The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-01
Committee Refuses to
Report Liquor Ship
ping Measure.
HOUSE DISCUSSES
!, TAX COMMISSION
Opponents Of Prohibition Bill
Argue Case, and Dr.. Cannon
Speaks for Measurc-Com-
i11ittee Will Decide Mon
day After Final Hear
ing Tonight.

Continued debate In the House OF
Delegates on the Byrd bill TO estub-
flish Il state Tax Commission, apparent
defeat Of the "antiius' bills in COM
nittee. and further hearing OF the
Jordan prohibition enabling act were
The features OF principal interest yes.
terday In the Virginia Legislature
For some time last night the House
COMMITTEE Oh Counties. Cities and
Towing, behind closed doors, considered
the Bain and Jennings Liils. one of
WHICH would prevent tho snipm.nt OF
liquor from wet territories III Virginia
10 dry areas in this state. ana the
other would force acknowledgements ia
make contracts with the courts that
4 theS would restrict their trade
to sales In their own localities. The
debate was heated.
~ molten was made 10 pnRs the bill
by Indefinitely. but was not carried.
however. simple motion 10 pass by
received majority vote OF the com
h't,ee. This means that the body ira-
fused TO report the bill. anu Is DC
cepted as defeat for tna measure. Il
Hearing Prohibition,
The end OF tin. public hearings on
tue Jordan prohibition bill SO far as
the House Committee on b Privileges
and Elections is concerned. Is al last
IN sight. In meeting yesterday ar
tcTnoon after careful compu1a ton
81 the time so Tar consumed By each
side, IL was determined TO give the
opposition three hours last night and
Two hours 70 morrow night. after
which tile advocates OF the 5ff,>rro to
have one hour TO close. On Monday
morning next tho committee wiliScon-
slider the proposition in executive ses.
sion, and report the bill to the House
SIsi+h's. ave re- ' Ills erab! re-.
GoiniisHoatiofi. fsz's5t w 6 : 80 'Ns'
However. after using two hours and
fifteen minutes. those who opposed the
mn last night rested their case for
tue present. The other SIDE criticized
this action. saying that IL was intend
vd 10 make delays which would hamp-
cr the bin and prevent its carly con-
stderation by the Senate. After few
minutes OF charges OF unfairnes, which
were resented. the committee adopted a
motion by Mr. Cox that Rev. james
buchanan should have thirty minutes
at once. not TO be deducted from the
time OF his side at the final hearing
Tomorrow night This will give the
advocates of the bill one hour longer
than the opponents.
Men from many sections of Virginia
y
that the adoption OF such a measure
INFANT the death of the local option
policy in Virginia; that 1t would do
the State no good, but would cost her
much revenue. ana that the recogni-
lion OF the referendum would mean
the destruction of representative gov
eminent.
Throughout the entire days session
OF the House of Delegates the Byrd
Tax Commission bill was under dis
cussion. 1t was the field day of the
opposition, In which the two leading
opponents of the measure-Judge Mar
tin Williams. of Giles. and Hugh A.
White, OF acknowledgements their on
slaughts on the proposition. They
were answered rather briefly by
Speaker Byrd, and others took part In
the discussion to soma extent, The
House sat in committee of the whole.
The debate covered all the features of
the bill, and there was no attempt to
discuss 1t by sections. Apparently no
progress was made but it is possible
that some sort Of conclusion Will be
reached to-day by which tho measure
will be recommitted. The impression
prevails. however. that the debate will
go over into tomorrow, and perhaps
consume the remainder OF the week
All Want 10 Help.
1t was the subject of favorable COM
iiicHt lHtl II was the disposition OF all
the speakers to try TO arrive at some
conclusion for the hest interests OF the
state. and to relieve conditions which
ara pronouncedly and admittedly bad.
That unequal assessments exist no one
denied that grave iniustices reign all
agreed
And yet there seemed small hope
that the House would agree to .he
remedy proposed by Speaker Byrd.
The principal argument was made by
Judge Williams. who thouhgt it too
expensive. too centralized. and utterly
impracticable. He protested that coun-
tS officers elected by the people should
not he in position TO be suspended or
removed hy commission sitting in
Richmond which knew nothing of local
conditions.
Mr.. Byrd said he would accept an
amendment making the removal of
commissioners OF the revenue come un-
der the jurisdiction Of tho circuit
courts. only to be done after a trial.
He also said he would not press the
point that compensation be withheld
from commissioners until their work
had been approved by the State Tax
Commission. In his rejoinder to Judge
Williams. tho Speaker told of counties
which not only pay their own expenses
and their share of the cost of govern
ment, but also help to pay the in
ternal costs Of administering counties
we'll nble to pay.
Desires SEGREGATION.
Mr.. White pressed hia segrega ton
proposition. He said 1t was feasible.
and could be put into practical oper-
alton, Hc desires the Finance Commit
tee to secure figures from the Auditor
and to report n bill for the separation
of the subjects of taxation.
Consideration Of tho bill will be
resumed at 1890 o-day.
The Senate transacted nothing but
SCpntinued on Third Page,l -