The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-02-25
The House

sorted To the House FRIDAY Was the
Tnitcd Agriculture Board bill intro
faced at the request Of Governor
Mann. This measure was reported
lnfavorahly
Judge Williams offered resolu-
Ion, which was carried. providing
hat the House copverSe ut II O'Clock,
commencing MONDAY. THE morning
session will continue until 2 o'clock.
md an afternoon session will be held
rom until s O'Clock. The reso1u-
ION also directed that the committees
VI the House to report all bills pos
Hbie by Monday.
Mr.. Throckmorton called up joint
Vsofufion with reference to draining
swamp land In Virginia TIE rrso-
utaan requested that the United States
=sesss4t,Ts and =Atsi.Hfseia lives In SON
.ress do everything possible to have
ne swamp In Virginia drained, espe-
sally the land in Tidewater sections
The resolution was adopted.
Election by the People.
The bill providing for the election
ii tue mem beers of the Corporation
Commission by the people was the
arst bill taken up on the calendar as
unfinished business.
Mr.. Fitzhugh was the first TO take
The floor in favor OF the bill. He
said the people should have the
fight to vote on nominations for such
An Important Office. If this Is done,
knd the members OF the commission
we're not satisfactory to the people,
they could elect desirable men to
heir places. You ought not be afraid
10 allow the people Of Virginia TO say
who shall rule. This In the only
democratic way to rule. These men
ire not any dearer to Us than the
Governor. and we ought to let the
people raTe.
This IN a great question. deelar-
I'd Judge Williams, in opposing this
bill The founders OF this Democ-
facy made a careful study Of this
question, and declared that this COM
mission should he appointed by the
Governor. To my mind. this would
be the greatest step backward we
,ould make"
Judge Williams went on to explain
n detail the proceeding Of the Con-
stttsttnnat Convention nefd In 1909
which decided the question of the
commission and gave their reasons
Ter the decision The railroads of
ever before. owing to the workings
81 ssasis accumulation" he stated. I'VE
don't want the commission to enter
into politics where they might be COR
fapfed by the great corporations
During the six years. from 1908 to
1908. under this independent COM
mission. the assessment Of Virginia
roads was Increased s34.4S1 coo"
He gave statistical review of the
rates of assessment on the different
8 roeiis from Il time before the COM
&vxSe aN@< sEA
time showing tire continued gain IN
4 assessments under the supervision of
the commission. In conclusion Judge
williams stated that this la not q
tifne to experiment with ouch an TN
pcrtant matter. when this State Is
collecting more taxes from corpora
lions than 1t ever did by more than
many other States In the Union. II
you do. II is likely to corrupt the
commission and place the State In a
very embarrassing position. This
commission has not only raised the
assessment on ali corporations; for
Instance. take fhe mineral corpora
taons whose assessment has been In
creased from sa9 geo, 600 in 1903 TO
1sf6. 900. Geo in 1909. and all the
while tfey have increased the rev.
enues q the State sssS.0oo since
1909 The people. on a whole, do
not want to elect this commission,
and inHpiore you not TO do away
with ail The good work tn!s commits
sion has done and make the worst
1 mistake which this Legislature would
do by passing this bill"
Mr. I&ell-tke patraH Of the bill,
argued AT length IN favor Of lis bill.
and urged its adoption
Favored by MFR. Bcti.
III. BELL explained tina; this was
no veilad importation in tine meas-
ure against any melaecr OF tire com
nsission. and you cannot limit the
question 80 the present personnel, but
was simply a move ~ give power
And rule - the people, which Is
what shey want The p~orie pay the
taxes te maintain the government
and ] believe Il Improper to deny tbs
pswer Of eieoting It's iEcn who Ttilc
this government. declared the pa
iron He made very strong ana
inspagssye speech appealing to thc
sentiment 81 Democracy and the SEN
fimsnt or the members 90 give the
peorle all the power possible
Mr.. Houston followed MIR. Bell. and
nnnesed the hill. ''rhe only excuse
that the supporters have given for
the passage az the bili was the old
tirne-honored. thge 1abare cry of let
the people rate.
ri thase win II wall take them
ant OF office a, feast one year %
conduct their campaign. snd VIII
cost at least $4,000 To conduct TINS
rafnpasgn, which would have to be
made gp tn some manner.
Mr.. Oliver spoke briefly IN fsNoi
az the Bill using the sane reason %
..iei the people rule
Mr.. oliver stated that no man fisf
been appointed to that commission
who had not been T. political frleas
81 thai governor, He upheld eVeFl
Il n1esnateY nf the omn.isBion but WA
al the opinion that the people oouls
Il elect lust az competent men. az
declared that the time VIII cnm'
when the governor could promise {
man q position on the cofgafntsEfen II
return for his support In the COVER
mrs campaign"
Mr.. J. W Williams also spok'
briefly in opposition to the bill.
by a vote OF "a To ~ the bill wa
defeated.
state Depository Tin.
On motion of Judge Touelie, In
M repprt ~ the Joint COMMITTEES on sen
G. rte, bill IS la reference 10. State De
u peEilorias Nas taken up. iris repor
u provides that II bank desires y
81 become o Stafe depository IL shSii %
e5snxEea IL fepQ;sst STATE kanas ~ p2r
p&ymsnt az the ssoa,0Dt bond whiei
~ n reQuised Tor SKATE Dependencies, IN
I o51dy ether amendment aadsd was osa'
,nk king the National Rank ~ Aerfvil
sSS y 6Np0Sstpry+ "A motion war rad,
Il 11SDsIn< of the amendments wiaikfa hal
4 S,rrfSf.s. <Iysfa.f