The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-01-21
Investigation Of Expo'si.
tion Matter and Board Of
Fisheries Seems Likely.
LIVELY SESSION
IN LUVV.ER HOUSE
Special Report from Insurance
Commissioner Arouses Delegate
Willianls-Inportant Com
lnittcc Hearings Con-
Quoted, and Others
Arranged.
DY LEWIS II. sIACIlEN.

ny LEWIS III. MACIfEN.
Yesterday might appropriately be
called resolution day in the Legfsla-
ture. Some bills were passed In both
branches. butt was IN resolutions TINT
sensations were sprung or threatened.
aud 1t was around them that inc Lloes
OF oratory surged.
In the upper house Senator Iasslter
introduced q joint resolution directing
the state Corporation Commission, with
tho assistance OF the Attorney General
and the Auditor OF Public Accounts,
to prepare plan for system OF taxa
ton by which all the taxable property
OF the public service corporations OF
and franchise taxes. shall be scgre-
gated tor the purposes OF State taxa
t!on. while all other classes Of proper
ty, including incomes and licenses.
shall be segreg ated for the purposes
OF local taxation. The plan Is to be
reported with recommendations to ths
next General Assembly. and the plan
IL adopted. is to become operative ~. ON
January 1, 1918. The proposition under
lying this resolution. making Tar
reaching changes in the present method
OF distributing the fruits OF taxation.
will undoubtedly attract much atten-
tion and cause lively discussion
Limiting the Time.
In the House the joint resolution.
which passed the Senate on Fridny.
prohibiting the introduction OF bills
after February Goth. was unanimously
concurred IN. An effort was made to
restrict the time TO February 10th a'io
then the 9Th, but both propositions
perished. rhe reasons given Tor inc
amendments were strong enough bul
the members did not wish 10 llmie
themselves Tor any date short of teb-
fuary Goth Even at that the RESTRICTION
is greater than any former lie gfsiature
has been willing TO place upon the IN :
PRODUCTION OF bills.
The danger Is that after that time
tho demands for the opportunity 70
nresent local sr,ensnyes and seneral
bills. which may occur TO the members
bcyond the time limit. may make a
strong pressure against this sell :
rosed barrier and perhaps remove II,
After the public has been readins 9
and thinking about new le s1slation
for thirty days or so. there are hun
dreds who are ,lred with aconsuminS g
zeal to prepare bills. which they send
representatives and urge them to In
trcduce even though the resolution
may have to be resclnded to do 1t.
jamestown Exposition.
Deleeate Powell had resolution
calling upon the jamestown commits
sioners to give an account of their
stewardship 1t turned out however.
that there were two sets OF commits
sioners. only one OF which could be
expected to report, namely. the com-
mission appointed by Governor Swan
son. who declared through one OF their
ulembers-Delegate Bowlnan--that they
would be ready in few days with a
report showing balance Of $4,000 or
$4,000 coming to the State. The con-
tributon Of 5000, 00O TO the Jamestown
Exposition Company has. OF course,
been swallowed up in the deficit from
which the company has beenso acute1y
q suffering. The resolution was passed
Ety for ten days.
But the resolution which generated
moro warmth than any other was the
ono OF Delegate Martin Williams. ask
ing for committee to Indicate what
reports should be made by the depart
rnents OF the State governu1 ent. and
of the Insurance Commissioner in$re-
gard To fire insurance rates. Delegate
: Williams thought he saw an effort to
Influence action upon a bill introduced
by himself for the purpose Of re-ennct-
ing the so.called Wharf ton law. to pre-
vent combinations among insurance
companies for the purpose OF fxing s
sIuteS, SlCs WHICH measure Is TO DO COn-
sidered in com nittee to- morrow. The
gentleman from Giles waxed warm in
denouncing the practice OF special re-
ports, which may possibly Influence
pending legislation, but he disclaimerl
+ any In tentton OF reflectinga upon the
Bureau Of Insurance. Tho resolution
was adopted. I5
bills PnkAelf.
The Senate passed the bill ALLOWING g
judges to sentence persons convicted
Of felony, whose punishment Is fixed
at five years or less5in the epcnitentiary
to service on tho public roads. Al
present only those colvicts with two
years and less can be sentenced to he
z roads. IS
The House passed the bill increasing
the amount Of money which schoo al is.
trlcts may borrow for high school, pur.
poses, imposing further conditions ilno1
Its acceptance, ana giving the same
privileges to cities and towns,
Tho act in regard to the mileage q,
members was slightly amended 81
billSwhlch passed the House. Il 5 5l,.3
Two local bills were passed by tl,3
4enate. as we'll asa bill relating q
school districts. s.t s5ss t a
Both houses adjourned In honor q
4 Lee and Jackson, whose Birthdays
though not really the same, are legal,
observed toge ther. u. u # 555 q