The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-02-19

ished business.
The special orders in both branches,
namely, the bill to relieve physicians
from the payment OF the license tax in
the Senate, and the child labor bill in
the House, were both partly considered
and went bver until to-day.
The physicians bill attracted cspe-
cial attention, for the reason that for
some years the entire medical frater-
nifty OF the state has protested against
the exaction of this tax, and has main
tanned an organization and has pub
lished paper chiefly for the purpose
of bringing about its abolition. The
debate in the Senate upon the question
was eloquent, witty, pathetic and argu-
mentative by turns.
The Two Sides.
On behalf of the doctors IT was urged
that every state of the Union. with
two exceptions. had abolished this tax,
that the reason was to be found In the
immense amount of charity work which
the physicians are called upon to do,
and for which they receive no compen-
safion and IN the services which they
render upon local boards of health. by
preventing devastating diseases. The
fidelity and privations OF the country
doctors were graphically depicted and
the burden OF this tax upon these men
OF small means. who, In many cases
are heads of large families' was stFohS
~ emphasized.
ON the contrary. It was urged tina.
the physicians should not ask an e%-
emption not accorded to other proles.
sions or to other kinds of business: that
the exemption would deprive the state
of about $4,000 a year, which II couiu
not afford to lose. and which might DC
used to the benefit of schools and
roads and paying pensions to Cohtea. ,n. !.
crate soldiers and their widows me
advocates of the repeal claim that
great majority of the Senate have eX-
dressed themselves in favor of the
bill. and 1t Is believed that, In case II
should pass the Senate, 1t would pass
the House also. In fact 1t is generally
recognized that the services rendered
by the medical profession TO the state.
both in degree and kind. are such that
1t would be only justice to consider
them AS a class apart and relieve them
OF a burden to which other professions
and classes make no complaint. The
reluctance upon the part OF the men,
bers TO diminish the fund from which
appropriations nay be drawn Is, OF
course. a very great factor in the So
luton of this problem. Yet 1t must be
admitted that the doctors have made a
strong case for the relief which they
ask, and 1t is altogether probable that
the Legislature of Virginia will follow
the lead of all her sister States with
one exception, and remove the tax.
Child Labor Bill.
The child labor bill furnished fruit
full cause of contention in the House.
The discussion began on the day be-
fore was continued in two sessions
yesterday. and the end is not yet. The
chief ground of controversy was the
age limit to be applied.
Manifestly 1t is vexed question
the age at which child may be put
to work without injury to its physical,
intellectual or moral development. a
good deal depends on the length of time
it may be employed and the kind OF
work to which 1t may be subjected. Idle
ness may, of course, be worse than
a reasonable amount of labor of the
proper kind, but that laber which
hinders physical development or inter-
feres with the mental and moral edu-
cation Of children is an admitted evil.
The fact that large interests may
sometimes be more concerned about
obtaining cheap labor than about the
proper training and development OF
children for intelligent citizenship, and
the furthtr fact that indolent parents
sometimes indulge their Incidence at
the expense of their offspring. are what
make the solution of the problem both
difficult and important.
The general appropriation bill which
was a special order in the House yes
terday was passed by until to-day. II
will probably require several busy
days for It's consideration. Innumerable
amendments will be offered and
pressed with eloquence and zeal. but
it Is safe to say that few of them will
be adopted. In case of doubt the
House will decide that the Finance
Committee understands its business.
Pllotnge Bill.
Tho passage of the pilot bill in the
House by an immense majority was
somewhat of surprise, in view OF the
heavy proclamations Of opposition
which had appeared In the press. For
once the cities of Norfolk and Newport
News appeared to be at odds. Upon
tho floor yesterday they We're repre-
as opposing champions. The former
scored a signal triumph, The bill re-
lieves the coastwise vessels of pilotage
and providesan added charge on foreign
bottoms. The ports at which the
coastwisers land, including Richmond,
were naturally anxious that this class
of vessels should be relieved, The for
cigners, who. In this case at least, nay
the tax, naturally objected to their added
burdens EvenNunder the bill. how
ever, It is admitted that tho charges
are less than those of other ports on
the Atlantic seaboard.
The bill providing for the election of
the commissioners of the revenue by
the people has passed both houses, and
& ssnw goes To the Governor, An amend
Mr 1t to the Constitution allowing them
~ sucoasd themselves without limit has
aieo been adopted. Altogether. the