Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-06-04

ceded by torch light parade by the
band OF the East End Fire Company.
No "Mud Singing"
Mr.. Ashby said that he was glad
that the voters were now taking a
Nively interest in the senatorial cam
paign. though he regretted that some
had most unjustly characterized his
speeches as mud Singing" and felt
that he was only stating the record
rs he found It. and that If Senator
Holt had so voted as To do violence TO
wholesale Democratic doctrines. the
sin should not be charged up to the
speaker. He said that he would most
cheerfully correct any wrong he did
the Senator, but proposed to give the
people his record, so that they could
determine whether he deserved re-
election.
He gave his opponent credit for the
redistricting bill, but said that Senu-
tor Sale would not care to hear Mr..
Holt claim that he was the patron Of
1t, for the Norfolk senator was as anx-
lous to get rid of us as we were of
his city. Redistricting had passed the
senates of 1904 and 1906 by large ma
jorities, and Senator Holt had made
| grave mistake when he snapped off
the voters right to elect commissions
ers of the rcvnue IN order, as he OK
planned, to put redistricting through.
Assessment Bill.
The speaker took up the act which
was sent up by the city council de-
signed to permit the correction of
| land assessments when too low, and
said that it originated from the fact
that from n careful investigation the
councils had reached the conclusion
| that certain large corporations here
were escaping their just share OF taxa
ton. All lands are taxed at much
| less than values, hut if possible. no
discrimination should exist. He said
| that Mr.. Hollis explanation that he
| opposed the bill because he did not
want those away from here to think
that we would cripple our shipyard,
| had not occurred to Messrs. D. S.
Jones, Ballentine, Christie Davis,
| Harris. James, Marshall Via Wash
/ burn, Ketchum, wilkins, the city at
torhey, the board of aldermen, and the
| member of the house. all of whom
! championed the bill, Mr.. Livezey be-
| ing the only member of the council
10 vote against II.
Referring to the declaration which
Mr.. Holt had made in the East End
that he did not own n share OF stock
in any corporation. the speaker said
| this crossed fire with the senator's
position as director in the First Ma
tional Bank, could not be such, under
the law, unless he owned mt least ten
| shares Of its stock.
AS to Tax Laws.
The speaker said that our tax laws
| are in most unsatisfactory state, and
| the need for an intelligent commits.
sion to recommend changes, the legis-
lative session being too brief for such
work. That such n bill was killed in
the last senate, and the record indi-
Gated that Mr.. Wickham. general
| counsel for the G. & o. Railway, was
It's chief opponent. Mr.. Holt. he said.
voted against the bill.
Mr.. Ashlv went on to say that fire.
mems relief bills should not be per
| mitted to die in the senate rs in the
| past; and that Senator Hollis eXpla-
| nation that he had voted against the
bill appropriating small sums to pre-
serve the neglected graves of the old
Confederate soldiers because the
| amounts asked were so small. would
come with much better grace II the
record showed that he had moved to
make 1t more, instead of depriving
them of even the pittance wanted
The speaker referred to other meas
ures which he said ought to have re.
ceived the senator's sanction. rather
! than his opposition, and declared that
he did not believe that the people
were fully in accord with the senator's
declation that these things were Of
minor Importance. Mr.. Ashby said
that experience had thoroughly con-
WINGED him that many changes in
court practice are needed, and ex-
planned that bills seeking to accom-
nlish this had died in the senate and
that manv good laws from other
states could he put into operation to
the end that litigation would he
I.guickened, simplified and chennened
to the great gain of all who find it
necessary to resort to the courts.