favor of its passage.
Therefore, this is power that the gov
ernor should be slow to exercise.
"Many members were beseeching me
not to overlook their bills. felt that
as no opportunity could be given TO pass
measures over my veto, that it was my
duty to afhx MY signature to ali meas
ures unless they were clearly unconsti-
tutional, or it was admitted that great
WRONG would be done. If 4 had con-
scented to hear arguments, pro and con,
on measures, it would have resulted in
holding the legislature here almost in
definitely, or to have let many bills die
in nv hands. To accommodate all as fan
as lssible, and in order to let all bills
become laws, agreed to work and ex-
anime bills as fast as possible, and 1t
was decided ! could get through by
Tuesday night, so the legislature on Sat
urday stopped receiving bills except by
unanimous consent.
"On Monday morning objections were
raised against the bill, and my Office was
tiled with gentlemen desiring to be
heard. begging me to defeat the bill, and
in the midst of the confusion Senator
Glass appeared with petition signed by
twenty-five Senators requesting the de-
feat of tie measure. Some friends Of
the bill appeared and said the House
would almost unanimously petition not
to let the bill die, and thus it was. At
ter consideration first intended to
hold the bill to hear ohjections] l de-
cided that the best and fairtst course for
me TO pursue was to sign the bill at once
and make it law, and let the legislature
repeal it, if it thought best, as no repeal
bill could be introduced until after it had
been signed. Both Houses were in ses-
sion, and could have remained as long as
they desired, and if any great wrong had
been done it would have been their duty
to have remained and repealed the law.
If | had held it till Tuesday evening,
hearing Arguments, and then have sign
ed it, | might have done an injustice; for
the legislature would not then have bad
an opportunity to have repealed 1t. As
10 the alignment that they were acting
under rule that no new legislation could
he passed except by unanimous consent,
this is very ftllacious position.
majority of the Senators could have re.
scinded the rule. In fact few moments
afterwards new measure creating
police officer at the jefferson Hotel was
introduced and passed, and it is als'
true that unanimous consent was given
to introduce bill to repeal this meas
ure, and they tried and failed. If the
legislature let's a measure pass through,
that should not have passed. l cannot
see why The odium should be placed
upon the governor ! have no DISPOSE
ton to discuss the merits Of the bill, nor
is there any necessity for it.
off had not approved of it, would
not have signed it, for have not gotten
to that point where | consider myself
wiser than the whole legislature. The
bill, as l understand it, proposes to get
at property that has heretofore kept it.
self hidden, and pays no tax, and make
it bear its just proportion OF burden. The
people who pay their taxes ought not to
complain at such a measure. As to lis
being inquisitorial, this may be so, and
so are all tax laws. They are necessa-
rily so. As understand it, the questions
are the same that are prOpounded by the
Commissioner of the Revenue now, and
everybody, those effected by this bill and
all others, have to sub nit to inquiries OF
a far more inquistorial nature than
those of this bill. For instance, if you
have pictures hanging On the wall, they
have to be given in, or if the boys own |
fishing net or have pair Of goats, or
if saw or Ratchet is used for repairs |
about tie place, or you have an old
watch, Or if your wife has harp, or a
little piece Of jewelry or little silver
plate, all have to be given in, and then
the same questions about your income,
and capital invested in business, etc,
are propounded to the ordinary citizen,
anu IL Is all h6pI Otl iCCOlA uO wv WIN
Office. As l have said, | do not feel
called upon to discuss the merits or de-
merits of the bill. Other States have
the same law, and it is reported as work
ing well, and perhaps 1t will prove best
for us to have experimental with it. l
do not see that this is more Objectionable
than other laws, but if the bill had OBJ
ections it ought to have been defeated
by the members voting against it, and
not after days and weeks Of discussion to
nave passed it, and then petition the
governor to defeat what they passed. l
,hink it was hardly fair in Senators to
BASS law and then petition the governor
o defeat IL, and if he did not desire to
10 SO, or could not see his way clear to {
10 so if he so desired, to hold him up &
or criticism, if not abuse, on the floor of
be Canoto whore his Voice cOul1 NOT be c