The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-01-30

delivering 9, brilliant satire upon Am
OF Senator strobe, of thatJconnty, yes
terday. Before he came to the senat
he had thought that there were Jus
ta ass o a. OF Mst te peone
cially In Amherst. are escaping some
of these good things.
Not Tax on Farmers.
| He favored the Holland amendment
The Fletcher bin was not a tar or
they own land of the same value. The
Object Of the bill is to equalizo tho
tax End make the low assessed come
across. IT would make the Amherst
Senator ciravatt Of Caroline, wished
TO know If Senator Hart had said that
the object OF the bill was to eaualise
Hart answered that the bill was not
80 intended, but that 1t applied to
everybody.
Resuming Senator. Hart saw no rea.
grieved at the biil. Tie Democrats
are responsible for assessments under
their administration. The skirts Of the
Republicans ale clear. 1t might be
He painted benntiful picture of his
visit to Lee county, and declared II
a rich country.
Senator Noel. of lee. asked him to
paint. also the picture OF the poor
Senator Hart said that every county
has It's poor land. Then he read
glowing description Of the fertility
and rich resources of Amherst county
by certain of It's citizens, It stated
that Amherst was one OF the leading
agricultural counties Of ,he state
Then he pointed aut that Al nherst re.
ceives moro mo ley from Tue Stdlc
'" Several times Senators Hart and
STROBE engaged in duols OF rcpartee.
and the latter found a toefnan VINO
could strike home.
Railroads Fay Enough.
Senator Hart remarked that rail-
alton. In many cases they were taxed
doubly, and a good many people Will
not return their railroad bonds Tor as.
sessment, because they say they nave
been taxed already.
Senator Noel reported case N ms
district where branch spur OF the
Louisville and Nashville had been tax
ed at very small rate.
ginian RAILWAY. said It ought to be
allowed to pay low taxes because it
is not yet IN a condition of earning
power, but in time will be a great
bTlelS u CUIlIllSlCS tile EIdLG. lNc
commission acts wisely in
making the tax low on this property,
he asserted. He thought that the cities
we're undergoing unjust criticism. They
more than they receive from it. They
are paying their just share. The pin.
sral resources Of Virginia, he thought,
we're greatly ovefestimated. They ought
not to be taxed further until they be-
come more productive.
Senator Holland, Of Nansemond, took
the floor. He thought the Fletcher bill
a good one. Land valuations all over
the. State reveal glazing inequalities,
and the situation must be remedied.
Land of the same value is rated in
one county at $3.50 and in another at
$40. Land is selling from SO cents to
$50 in the State.
The pending BILL cannot embrace all
mineral land taxation might be put un-
der the Corporation Commission Instead
of the Auditor of Public Accounts. He
would support the mineral tax bill tf|
embodied under another bill.
Farmers VIII Pay Share.
Corrections of tire defects of the
bill. not criticisms of 1t, ought to
from the Senator's who OPP
posed it. he said. He had no SYM
pathy with those who argued that the
He represented an agri-
cultural people and he knew they
would pay their share The idea Of
vesting the revisory power in one
man did not appeal to him. That ono
man would not know local conditions.
a raise of the return up as far as |
% per cent he thought not arbitrary.
That much power the Auditor ought
to have anyway. He has no revisory
power at present. II the assessment
ought to be raised above % per cent. /
let tho local court pass on It, calling
10 hearing good and reputable menI
Of the county to testify concerning
the value of the land. The State
should have the same right of appeal
from an assessment as under thel
present law an individual has
Senator Gravatt, of Caroline, report
ed to the Senate the death of a mem
Der of the Legislature from his sec
ton, Thomas III. Edwards, and out Of!
respect for his memory adjournment
took place at els o'clock.