The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-01-12
Governor Says Tax Re-
form Is Of First
Importance.
WOMAN SUFFRAGE
BILLS OF FERED
Go to Committee on Elections.
House Gets One Bill on Calen-
dar-Byrd Primary Bill In.
troduced - Still Pushing
General Appropriation
Measure.

Reform in the tax laws of Virginia.
was emphasized by Governor Mann. in
his special message sent yesterday 10
the General Assembly. as Of para
mount Importance. Nothing more
vitality affecting the interests Of the
people, or more Intimately connected
with their dally Iitc. ne SAID, can ue
made the SUBJECT o: legal enactment.
BESIDES. he urged INN .uiate action
looking to the equalization of assess
intnts. Tho reason for this is that the
valuations for 1912 Will be made as OF
aate February !. and unless new
law Is enacted and approved oy mat
day, such reforms as may be instituted
viii not he IN effect TINS year as ap-
pied 10 personal property.
The message was ordered to be
printed, and IT was read at length in
tao House OF Delegates.
UncuuaI burdens.
The laws relating TO the assessment
and collection OF taxes, said IN. Gov
ernor, are In great confusion. Unrest
exists among the people. who feel ami
kno" that the burdens are unequalIy
distributed. Great carslessness In tue
treatment OF tax laws has been ex-
hihited, and this has been responsible
In large measures for the financial
difficulties fthe public treasury. for
II has been impossible TO estimate
with any degree of accuracy the prob
able receipts OF the Commonwealth
In addition to urging the adoption
OF the recommendations OF the State
Tax Commission. already printed. for
the constitution OF 7 permanent COM
mission with power TO caualize assess
mtHts. the Governor makes some new
suggestions regarding collections OF
delinquent taxes and settlements with
treasurers. He would have the unc
paid tax tickets or each year added to
the tickets OF tho following year so
20 snow at all times the entire amount
due, the sum being a lien on all the
personal property as an execution now
aftd+-oT St'ss.s real Ssta Ia as d. ltttoucnt
taxes now Is
In this way. in looking up titles 10
realty. 1t would be necessary only to
look at the tax lists for the current
year. which would contain all the taxes
oue ana unpaid on any certain piece
of property
MIKE Treasurers Settle.
In View Of the fact that trcasurers
may How succeed themselves, and the
loea OF the Constitutional Convention
20 force settlements has been accord
inEly defeated, the Governor would
nave actual settlements made with
ooaros OF supervisors and school boa I'd &
once year. The money would have
10 De PAID over by the treasurers in
cash, and II would be placed In bank
to the credi, of the supervisors and the
schooi boards. TO be drawn upon BY
them. This would prevent treasurers
VINO really owe the public funds from
borrowing temporarily from friends so
as TO show the necessary balance in
bank ut the time of the present paper
settlements.
One Bill In Motion.
Sessions of the Senate and House
yesterday were short, consuming bur a
few moments. However, the House did
some work. The Committee on Coun-
ties. Cities AID Towns met, reported a
Dill. got 1t on the calendar, and IL
passed Its first reading. Chairman
Iipton D. Jennings. OF Lynchburg, not
only made the record of having the
hrst committee meeting of the session.,
put. all other business having been con-
eiuoeo' the House adjourned in honor
Of his birthday.
The bill reported. House bill No. 1,
permits cities and towns TO use the
waters of Lake Drummond for their
supplies and to condemn lands when
may De necessary to that purpose. 1t
is a local measure. affecting Norfolk
and Portsmouth, and the special meet
ing OF the committee was held at the
request OF the local delegation. The
DIN should reach final passage in the
House tomorrow.
Appropriation Bill.
y further important step looking 10
an carly action on the general appro
priaticn bill was taken in both bodies.
resolution was concurred I'm calling
on the heads Of State departments and
institutions TO transmit to tho Lsgts-
iature within ten days lists of their
needs In the way of appropriations.
Hese llsls are for the consideration
or the Finance Committees.
The House considered the appoint-
ment OF Joint committee to investi-
gate the assessment of bogus lands
IN Buchanan county. where, according
10 the Auditors report hundreds d.
thousands of acres are valued in OK
cess OF tho actual acreage of the com
~. The resolution went to commit
tee.
me amendments to the Constitution
which would confer suffrage on wo-
men were proposed by Hill Montague
In the House. and went to the Commit.
tee on Privileges and Elections. As
already told in The Times Dispatch.
the amendments offered would make
rights now enjoyed by male citizens'
apply also to females, and would re-
quire OF the latter also the payment of
canitation taxes as n prerequisite to
the suffrage. The galleries were
crowded with members of the Equal
suffrage League of Virginia, both men
and women. :.
Hearings on RedistrictinE
1t Is more and more apparent that
the hottest fights will be over reds
trfcting the State for congressional and
legislative representation. AS a. re-
suit OF conference between Chair
men Holt and Williams, of the senate
and House Committees on Privileges
lContInuad on siyth. .aaaal -