The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-02-21
OFFENSIVE WORD
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| human animals, and they are all right.
J suppose the senator from Lynchburg
does not speel them with an "a OF
| course. ! meant no offensc II the Ian
| suage I used is offensive to him, with
draw it,
.All right" said Mr.. Thomas, shortly.
! sitting down again.
| Mr. Wickhan resumed his speech, and
within moment the best of good-humor
prevailed in the chamber again. and the
| two senators We're firing at each other
/ pleasantly across the carcass of the dying
tax bill. SIS
! w The Debate. aa
| Discussion of the Thomas Dill was re-
| slimed in the Senate Immediately after
| the morning hour, the measure coming up
| on it's engrossment Since the last de-
| bate the Lynchburg senator had deter
mined. notwithstanding the odds against
! him. to fight to the end to try to get the
| bill through. The measure has been
| passed by from day to day for some time
but when II was called UP yesterday Mr.
] Thomas was on his feet again. Going
| over the situation briefly for a second
| time, he denounced the Virginia taxation
| system generally. defining 1t as a "hcter-
! ogeneous mass OF incongruties. the weak
! est point in the political situation In Vir-
| ginia to-day" The bill, he hoped, would
be engrossed. Notwithstanding the adverse
report of the Finance Committee. The
Lynchburger again declared that he would
carry the fight before the people. He
| predicted that the next Democratic con-
ypptiop would pphn fight
THE game is up, gentlemen" said Mr..
| Thomas. land the fight is on. 1t is now
question of whether the Democratic
| party will countenance condition wrong
i In principle and unjust in operation or.
will give that relief which the people de-
sire and demand. The fight Ia on. to
continue until this question is finally
and fairly settled
Without attempting TO follow the argu-
ment of the Lynchburg senator into all
| its minutiae, Mr.. Keezell. OF Rockingham.
| endorsed the report of the Finance Com
mttee and asked that the bill be rejected.
/ Mr.. Keezell declared that the tax problem
| had been under consideration for some
years, and pointed out that the system
| with reference to the public service COR
| porations In prescribed In the Constitution
/ until 1913, and cannot be changed now,
| whatever a commission might report. In
! the opinion OF the Rockingham senator.
| the corporations are now bearing fair
! share OF the public burden. AS for the
! charge that they are not assessed at their
| full value. he declared that all over Nir-
/ glnia lands are assessed at amounts far
| below their market syalue. A tax com
| mission. he believed. Swo,ld be of no SER
vice to the Corporation Commission,
! which already knows its duty and IL
performing 1t in accordance with its
I Judgment. A commission dominated by
, men holding views similar to those of the
| patron of the bill might go no one knew
| how far. the Lynchbrrg senator having
declared that he would abolish licenses
/ for special privileges including the whis-
key license, holding that the State should
sell the Intoxicating drink itself
Others Speak.
/ The necessity for tax reform OF some
/ sort was emphasized by several sena-
| tors Captain Patterson, OF Bucking-
| ham made a vigorous assault on the
/ present system and declared that the
Thomas bill was In the line Of benefl-
cent reform. Mr.. STROBE, OF Amherst,
! declared that he would vote for the bill
not because he was welded to it's pro-
| visions. but beause he thought an up
beaval necessary. and the measure pro-
posed was the only suggestion pending
In this direction. Similar statement was
made by Mr.. Chapman. OF Greene. who
declared that equalization Of taxes was OF
! vital Importance. The General Assem-
bly, could not find time to go into the
matter properly, he declared. and. while
the commission would be expensive, he
thought 1t necessary
| On behalf OF the Finance Committee.
Mr.. Wickham OF Hanover. made state
ment of the consideration which led to
an adverse report upon the bill. After
the incident already referred to in de-
tail, Mr.. Wickhan, proceeded to dis
cuss tax matters generally, cornba ting
the argument of Mr.. Thomas and ups
4 holding the Constitutional Convention
and the Corporation Commission. Mr..
1 Wickham pointed ont again that whether
! wise or not, nothing could be done to
4 change the law as to public service
/ corpora tions until after 1913. AS to
sending into the homes and bust
I ness houses OF the State an inquisi-
4 torial commission armed with donlicilry
4 power. He thought 1T dangerous to stir
UP the people and make them appre-
hensive Of a raise In taxes.
Amendments Offered,
Several amendments, all acceptable Il
Mr.. Thomas were offered and adopted
a At the instance OF Judge Tavenner, Of
a Shenandoah. the emergency clause of thu
act was stricken out and the naming Of
the members OF the commission wa.
i vested in the Governor ofst the State in
y stead of in the General Assembly. II
Il was further agreed that the commits
slonerst should he Hcitizens OF Virginia.,
!, Instead OF necessarily ''melnbers of tn,
I General Assembly With view Il
r tempering tho so-called "nquisitoria
4 feature'' which aroused tho apprehension
| xt 49,, W. ,nlAi
a he agreed as to this point, Mr., Fultor
prop6sed that the clause allowing tn,
I5ccmmission Ia require the production
1 Of books and papers be stricken on
Z and i new provision substituted In thi
Il langua &c Si'and exam Iue, chem witnesses
on tha subject, "Following up this