Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-04-20
LIVELY CONTEST ON
FLOOR OF ALDERMEN
c. D. West overwheIms opPosi'
ton With Arguments In Favor OF
Finance Committees Proposition
Increases Made in Various othef
License Tax Schedules.

Swavinx the forces of the opposi
zion nv clear-cut arguments advanced
in what was declared Dy many ~
hay. been one OF the best speeches
heard on the moor of the board OF
aldermen in several years, Alderman
4. ID West was SUCCESSFUL last hlsht
in inducing the upper DiahCh vi sne
city council TO concur In the orui'
nance imposing upon nre lhsulan nv
companies a nat license tax Oh szo
per annum and IN addition 'heieto q
tax of five per cent oil the sIoss
premiums received from ousiie =,
written I'm this city. This tax WIN
increase the revenues OF the CITY ny
approximately $4,000 per anhnih.
When the board was raped 10 VI
der. IL appeared that the lhsurahce
lax measure would be defeated Al
derman Clarence q. Nelms, who' as
member of the councils nnahce coii-
m.ttae, voted for the ordinance anu
recommended its adoption py lhe
council, changed his mind about the
tax two weeks or more ago anu our
Ing the han hour preceding the meet
ing of the upper branch ne was ac
lively engaged iii lobbying against
the measure. He approached se'erai
members OF the board anu asked tha'
they vote for hat rate ana surface
Indications were that he had muster
ed enough strength TO win out.
Neims Holds Out to Last
However, whatever strength he mad
with him was turned in the opposite
course by Alderman Vests argu-
ments and when the vote finally was
taken afte. about an hour ana one
half had been taken up in speech
making. MIR. Nelms was the only
member to vote against concurrence,
the vote being seven TO one DIX
votes were required TO pass this or
dinance as well as any OF the amend
ments 10 The original license tax ordi-
nance.
Sol Miller and w. +. Cottreil, local
insurance agents, spoke before the
aldermen In opposition TO the percen-
faee tax on the companies. Mr. MIL
Ter declared that the proposed tax
might anger the insurance companies
aud result In their raising the rates
in this city. He declared that the
Southeastern Tariff Association has
this city and State within its grasp
and that IL can increase the rates
as high as IL pleased. He also adj
yanced as an argument against the
ordinance that IL required the COM
NAMES TO make sworn statements OF
their business in Newport News and
file them with the commissioner OF
the revenue, thus laying bare their
books to the opposition agents. lie
claimed that the agents could exam
inc these statements and take com
panies away from each other.
Argues FOR Flat Rate.
w. r. COttreil made a lengthy ad-
dress which seemed to make an im-
preston upon the aldermen. lie de
ciared that In theory the proposed tax
was good one, but that /. was not
sound In practice as II did not furnish
an equitable basis of taxation. AS an
illustration he sand that company
which did $500 worth OF business here
In q year would pay tax OF $50.
whereas one doing s300 would pay
$40. He eontenu 4 for tiat rate,
but. Ike Mr.. Miller. he said that his
companies dia not permit him TO sug-
gest what that rate should be.
Mr. Cottrell went ON TO say that
he could not agree with Mr.. Miller
that me publicity given the business
OF the companies would initiate
against tie agents. Tie declared that
he did not believe the insurance
agents OF this city would be guilty
of such thing as taking advantage
of the sworn statement as a means
of getting the agencies OF companies
away from one another. MIR. COttrel
MISC declared that the Southeastern
Tariff Association could pat the rates