The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-18

he withdrew his salary amendment.
Senator Lasster thought that the
structures on the State Corporation
Commission made yesterday had not
of tax commission must be had at all
events. he said. even If 1t were COM
posed of a single man.
Senator Saunders was opposed to del
egating the power of this commission
to a committee made up of Legislators
While he did not wish to dsparage
them, he thought such policy would
be directly vioiative OF the Constitu-
ton 1t seemed to him the equivalent
of the especial creation Of an oftic.
for members of the Legislature. He
| thought there is no peculiar fitness
| possessed by Legislators for the work
| of this proposed commission.
| Another ground of opposition was.
| said he, the expense 10 be incurred
| by such commission. In the last few
| days of its session the Senate has
| passed some as drastic laws as to
| the taxation Of corporations as have
ever been passed in this country"
! That showed how hard up the State
liz for money, and now IL the state has
so little money, he urged that part
of it had better not be expended in
! this direction. Again IL the committee
were composed of members of the Gen
/ eral Assembly, there Is no assurance
| that any one Will get back.
] Vigorously defending the Underwater
section, he said that though 1t was not
as rich in resources as other sections
and did not receive some of the BEN
chts secured by other parts of the
| State 4, came across cheerfully with
its assessments.
The Holland amendment seemed to
1 him best. he said, and he thought the
Governor an excellent man to put on
the commission. For many years Gov
ernor Mann has been member OF the
Senate and has Travelled all over Viz
ginia, becoming thoroughly cognizant
of needs and conditions everywhere.
Taking up the fitness of the chairman
of the state Corporation Commission.
he said he thought that officer would
perform the work suitably. He defend
cd some of its taxation as to railroads.
why He Complains.
Senator keezell said that his kick
as to the work of the commission was
the fact that though land in his and
other counties is assessed at 80 per
cent, the property of railroads is as
sessed by the commission at 20 per
cent. only.
Senator Strobe said that instead of
adding TO the revenues of the State.
UP about the same rate as there used
!. TO be under the old Board of Public
/, Works.
.The difference is" said Senator
, Saunders. that now the State gets
the money
, Il canot see that any commission is
absolutely necessary" avowed Senator
Hart, but If we arc TO have one
hope it will be that proposed in the
= | n ~ 81 f,alx lnFri O.
I lative committee would be more OF
less of political affair. Each Sec
tion would be represented on 1t and
would attempt to get low valuations on
!, its territory and high valuations on
| that of the others"
| Reading the clause relating to the
] powers of the commission, he declared
!, them entirely too picnary. The COM
mission would be able. under such au-
+ thorlty given them, TO do almost any
: thing they wished to do. Segregation
he thought. would prove most benef'
! cfal. He gave notice that he woule
. offer an amendment requiring that
!, when the commission sits 1t shall do sc
9 | In the last three or four months di'
:, | rectly preceding the session OF thu
e Legislature.
5 ComIhcnds Commission.
THE State Corporation Commission
n is composed OIL as GOOD OlllCe-IOlueTS d
r there are in Virginia. he said, land
g think II would be most proper TO pu
n its able chairman on this tax commits
: sion In fact, think the chairman
d alone could bring in an adequate re
n port
: The railroads, he thought, are bear
n ing their due share of taxation The
n cannot stand much more taxation
v Their failure to pay dividends is poo
V evidence of the enormous wealt
II claimed by other members of the Sen
ate.
: Senator Noel severely criticized tn
: minority for its inconsistencies in say
: ing in the Fletcher bill discussion tina
i the assessments of the State Corpora
ton Commission had been all right an
e then changing front under the Kin
II tax commission bill and alleging tina
y the work of the commission was S
IS inadequate.
Referring to the structures made b
Senator Halsey in an earlier debat
II as to the fact that Lee county take
d more out of the public treasury than
It gives in. he said that upon inVestiga
"a ton he found that the same indict
Is ment might be brought against Camp
= bell county.
On motion OF Senator Harmon tn
Senate adjourned at o'clock