The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-03
SENATE

PRAYER by Rev. Robert w. Forsyth,
or St Paul's Episcopal Church, opened
the session of the Senate yesterday.
Delegate Martin Williams brought
message from the House stating that
the House wished to amend the Ward
resolution making February 90 the
final limit for the presentation of bills
so as TO establish February 10 as the
date.
Senator Ward moved concurrence.
He thought the proposed change In
date advisable.
Strong objection was voiced by SEN
ator Keezell. who said the Senate
ought not yet to tie UP its hands. IL
might come about later that higher
rate of taxation might have to be
imposed in case the present plans
fail and 1t would not be right to hold
up such a measure by Just one objec-
ton, such as would do 1t II the rule
proposed were passed. 1t might not
be necessary to raise the tax rate. he
simply threw 1t out as a hypothetical
case affected by such rule.
Scnnte Disngrccs.
Concurrence In the House amend
ment was refused By a vote of 80 to J.
An Invitation from the Richmond
Chamber of Commerce was read IN
Wing lUe IHeUbDcIS VI Viz t'thaN' W
be present at the smoker in honor or
the virginia state Farmers Institute
last night.
Senator Harris bill. providing an
enumeration OF the inhabitants OF
Roanoke. so that an additional Judge
may be provided for that city, was re-
leved OF the constitutional readings
aud finally passed
The FLETCHER bin, providing for the
equalization of taxes, came UP as the
special order of the day.
Senator Tucker offered an amend
ment as 10 the supervision of the pay
or assessors Anything that puts fur-
ther duties on assessors VIII make IL
hard TO get good men. he thought IL
lustrating this by pointing out that
recently in Bedford county two com
pctcnt men refused TO act. lie mad re-
ceived letter from Judge in tnat
county stating now difficult II "ouia
no In the future TO get good assessors.
lie thought that the pay of the asses
.nra ought not to be locked when IL
hccar,c necessary for the Auditor OF
public Accounts TO complete the'i
anties He wished 10 amend so as 10
leave ont that feature
Merge with King Bill.
He wished to further amend D. SUI,
.,t,,1,in,, In the Fletcher bill, In lieu
o,the AUDITOR of Pubic Accounts, wy
- commission provided in Inc kins
49, commission bill. The two oiiis
can he merged and mace 10
harrnoniously The cofh'.,iss nse.
stf,mtea could carry out the purpose
OF the bill. .,, ,,rougt, ,
sa,en from the House. asking 10
.o,farance on the time limit lot VIZ
,rosantation of DillS.
senator sims said that he was Al
sympathy with the purposes Oh VI,
Fletcher bill. The need is pressing ~
some efficient measure looking 10 w
em,alization of taxes, though ~
thought there were other ihteresG
mat needed taxation more tt.an
estate. He was satisfied that ~ - nv
the intent OF the Finance eo'iiiiiis'.'
10 conine its taxation
real estate alone. but ttial
covar other things as well. me as
,,,.nt ehortly TO be made must o'
looked after at once. me fie.'l.
hil, in his opinion, would not d
radical in operation The placing =
the ultimate authority OF REVISION -
the hands Of an officer elected by TN
naonle Of the State tends TO assuf'
,ba1 nothing radical will ensue.
Make Rulc Flexible.
IT, a.sirea To amend the bill so ina
,,hon the Auditor of Public Account
sends hack the assessment 10 me ~
cal assessor with his reasons LOT y
dniup the local assessor shall nol o.
hound by those reasons, nor opiise'
10 mark up the whole per cent, sus
rested. but il he thought one-haif o.
three-fourths or some other tractio,
would he the proper revision upward
.,,,a b1 a., liberty to return al
assessment so amended to the Aual
tor of public Accounts. This woul'
make the provision elastic and hexi
HE It.would allow the assessor u
return his report uncorrected, VIII
reasons for not favoring the Audltor
views though still the Auditor Woul'
have the ultimate revisionary author
" and could proceed to make the as
sessment at what he thought the fai
value. This amendment would pre-
vent penalization of the local assesso
unless he failed to send back me re
turns to the Auditor, or, IN othe
words, he would suffer the penalt
only for the breach of mere minis
terial duty. BY this amendment, IN
objection that the assessor would D
too greatly hampered would be re
moved.
The patron of the bill, Senate
thatcher. said that the Sims amend
ment would be perfectly acceptable !
him. Tho only penalty 1t would I'm
nose on the assessor would be for hi
lachos in refusing to return the reas
sessment.
Counties Should Pny Part.
He was of opinion that the count
ought to pay part of the conlpensa