The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-01-28
SENATE

/ ~ A%A Il Il -
AT the usual hour the Senate con-
vencd. Rabbi T. N. Calisch, of Beth
Ahabah. offered prayer.
Favorable reports were received on
the following bills: Senator Kings bill
az to pension fund for school teach
ers. Senator Strode's bill as 10 the pay
OF school super1ntendents, and Senator
Hollis companion bills, one providing
that the board of q state institution
shall not elect one of It's members to
an ot1lcc within Its gift, the other pro-
viding that on State boards not more
than two members shall come from
the same city or town
Senator Elarn, of Brunswick, offered
resolution. requiring reports to the
auditing committee from all officers
paid by fees as TO what they received,
10 that tho matter OF paying stated
salaries in connection with such Offices
might be considered.
Senator Haisey. Of Lynchburg moved
TO reconsider Senator Gre.att's bill,
providing for State Board OF Law
Examiners. Tho Senate agreed to re-
consider.
A message from the House was
regarding the joint order for the elec-
ton OF Judge Il. r. Prentfs. OF the
State Corporation Commission at 1860.
Board Matter Again.
Reconsideration of the bill creating
q Board or Law Examiners being In
order. Senator Halsey. OF Lynchburg.
said that the bill had heen kept from
passage By the decision of the chair
on a previous day that 1t took twenty
one votes to pass He thought. after
careful consideration, that the bill
ell In -
relieve the Supreme Court OF an nrdu-
Gus task that might just as well be
put upon a board OF examiners
The vote was taken, and was 10 to
10 IN favor OF the passage of the bill,
but the president repeated his ruling
that tho bill would require twenty-one
votes. because. in his opinion, 1t Inn
posed charge and came under the
constitutional rule.
Senator Gravatt, of Caroline, said
that with great respect TO the chair
lie wished to take appeal from tho
ruling.
Taking the stand that the bill Gre
ated no charge. Senator Echols, OF
staunton, differed with the chair. He
had great Difference for the president
and hoped that the appeal might lie
over until the chair might give the
matter due consideration.
Senator Folkes. OF Richmond CITY.
thought the bill created an Office, and
therefore came within the purview OF
the constitutional limitation. The hill
creating eight new colonels had gone
through with great solemnity. and he
thought this bill should do likewise.
Senator STROBE. of Amherst. believed
the chair right under the Constitution.
That the constitutional meaning of
the word office" does not include
boards OF examiners was the conten-
ton Of Senator Echols. of stanton.
Replyins, Senator Strobe, of AM
herst. pointed out that the office car
rled salary
Senator Echols. of stanton. thought
the inili a very proper one. and that
VI carried reasonable relief for tho
Court of Appeals In taking from II
The burden of examining applicants TO
the bar. y I'M -
"A tax in tho severest form" was
the term applied by Senator Keezell,
OIL Rockingham, to the bill He OBJ
posed 1t on that ground.
mo patron of the bill. Senator
Gravatt. of Caroline, thought that
there We're plenty of acts on the
statute books that were lust like this
one. but had not carried constitu-
tlonal majority Flo maintained that
there was a clear distinction between
fee and a tax.
On motion of Senator Echos. the
appeal was passed over until to-day.
Question of Taxation.
The Fletcher bill came up for con-
sideratton as a special order
Senator Holland, of Nansemond.5 Of
Tered an amendment that in cases
where the Auditor proposed to raise
an assessment 25 per cent. the sane
ton OF the circuit Judge must be OBJ
talned
Senator Sims, of Louisa, took the
chair for short period.
Senator Noel, Of Lee, offered sub
stitute that the circuit Judge should
be the revisory authority on tho as
sessment OF taxes instead of the State
Auditor. In defense of his substitute.
the Senator from Lee said that giving
the circuit Judge the power of revising
the local assessors estimate would
bring the power "nearer home" The
circuit judgeeis better acquainted with
the value of land in his Jurisdiction
than, tho Auditor Of Public Accounts
There are different conditions in DIFF
ferent counties, and some one who
enows all these conditions or who
Shows the conditions In differing
localities should revise tho returns or
Ne assessors. II.
Taking up the gauntlet flung down
Yesterday by Senator's Halsey, OF
SLWnchburg, and Keezell OF Rocking
Nm, he essayed to prove that til
Democratic administration had been
ieckless and wasteful In Its appropriate
Mons Of the public moneys lie dilated