The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-03
HOUSE ENDORSES
LOCAL Home RULE
Augusta Road Bill Is
Passed by Large
Majority.
AMENDMENTS TO
FLETCHER BILL.
Senate Spends Day Discussing
Tax Equalization - One Bill
Goes Through in Each
House-Bodies Disagree
on Date for Introduc-
ton of New Bills.


Local option against state option.
analyzed and discussed until funda-
mental principles were reached. was
thrashcd out yesterday on the floor
of the House OF Delegates. The ques.
tion under debate did not concern the
sale OF liquor, but none the less tho
issue involved was whether COM
munity should be allowed to sottle an
important matter for itself or whether
the state should interfere upon the
hypothesis that the people of the
whole Commonwealth might ultimately
be affected. When the smoke of bat
tic cleared away the local optionists
were on top by vote of Il to Is.
Tho bill under consideration was
Senate bill No. /, amending the road
laws of Augusta county. For the
second time during the present ses-
sion Speaker Byrd got on the floor
and led the fight for local self-gov-
nrnment, coming out victorious. The
principal speech on the other side of
the question was made by Mr.. Talia-
fcrro.
purport of Bill.
Argumcnt ragged around a measure
allowing certain highways in Augusta
county, built partly by State aid, to
pass under the control of the local
Board of Supervisors and empowering
that body to erect toll gates thereon
for the purpose of earning revenue
10 maintain the roads.
The bill was backed by the Augusta
county delegation and no local opposi-
ttion appeared, but tho House Commit
tee on Roads and Internal Navigation
reported 1t with a recommendation that
1T should not pass. The idea OF the
committee was that a dangerous pre-
cedcnt was being set In allowing Tree
: roads built in part with funds from the
state treasury TO be made into ton
roads, and that such action would ne
Z tne entering wedge against state ala
n road building It was feared that
7 tho time might come when all over the
state the people should be made "a
nav for travel over highways paid for
, partly with the funds of the public
on the other hand, it was argued
that tho people OF Augusta county
wanted and needed this measure, and
that 1t should not be denied them.
Many Bill. Acted On.
This was the only bill finally passed
by the House, but twenty-nine House
bills went through on their second read
ing and were ordered TO their cnSross-
ruent. This was done under speciai
rule designed 10 advance local uncon-
tested bills upon the calendar, and
thus to have the clerks get busy now
on work they would inevitably have 10
do before the end of the session
Considerable opposition developed to
the Throckrnorton bill providing In
determinate sentences for criminals.
and IT was sent to the Committee on
Courts of Justice for opinion as TO its
constitutionality.
inquiry as TO why inc supcrlhteH-
dents of state hospitals for the insane
al
by the House Committee on Finance,
under instructions contained in a reso-
= aution offered by Mr.. Williams, of Giles,
and adopted.
The House amended the Senate reso-
LUTON fixing the final date for the In
PRODUCTION of new bills by making 1t
February 10 instead OF February 20.
,rhe senate rejected the amendment.
whereupon the House requested that
1t be sent to conference.
To-day the Joint Committees on IN
surance and Banking will consider the
bill establishing Bureau of Bank
ing. and the House Committee on AZ
riculture and Mining will have a hear
ing on the Throckmorton dairy bill,
Tomorrow morning the Clement au-
tomobile tax will have al inning.
while on Saturday the hotel bill will
be thrashed out.
Fletcher Bill Amendment.
The Senate spent the day discussing
various amendments to the Fletcher
tax equalization bill. No action was
taken on any of these propositions.
Senator Tucker suggested a sort OF
combination of the Fletcher and King
bills by which a tax commission
should be formed at once and take
hold OF the 1910 real estate assessment
as we'll as the permanent tan system
senator Sims presented an amendnlent
which would have toned down the
feature of the Fletcher bill which
penalties real estate assessors WHO
fail to properly appraise property
values senator Parsons had plan
for cuualizattont by local officials.
senator STROBE would have the State
Auditor given the power to summon
assessors to Richmond for purposes oi
conference as to values EIe also suS-
gests a plan to put the taxation OF
corporations in&the hands OF the State
Auditor and the Attorney General
with the right OF appeal TO the Su'
preme Court If the State Corporation
Commission declines to correct It's as
sessments of corpora ions accordingly
The Senate. like the House, passSt
only one bill. a local measure.
New Hills offered.
Senator Chase introduced a bin pro
vlding for tho election of circui
Judges by q vote of the people,
Senator Parks would prohibit tn
storing OF meats and fruits for tn,
purpose of selling in the future at ar
advanced price
proposal 10 have the state Cor
poration Commission evolve a scien
tiHc plan of taxation Is PROPOSED In
hill offered by Senator Lasslter
A big batch of new bills came int
the House. Two OF these are, by MI
West, OF Nansemond One wo,il
ESTABLISH fee book for officers Who's
compensation Is derived in whole o
In part from fees, so that the publ
would form some idea OF what amour
or money such officers make The 9th