The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-10-02

TIE following:
For The assessment and collection OF
taxes Ton properly, whether real, person
Il or tnaGedj.
| The substitute was lost: Ayes, 20; noes.
| So
The amendment except animals dan
| serous to The forming interests was
then adopted: Ayes, -; noes, Is.
Subsection 6, forbddins extending
time FOR assessment Or collection of tax
es, was adopted without dissent.
Subsection Z. preventing the exemption
OF property for taxation, was adopted.
Subsection $, renting, releasing.
postponng or diminishing any obligation
q liability OF any person, corporation or
| association to this State or to any po-
litcal subdivision thereof, was the sub
ject OF considerable discussion. Mr.. Egg
sleston said he thought it unwise to
have such a sweeping prohibition. There
might arise cases of great Importance
when it would be found expedient and
necessary to settle or compromise debt
SECTION ADOPTED.
Mr. Ayers said there was already a gen.
eral law or could be framed a general
law so that all such claims could be set
tleo.
The section was then adopted. The
following o.sections were adopted
without debate:
8. Returning money lawfully paid into
tho Treasury Of the State or the treas
ury of any political subdivision therein.
10. Granting out of the Treasury OF the
State or granting or authorizing to be
granted out of the treasury of any polit-
ical subdivision thereof, any extra COM
pensation to any public officer, servant,
agent or contractor.
| II. For conducting elections or desiS-
mating the places of voting.
IJ1I- E~n0l,C TO strike ont Sec
ton j., forbi6ding the Legislature Civ
/ in;! effect to invalid deeds, wills, leases or
other Instruments.
| Judge Brooks gave several instances of
| the great injury such a clause would be
capable OF producing, and Chairman
Moore agreed for the committee that this
subsection be stricken out.
| The following sub-sections were adopt
| ed without debate:
| Il. Regulating labor, trade, mining or
| manufacturing or regulating the rate Of
! interest on money.
ii. Granting any pension or pensions.
10 Creating, increasing or decreasing
! or authorizing to be increased or de-
creased the salaries, fees, percentages or
allowances OF public officers during the
term for which they are elected or ap-
pointed.
MIR. BROWNS AMENDMENT.
Mr. j. Thompson Brown strongly OPP
posed Section IS, authorizing the open
ing. altering. maintaining, or vacating of
roads, highways, streets. alleys, town
l plats. cemeteries, sraveyards or public
grounds not owned by the State
He said it would practically destroy all
local improvements on the public roads.
Different sections OF the State required
! different kinds of road laws. If road
, law had to depend upon shifting local
| opinion for the Inauguration of any work
| of that kind or its prosecution after once
! begun it would amount to nothing.
Judge Portock strongly supported Mr..
| Browns position and said the words
| county rea0s' ought at least to he
stricken out of the section. He declar-
| ed that the question of good roads was
! one of the most important practical sub
| jects in the State.
| Mr.. Turnbuli. for the committee. de-
| Tended TIE section by. saying that general
| laws could be passed by which local road
] laws could be adopted, without coming
/ to the Legislature every session to
! amend law for every county or repeal
! it one session and re-enact it or change
| it at another; that il the gentlemen OBJ
| jecting TO the section would consider the
| whole scheme of the committees report
| they would find that the trouble they
! feared was unavoiced.
Mr. Naddili favored the amendment
| of Judge Portlocl1 and gave an interest
1 lllg. account Oh Ills CoitSlCtiOli Will sliiC
| practical worl; OF road laws and road i'm
!, provements.
Chairman Moore defended the section
| by quoting from the constitutions of the
| leading States of the Union who had
adopted this plan. He cited New Jersey
| as one and said it had che best roads in
!; the United States.
CONDITIONS DIFFERENT.
| AIR. heezell said it would be n great
| mistake to take the power to pass road
| laws from the General Assembly Road
! laws IN his section had necessarily to be
! Very different from those of the eastern
/! section. Il YOU give supervisors the
! exclusive control of roads it will be ut
| terly a mistake. on account of the local
| lia,rassment 70 which they would be
| subject. a law passed by the --egisla-
t;rc could have two-years trial and, the
people, seeing the good effects, would
| become reconcileci. IL this Legislature
! was left to local boards they would pass
/ :, law one month and repeal it the next,
! in response to public clamor, ,Stimu!ted
sometimes by delnasogues or stirred UP
! of strife.
Judge Hancock opposed the section on
1 the same grounds as Mr.. Keezell.
DR.. McIlwaine said if the road super
| visoTs did not have backbone enough to do
their duty they ousht#to resign and let
some one else take their places. lie Went
on to say that i Few years ago Prince
L I, n