The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-02-01
HOUSE CONTINUES
TAX BILL TALK
JUDGE WILLIAMS MAKES PLEA
AGAINST THE CoMAIs-
SION PLAN.
SEGREGATION TODAY
MR. WHITE WILL OFFER BILL As
suBsTITUT BYRD
SCORES UNEQUAL AS
sEssMENTs.
SEGREGATION TO-DAY

The end is not in sight.
In fact. the House yesterday didn't
seem to know whether there w"ni"
be any end.
And then. again, large number
OF members didn't seem to De qaite
certain which end they stood on from
tax bill standpoint.
Judge Williams. Of Giles. seotcheo
the Capitalization "critter' ana
warned the Democratic party OF the
State that West Virginia was reNo-
lutionized from political standpoint
because the Republicans had adopt
ed the commission plan.
But Mr.. Byrd came back at this
argument good and hard by saying
that the House should be governed
by what was right rather than nv
what was expedient. Furthermore,
Mr.. Byrd pied. guilty to having in
vaded West Virginia with just the
same kind Of speeches against the
tax commission plan as Judge VIII
liams had just made. lie had dis
covered his mistake and directed at
tention TO the fact that the state tax
rate In West Virginia was now z
cents on the hundred dollars. az COM
pared with Nirgiuia's "a CENT?
Mr.. White renewed his argument
for the segregation policy, which. he
declared, would make unnecessary
the equalization machinery proposed.
He will today Introduce bill pro-
viding a segregation plan. giving the
counties and cities OF the State all
their taxes from real estate and tan
gible personal property and giving
the State all other taxes and licenses
from all other forms OF property.
franchises end business privileges.
Stream OF Oratory Not Yet Dry.
When the House adjourned at :
O'Clock the stream OF orat0ry on the
part OF the House seemed to have
been pretty well exhausted, although
there are few gentlemen yet who
will probably desire 10 be heard m
the measure before IL goes back to
the Finance Committee. the veteran
head of which, MIR Bowman, accord
ing to a brief statement OF his po-
sition made on The foor Il the House
Yesterday, came to the Tax Commits
sion as member and ardent ailyo-
cate of segregation. bat did not deem
1t practicable at this time to ern-
bark on that policy.
When the Committee If the Whole
Of the House of Delegates resumed
its sitting at 1890 o'clock Yesterday
Judge Martin Williams, Ut Giles. took
the floor. He opened his speech by
paying high compliment TO the mem
hers of the Tax Commission in their
determination to bring about tax con-
ditions In the State which would be
fair. just and right, There was a
clamor and restlessness In certain
parts OF the State on the matter OF
| taxation. and 1t was the duty Of thu
Assembly to consider the question "a
I tot ~ b.. ar .
State
Some injustice had been done
| some sections in favor OF others, he
was frank to admit, undel the pres
emit system of asso ssments He very
| earnestly contruverted the idea, how
| ever. that the people Of his section
OF Virginia were not paying their full
! proportion Of the expenses If the
State The thirteen counties west Of
New river paid. barring tho cities
Of the state, twenty-five per cont.
of all the money paid into the State
( treasury.
The State taxed the trees on the
land, the surface OF the land and
the minerals under the surface. The
| people had to pay all sorts OF taxes.
/ Much had been said of the amount
of taxes paid. by the cities. For him
self he represented q territory seven
ty miles long with greatly diversified
| interests. Tie could not IL he would
represent any special interests Every
method of increase, however, wind g
around and gets back TO the agricul-
tural interests Qf the Stata. He read
letter from prominent farmer
OF Montgomery county. In which the
statement WAS made that twenty per
cent. of the actual income OF the
writer went tn the payment of taxes
On the Wrong Road.
The advocates of the measure said
Mr.. Williams, have taken the wrong
road, They are not only endeavoriug
to equalize taxes, but to Increase them
az we'll Instead Of the Legislature
reaching out for more taxes the in
| genuitv OF the members should ne
taxed TO decrease the expenses Of the
State. He recalled the time when the
Assenblg met in the old capitol build