The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-26
Amendment to Federal
Constitution Favored
by Committee.
PEOPLE WILL NOT
ELECT COMMISSION
House Rejects Bill Taking Ap
pointn1cnt From Governor.
No Action as to Oyster Sur
vey-Express Tax Made
S6-Automobile Bill
Passed.

Without dissenting vote. and with
out argument, the House Committee
on Federal Relations yesterday aft
crnoon decided TO report favorab1y the
joint resolution ra ratifying the Sixteenth
Amendment to the Constitution Of the
United States. permitting Congress tol
levy a tax on incomes a similar IA
vorable recommendation has been
made TO the Senate, and the matter
only awaits confirmation by the two
bodies.
There was a good attendance at the
committee meeting. and the resolution
was read Reference was made TO the
recent message of Governor swanson
on this subject, recommending the rat
fcation OF the amendment. no ono
appeared to speak for or against the
measure So far as this committee
was concerned, the presence of sena-
tor Bailey was not needed.
virginia will be one OF the first
States in the Union TO act on TINS
matter since the amendment was pro-
nosed by Congress last summer upon
the advice of President Taft. For this
reason. favorable action by this state
viii be of general interest throughout
the nation
F,lccttou of Commissioners.
nv a safe majority. the House yes
terday rejected the bill introduced ny
Mr.. Bell providing for the election OF
,namhers Of the Corporation Commits
sio- b,- n vote of the peope: Debate
on this question was begun cones,
dav going over until today. several
speeches were delivered, wiae diiief-
| ence in views being eXpressed-
The hnal vote on the engrossmen. s,, men,
/ and third reading of the biil stood'
aves. "a. noes, Al. Counting the pairs,
4 Tho vote would have been; Ayes. 80:
| noes 81. The latter figure may be
/ REGARDED as the sentiment OIL the
! Honse. The Republican members stood
] bv their platform and voted solidly Tor
| the bill ,
4 valuable contribution TO the de-
hate was the speech of Mr.. Williams
OF Giles. He presented some figures
which he has dug from the records OF
the Corporation Commission and the
Auditor of public Accounts, showing
! tho immense increase in revenue from
4 CORPORATIONS, especially from railroads
\ since the establishment OF the COM
mission The statistics were q reTeia-
] tion 10 the members of the House.
Those who argued for the bill want
ed the people to rule in the selection
OF these officers. while in opposition
the argument was made that since tht
present plan has worked so Well. y
would be llnwise to reverse the JUG
men; OF the Constitutional Convention
Governor Mann will in this way Sc
cure the appointment of at least on
member of the commission.
An Adverse Report.
4 Debate on this question occupied
4 practically all the time of the House
To it, however, was reported unfavor
: ably the proposed amendment 10 tn
!, Constitution changing the member
ship of the State Board SO that
! would include only the Governor, tn
Attorney General and the Superin
tende!lt of Public Instruction.
| Realizing the necessity Of workin
harder. the House determined to begi
next Monday to hold its sessions at /
. lo'clock and to have afternoon meeting
at o'clock.
!. The expected action on the oyste
D question was not taken BY the Senat
Committee on Fish and Game. Th
: committee met at 10 o'clock, but it wa
! found that full membership was nc
a present, some Of the Senator's beln
bus;- with the Finance Committee
$ Much discussion ensued between mem
! bers of the committee and Commission
n er Lee. Notifications of the so-callc
Lee lines were talked of, and to all ar
$ pearances the contending element
$ were on the point of getting togethe
:, on a proposal to make the line
. straight without eliminating SO muc
: OF the natural rock. y meeting wa
n called for 5 o'clock. but nobody was Q
) hand at that hour. 1t is not know
: when the committee will take the ma
ter UP.
The Governors Dill.
There was great deal of intere
and not a littie excitement about II
Capitol over the announcement in I'll
IS Times dispatch of the unfavora bio u
port on the Page Adams bill. or. as
d is more generally known. the Cove
y, nor's bill" IT is said that the oppos
j. ton to the measure. which is intendt
~ to co-ordinate all the agricultural woT
= under ono unted board will be smoke
st out and made to show its hand. The
n was not little comment on the ev
y dent presence of opposition which WI
!, not made openly before the colnmitte
~. where fights are usually conducted,
Express companies VIII be tan
only Sc per mile instead Of s..ao.
4 Al irI ~ n \