The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-03-09
ACTION OF HOUSE
D|SMAYs SENATE
Rejection Of Fletcher Tax Equal
cation Measure. Costly and
Severe Blow.
TAX PAYERS DIsGRUNTLED
Bill Will Be Introduced Again
Early Next Session-Other
News.
TAX PAYERS DIsGRuNTLED

number of Senators, particularly
the members of the finance commit
tee. were sore dismayed Tuesday ar
tennoon, when 1t became known that
the House had killed the Fletcher
lax equalization measure. ....
Senator Fletcher and several others
who labored four or five weeks In
preparing the measure and obtain
ing its passage in the face of strong
opposition on the floor Of the Senate,
sat in the House while the bill was
being considered, and left with
heavy heart when the vote against
II was announced.
BY rejecting this bill the Housc
not only threw down Ex-Governor
Swanson, who sponsored the measure
a. good revenue raised and equity
doer. but with a sweep OF its hand
brushed into the trash heap a meas
ure the drawing and passing of which
In the Senate ~cost the State more
than Ss,1uU IN salaries and printing
That there must be an equalization
of taxes throughout the State to sat
isfy disgruntied taxpayers, who COM
plain that corporations are not bear
ing their fair share OF the States
burdens. is indnsputahle, and the
Fletcher bill will be introduced again
early next session
Hearing Postponed.
The scheduled hearing on the Ed
monston amendment to the child la
Dor laws. permitting children under
fourteen years old to work ten and
a half hours Ave days week in
order to have a half holiday on Sat
urday. was not held Tuesday night.
Sentiment Is strongly against the bill,
and II probably will go by the boards.
Factory and mill owners seem more
anxious to pass the bill than do the
labor people.
MFR. Haissy Still Hopes.
Senator Hslsey, although scfne-
what disappointed that the House did
not ratify the income tax amendment
to the Federal Constitution, has not
entirely dispaired OF eventually hav-
ing the Virginia Legislature approve
of the amendment. Mr.. Halses says
he has not yet determined whether
or not he viii press his joint resoiu-
ton 10 q vote In lnc Senate. since
the House refused to engross il. there
by annihila.ing II, 50 far as this ses-
sion is concerned
THE Legislature may refuse to
ratify the amendment dozen times
sey II don't know whether much
announcement is left after the
Houses vote on the resolution, but
IL is sure TO come up at the next
Legislature"
Many Tsiiis Passed.
Among the bills passed by she sen
ate Tuesday afternoon were measures
prohibiting the use Of profanity over
telephones. providing for strict in
spcction OF maternity homes ana
fstng-in asylumx; providing home
for depraved children: establishing
the department Of State Acconntancs,
and to regulate employment bureaus.
All these bills had previously passed
the Hat,sA~-I governor Sta;:a%
them. as he Doubtless will, they III
become LAWS.
Settlement Improbable.
There seems Httle likelihood Of ass
amicable settlement ot the r., i. and
r. legislation pending before the
Legislature. and IL is improbable that
a merger win be affected between
that road and Its branch lines, as the
Senate Committees on Finance and
Courts of Justice have rejected the
bill providing for the consolidation.
The House passed tho merger bill. hut
the Senate probably viii not. After
lengthy hearing Tuesday night fhr
Joint committees decided to report the
bill introduced in the Senate by
Senate, Eehals. with the reeemn,ets-
dalton that 1t do not pass. The SEN
ate prefers to wait and see how The
Court of Appeals decided in the case
in which the State lis contesting tiIe
roads immunity from taxation.
Plan Scparate Bin,
Although the House appropriation
bill does not provide for the con-
tinuance or the Office of Secretary OF
Virginia war records strong effors
will be made to have this office pro-
xidad for b. separate hill--M Major
Hunter, the present secretary. has
done exceptionally good work in pre-
serving the war records of the Com
federate soldiers in Virginia and sew
eral strong military organizations are
wnSking for u continuance Of this
Office.
The work of the bureau Is 10 make
q complete record of every Nirginuidn
who fought In the Civil war. There
is no such record at present and the
members of tin Confederate Veterans
Association, tho Sons of the Confej-
crazy and the Daughters of the Con-
federacy arc making an effort to have
the work continued. The Office was
created three years ago and the work
Is about half completed.