The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-01-14
STATE PRESS
.ntellise emit Ea%nallzation REQUIRED.

The Assembly will fail to meet the wishes
of the people and tho demand of almos,
intoleraple conditions. we believe, II 1t does
not provide an adequate system for the
equalization of taxes. 1t is very likely tc
fail. even If IL does make an honest effort
to provide such a system unless measure.
are passed creating somc sort OF an expert
commission to study conditions as they eX-
list and to recommend changes in ac-
cordance with modern tax methods. Taxa
ton has been reduced to q science, and the
welLinformed property-owner viii hardly
coudone a reform OF the antiquatcd mess
OF conflicting theories and systems which
we now suffer, that Will not show the re.
suits of the study and usc OF a half-cen-
tury OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Advance.
Tho Penitentiary Boards Action.
The action of the Penitentiary Board In
el6cting one of Its own members to the
position OF Superintendent of the Peni-
tertiary will be generally condemned over
the state as unwise in principle and SUBJ
yersive OF the laws and traditions of the
State. The entire board is made up OF
members from the one city OF Richmond,
and now they immodestly take the Job OF
superintendent also for q member OF the
board. The control of no State Institution
should be left entirely In the hands Of a
board from any one city or county. and the
Legisla lure should prohibit any such further
farce as has Just been enacted in Richmond.
The present Governor and all his successors
should rNmovc every member OF the Peniten-
tiary Board, or at least refuse to %reappoint
any of them who voted to elect one OF their
own members. The present board seems a
strifle too much OF a CLOSE corporation" for
the government OF a State institution.-Nor-
folk Ledger-Dispatch.
The Right Line of Tax Reform.
Speaker Byrd's statement at Richmond on
Tuesday night to tho effect that the present
glazing inequalities OF our system OF taxa
ton would not BIO remedied until the asses.
sors and the commissioners OF the revenue
We're made responsible to some central au-
.thority hits the nail on the head" In the
whole discussion OF the tax problem. The
state has no means of defending itself
against the action of incompetent, unfair
Of the revenue. should there be any such.
The taxpayer can defend himself against an
assessment that 10 too high BY an appeal
to the courts. but tho State has no means
OF having an assessment raised where 1t
is too low. This state OF affairs should not
be allowed to continue any longer than the
General Assembly can remedy 1t. II AS
property is assessed according TO law at It's
fai rmarket value. and BIS. because Of the
negligence, Ignorance or partially OF an az,
SCISSOR or commissioner of the revenue, Is
assessed too low. a should have the right OF
complaint to some central authority. which
would have the power Of raising BIS assess.
ment until 1t too represented the fair mar
ket value of the property, or, falling AS
complaint, some central body should have
the power to see that all property was as.
$50 S'bkkA ~ wv
n matter OF justice, and the demand forsit
should BIO SO insistent that It be granted
fredericksburg Journal.
Game Laws and Loose Dogs.
1t Is said that q drastic sanne law is be-
Ing drafted for consideration by the General
Assembly. That one Is badly needed there
is no mistake, aud unless something is done
Tor the protection OF game It will soon be
extinct. Wy would like to soc a law on
acted THAI would mako 1t a misdeueanor
LIST Of March until young birds ana other
game fowl set large enough to take care
the eggs and young birds ara destroyed BY.
thousands by dogs being allowed to roam
the helds. In fact, it is safe to say that
for 1t is an indisputable fact
that a hound dog will .'suck" eggs and
that q young bird dog Will chase and Kill
young = snch q m,e sa sure ; J" t w. the nesye
they have.-south Hill Enterprise,