Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-11-21
money FOR PENSIONS
ATTORNEY GENERALS OPINION DEL
SIRED ON a CONSTITUTIONAL POINT
TO MAKE sPECIALLEVY.
Senator wickham Asks That Lam.
Euagc OF Section $50 Be Interpret.
ed-He Also Makes n Statement
Concerning the Status of the State
Treasury. II
Treasury.

The State of Virginia evidently does moo
intend to reduce the pensions of the Con+i
federate soldiers. nor does the Senate in-i
tend that there shall be any increase IN
taxation. ,!
The exact status of the appropriation
mao. at TIE session le,e last winter IS
no. settled IN the minds Of some IF
the lawmakers and with that In view al
resolution was offered yesterday by Senas
or Wicklum directing the Attorney-Gen7e
eral of the State to give to that hoaEr
his opinion in the matter at as early q
date as practicable. g
Senator Wickham said that while the
,.eyp!,, of Iii ciria would oppose the rails
inc Of taxes. he was confident that there
would be a cheerful compliance with anc
ordinance to increase taxes to an amounts
sufficient to raise the money to pay the
pensions, rather than see the veterans.
suffer. :-%i
The proposition of the House to
ascertain the terms Of judges for the new
Circuit Courts by lot, was communicated
to the Senate with the request that it
be ccncurred in. The resolution was read
and it was at once referred to the Com
nittee on Privileges and Elections. wheret
it will be considered and reported
The senate was called to order at
noon by Lieutenant-Governor Willard.
The Rev. DR.. George Cooper. of the First
Baptist church. offered prayer The at
tendance of members was small. many
having gone on a trip to Norfolk
INFORMATION AS TO PENSIONS.
Senator Nickham. Of Hanover, present
ed the following resolution:
Whereas section 1S9 of the constitution
of Virginia. among other things, pro-
vides that the general assembly. during
such period of four years, in addition to
q
pensions, not to exceed the last appro-
priation made for such purpose prior to
Sept 80, 1901. may levy annually a spe-
cial tax for pensions on such real and
personal property, if not exceeding
cents on si00 Of the assessed value there
Of: and
Whereas The last appropriation made
for such purposes prior to Sept. 30, 1901,
was the amount of Sl3o.090: now. there
fore, be 1t
Resolved. That the encouragement Of
this commonwealth be- and Is hereby,
requested to furnish to the senate as SOON
as may be his opinion in writing as to
the true Interpretation and meaning OF
the clause above recited. and especially Cd
whether the authority given to levy the
special tax aforesaid is general or for
only such sum in excess Of $l35,000 as
may be appropriated, within the limita-
ton Of five cents: (2) whether the general
assembly has the power to devote any
part of the funds raised by said special
tax to the amount appropriated i.r pen
sons last prior to Sept. so, 1901, to wit:
$4,000, and 90 whether the true intent
and meaning was constitutional appro-
priaton of S135.G00 for pensions. with
power to the general assembly to increase
that amount from the proceeds of a spe-
clal tax.
FINANCES OF. THE STATE.
II ,J,,tin Sam ~
Wickham quoted figures showing the
status Of the finances of the State. He
said in part:
The reports of the financial officers of
the State show that there was on hand
on the first day Of October, 1902. sur r.
bur this sum includes an amount
which the State carries as a book
asset absolutely valueless. viz,
an amount OF a claim against
defunct bank of Petersburg
is observation-disclosures. .s607 ,615 81
extraord I n al y appropriations
made by the last general assem-
bly,:
Repairs to capitol. 100000
Sundry extraordinary APP
preparations made to
hospitals and other
State -liiStllutlonS not
yet dra NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. IS, 500
Difference between the
$500, 900 appropria ted and
the $205.000 paid out
prior to LIST of october
on pensions. -............. 95,O0O
413 500 90
sI9i, lis 81
Against this however must
be charged some of the expenses
Of the constitutional convention
for editing and nuhlisninr de-