The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-02-16
4 HEAVY DAY FOR
GENERAL AssE MBLY
Statewide, School, and Tax
Commission Bills Consume
Both Houses Time.
SENATE HEARS DEBATE
ON TAX REVIEW BILL
Senator's and Delegates Elect
Judge Goode and Judge Turpin,
and Confirm Col. Wingfield.
School Measure Passed.

Strobe Statewide bill, which filled
the Senate chamber and gallery as
they have seldom been thronged, oc-
cupied the chief attention and in
terest OF the General Assembly We'd
nesday. several other important mat
tiers were up for consideration.
The House committee on finance
favorabiy reported the Byrd bill pro-
xiding for more strict regulation OF
the liquor traffic and increasing the
license in certain instances,
After almost two hours of hot and
spirited debate, the House passed the
hili preventing any man not resi-
dent of county TO serve as superin-
tendent OF schools In that county.
The bill WAS passed by a large ma
tority. IL was so amended as not to
affect superintendent now holding
Office.
Consideration of this bill and cleo
ton OF the civil Justices of Richmond
and Norfolk took up all the House,
time
The Senate speHt-tAe- entire session
debating amendments To the tax COM
mission bill. During the discussion
several Senators vigorously opposed
plloi0trneRt- chairman
the Corporation Commission az
member OF the new body Senator
Keezeii openly charged that the Cor
puration Commission had protected
the corporations, assessed their prop
eFty at less than one-fifth of its real
value. and therefore Its chairman
should not review the tax assessments
as member OF the new commission.
The General Assembly elected
James u. Goode eixil Justice of Nor
roik. and reelected Judge William
M. Turpin in Richmond.
Heaa -ngE ON the Baylor survey and
the Statewide bill were resumed
Wednesday afternoon shortly before
The bay In the seaatc.
A Senatof Haisey tried 10 haze his
tres0futiun proyfuifig tor IN amend-
Ement IL Article 10 OF the Federal
1 Avnstitalion So as to impose an in
ftome taA, called up loi consideration
AH.meoiateiy ai,er the Senate eoa-
hensu, oat MAS blocked Icy a rule
I'll the General Assembly and a reso~
lutioA adopted IN Tuesday. The reso-
iutsois passoncd by senator mHaisey
has a pace on the calendar and Wall
be taken up IN its regular oraer.
Petitions from the people OF Apo
mattoA. Charlotte. Caroline. Campbell,
1azeweil, Nansemond. Lee, Bruins
wick. Bland and Giles counties ask
Inc 4ay o.ahle report Of the STROBE
Statewide bill. were received by the
Senate.
Tax Commission bill.
Senator Kings tax commission bill
was taken Up as the special business
ct the day. The bill provides for a
legislative commission TO review the
tax assessments throughout the state.
Senator Holland wants 10 have the
governor. commissioner al corpora
lions and an expert on finance ahd
tax. the iatter's salary to lie $500
month
senator Sims Wednesday made !,
strong speech in favor of his amend
ment which raises the experts sa.ary
~ 400 a month He said too much
care could not be exercised in select
tnx the expert, that he should be the
i,est procurable and the salary snoufo
senator King said California had
tax commissioner who Is paid WOW
naonth. and since he WAS engaged the
rate OF taxation had been reduced
80 liz per cent and s2.oeo.ooo aaosu
70 the State treasury. He thougnt
xgrv,n,a might get a similarly salaried
Haan.
The salary Too Large.
senator STROBE objected the large
salary. He also opposed Senator Hol-
lands amendment on the ground that
tne CORPORATION Commissioners should
MAJ be ON the tax commission, because
he would then reveiew his own work.
Senator Keezeil said he did not
think the Governor or chairman OF
the Corporation Commission would
have time to do the work OF the tax
rornmissioner. and expressed the be-
lief that IL would be fundamentally
wrong to appoint a member OF the
Corporation Commission to the new
body.
Senator Keezeli made his charge
that the Corporation Commission nad
conserved the interests of the corpora
tons instead OF those OF the State.
II don't want to mince words" said
\ Mr.. Keezell. THAT commission mas
4 = cxariike power, and 1t has used th0t
xpower In the interest OF the corpora
lions instead of the people OF Vir-
Rinia. These corporations have been
taxed at less than one-fffth Of the
value Of their property. and the chair
nan of this commission has not given
= people OF the cities and counties
= fair deal. II Ne assessed the prop
erty OF these corporations at some-
thing like what II IL worth. We of
the LeKislature- would not be driven
into corners here and there for new
sources OF revenue with which to car
~ on the affairs Of this States gov
eminent. / have talked out In court
The time has come tosaik out in court
s because or this long standing abuse
Senator Holland said he favored a
6Ax commission. and II his kind was
mot voted for he would support the
bill AZ originally introduced by Sem
ator King.
Arc Fairly Taxed.
A. the conclusion OF Senator Hol-
lxndA FHnAFk4 Senator Sims made
another address, In which he said he
4 believed the chairman OF the Cor
p0ration Commission should DC Il
s Uamber Of the new commission. and