Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1900-03-23
To Local Men and Measures-Im-
portant Work Of the General
Assembly Touched Upon---The
Commissioners Of Valuation Law.

their acts are in the hands Of the cri
les. Old members, and the presi
agree that it was q working body
The strain during the last month
when two and three sessions, beside
committee meetings, were held daily
was too much for any body Of mer
particularly when the rooms in whic
the meetings were held were a
ways overheated and badly yen
tilated. The result was when the SET
sion closed there were not a dozen rea
ly well men in either house. Man.
were confined to their hotels; some il
Richmond hospitals; others had beel
sent to their homes, and those remain
ing were glad when the hour for ad
journing came. There were fOul
deaths during the session, the last be
ing that of one of the representative
from Rockingham, Capt. B. q. Patter
son. There was not a better man il
either branch Of the General Assembl,
than Capt, Patterson, and of him il
can be truthfullly said, he gave hi,
life to bis State. On the last WORKING
day of the session, though sick enough
to be in bed, he attended all three ses
sions, and was in his seat at midnight
when the session closed. That was
Monday night. Wednesday he was
taken to the Retreat for the Sick,
where he received the best possible at
tention. He died the next day, and in
his death Virginia lost true son, one
who served her faithfully in peace and
in war, and 1 lost = personal friend to
whom had become much attached
in the three months we were together.
One of the first bills passed by the
legislature was the one placing ton.
mage tax on fertilizers. 1t has been
criticised considerably, especially in
our county. 1t Is said the tax will be
paid by the farmer. Possibly it may.
The question as to who pays the tax
is a difficult one. The fact that every
farmer in the Assembly voted for the
bill shows that they, at least, did not
think it would be against the interest
of the agriculturalist. And the fur
ther fact that of the one hundred mem
bers of the House of Delegates, only
two voted against the bill, shows there
was no difference in opinion among
them. There seemed really nothing
else to do if fertilizers were to be taxed
at all. Heretofore the tax was on the
brands, $40 on each brand. But Of late
years one fertilizer trust, the Virginia
Carolina Chemical Co., controls prac-
tically all the brands sold in Virginia.
All the old companies located in Rich
mond and baltimore, and so well
known in Augusta, are now in this
combine. Some idea of the size of the
Trust may be formed from the know
ledge that last year the capital was
increased ten millions. 1t is now
$19, 100000. The representatives of
the Trust admitted they were not pay
ing their just proportion of taxes.
They expressed 8 willingness to in
crease the brand tax from $40 to $25,
but that was not considered satisfac.
tory, for the reason that as the Trust
controls the brands they could elimi-
nate any number Of brands and thus
regulate the tax. Besides, the brand
tax was manifestly unfair to the small
manufacturers not in the Trust. Other
States have the tonnage tax, and it has
worked we'll. They pay no more for
fertilizers than we doin Virginia. Now
that prices are controlled by a syndi.
cate. farmers will pay just what 1t il
to the interest of the Trust to demand
and the Is cents per ton tax will not
cut much figure. There is some sat
isfaction in knowing that if we do have
to pay this Is cents a ton it will not
be burdensome In individual cases, ani
our agricultural department will re
ceive at least $4,000 more than it die
last year.
A determined effort was made to re
peal the "Land Grabbers" law. /
failed in the House by only one vote
The old law is modified, and made bet
ter in several particulars. 1t retain
the Objectionable feature that a grab
ber' may under the provisions of tn
law get the property of the citizen VIII
fails to pay his taxes. The penalty /
reduced, and personal notice serve'
upon delinquents.
We had all sorts of time in an ei
fort to have the States interest in th
Harrisonburg and Warm Spring pike
within Augusta, turned over to th
board of supervisors. There was
warm afternoon over it before the con
mittee on Roads and Internal Improve
Iment. The committee reported agains
| it. The House passed it over tt
committee. The Senate killed it. +
nally bill was passed este blishin
tolls which are about one-half the ol
rates. If the fight is renewed tt
next legislature will make the roa
free.
Another matter of local interest WI
the extension of the corporate limit
This question has been before the LEI
islature repeatedly. It was not 9.
pected at this session, but one day tt
beaming countenance OF Mr.. A.
Braxton suddenly appeared In th
lobby. He had on that engagin
smile he sometimes wears that is
"cbildlike and bland.n / have notice
that when Mr.. Braxton is intensely
earnest his smile is very charming