The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-02-03
Strong Argument Before the
Finance Committee to Make
Provision for Taxation.
LANDS UNDER-vALUED NOW
Judge Rhea and Others Empha-
size This Fact in Their
Speeches-Work For Many.

That those big Brothers to the
poor" in the Senate spoke whereof
they knew when they protested
against the Fletcher tax equalization
bill because it provided for probable
increase in the assessments on farm
lands, and none on mineral lands be-
came evident Wednesday night, when
Judge William +, Rhea, of the Cor
poration Commission. appeared before
the House and Senate Finance Com
mittees. The joint meeting was held
for the purpose of hearing discus
sion on Senator Folkes's amendment
to the Fletcher bill, calling for a spe-
etal assessment on mineral lands. and
Senator keezelfs bin providing for a
separate assessment by a tax asses
scr authorized to travel over the State
and estimate the values of mineral
properties, Senator Folkes and others
have insisted that the mineral lands
are not assessed at anything like
their value and that the owners of
mine hearing -praperty paying
less revenue TO the State than farm
ers
Such Law Needed.
Judge Rhea corroborated these
statements. He said there was IA
pressing need for a mineral Law, as
the present one Is impracticable of
enforcement. and the lands are woe
fully undervalued. A system by
which an expert on mineral ianos
might be the central head of fixing
the valuations was suggested by
Judge Rhea. He concluded his re-
marks with the statement that the
mineral tax assessment at present liz
far from being what IT should.
While admitting that some of the
coal lands of the State were made
aaately assessed. r. Tate Irvine, who
represented the coal interests, de-
clared that the majority of 1t was
orertaxed. He alluded to the fact
that within short term of years
the Increase on mineral lands had
been so per cent, while the increase
on farm lands was only IL per cent
The present law is adequate to meet
all conditions If 1t Is enforced. ac-
cording to the testimony or former
Judge A. r. Phlegar and General Tsu-
fus Ayres, who also appeared for the
mineral men, Both declared the
mineral wealth of Virginia was great
~ exaggerated. and this exaggeration
focused the attention of farmers ana
legislators on the mines. They as
serted that much of the mineral land
assessed as productive Is practically
carren, and added that the States
mineral industry was still In Its swad-
ding clothes. When 1t Is properly
developed. they said. 1t would pay far
more revenue into the State than is
derived from any other source.
Too Much for One Man.
r. $. Catlett, an expert on mining,
addressed himself to Senator Kee-
zeliis bill providing fer-ene man TO
! assess all the mineral lands. Mr..
Catlett said almost every county 10
the State had some mineral deposits,
! and that 1t would take one man a
lifetime TO assess all OF it.
That the iron ore production and
industry OF the State is greatly over
estimated. and that 1t is not yet
dividend paying business was the
testimony of A. l.. Erckman, of Roa-
noke.
Senator Folkes spoke briefly on the
history of past legislation on mineral
lands, and cited tables of figures to
show that they were regarded as the
most valuable in the State. He there
fore believed they should be properly
assessed.