The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-06-29
TH0ROUGH.REFORN
OF TAXING SYSTEM
-
Commission Will Go Into Every
Detail Of Laws Governing
Taxation.
BEGAN MOVE
Made Demand for Changes-Dr
d. S. Freeman Is Elected
Expert.
TIMES DISPATCH BEGAN MOVE

Adopting the widest possible scope
for its inquiry into the tax system of
Virginia, the new State Tax Commits
sion held its first meeting at the Capt.
toll yesterday. 1t was decided not only
to go into questions OF segregation,
franchise taxation and equalization,
but also to examine into every tax law
on the statute books, with the view TO
determining where all INEQUALITIES lie
The weak places in the tax FABRIC VIII
be strengthened wherever they appear.
While unspoken, the commission motto
will be equal distribution of the bur
dens of taxation"
DR.. Douglas S. Freeman was elected
to be the tax expert mentioned In the
act creating the commission. de at
once took his seat as member OF the
body. Dr. Freeman will be assigned
buildings. He began his new work
yesterday afternoon, and is now In the
service of the State.
imes-Dispatch Did 1T.
This newspaper began the fight for
such a commission, and Is due the
follow. For many months exhaustive
series of articles were printed, dissect-
ing the Virginia tax system and urging
reform in many particulars. I f.n,,,
complete series were published from
the pen Of Dr. Freeman-on tax meth
DDS, on banking, and on the. fee sys-
TEN. The articles on banking have
had their fruLton in the Institution OF
his assistants. The others have borne
fruit in the Tax Commission which
yesterday began it's work The act
under which 1t was created was the
Allegheny county.
All the members of the commission
were present when the meeting was
called to order in the Governors office
4 1Bn 1rI- 10 T. adc
Governor; acknowledgements ]. Tay-
Tor Ellyson, as president OF the Senate;
Richard Evelyn Byrd, as Speaker OF
the House; Judge Robert r. Prentis,
Commission; Senator George 3. Kee-
zell, as chairman of the Senate Finance
Committee, and Colonel A. NJ. Bowman,
as chairman OF the House Finance COM
mittee. The Governor is Chairman OF
The selection of the tax expert was
first gone into. DR.. Freeman was
elected unanimously. He was sent for
and thereafter took part in the meet
ing. The session was executive.
VIII Segregate.
1t is reported that semi-definite
system for segregation of the sources
of taxation was suggested and was
regarded favorably by the commission
extent both as to franchise and prop
erty tax There was some discussion
of the advisablity of dividing the work
among different members, the assign
in each instance, but nothing definite
was done along this line, and 1t will
probably be considered a later meet
ing.
The determination was expressed Of
having a complete system of taxation
along the lines of modern thought and
experience, read, for presenta ton to
the next Legislature. This system will
be the subject of eighteen months OF
the most earnest investigation and con-
sideration, it being intended that it
shall be of such weight that the GEN
eral Assembly can but be impressed
with it. Considering the personnel OF
the commission, 1t is believed that Its
chance Of being enacted.
AT the conclusion of the meeting 1t
was decided that the commission shall
attend in a body the coming meeting
which will meet at Milwaukee from
July 2S to August 9. There the com
missioners will listen to the worlds
greatest thinkers on the subject, and
theories. All will be present except
Judge Prentis, who will be in Europe.
Future meetings will be held at the
call of the chairman DR.. Freeman
has severed his connection with The
Times dispatch, but it is understood
that when his work with the commits
sion is concluded on January /. 1912.
he will return to the newspaper field
Formal Statement.
After the meeting the following
statement was given out by Commits
sloner Freeman:
The Tax Commission realizes that
while the work imposed upon it by the
General Assembly is Very heavy. its
successful accomplishment will be the
greatest possible service to the people
OF Virginia. Upon a just and equitable
tax system, bearing alike on all classes
OF citizens, depends the prosperity of
the whole people and the progress of
Pursuant Of the act creating the
commission, the members intend to
make detailed study OF all the tax
laws in the present code-corporation
real. personal, franchise, license and
special taxes. The commission will
secure information as to the operation
of these taxes, will estimate their in
equality and will recommend to the
Assembly the revision of such laws IS
now appear to- be unjust discrimina-
tory OF unequal.
This is a difficult task and II will