The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-17

per cent to the counties but waR still
on the question OF tae repeal OF the
committee amendments, ne address 90
himself chiefly TO pointing out tho OBJ
! jec,!onable features OF the bill an 4,
stood uaemended.
Proceeding 30 tho tneot the pro-
posed law VIII have on the city O.
Roanoke. which he represented. Sena-
! tor Hart made tho stutement that Il
Foa noke'a entire receipts from the
rolling stock TAX we're legislatad away,
| II could not Increase the tax assess-
menLs suiircient!y 10 support the pub
lie school system. which mas been Dull,
UP with this revenue. The tax rate
! OF the city. he said, Ia already so high
that constitutional provisions would
stand In thu way OF any apprec!a5le
increase IN II He urged The Sen
etc TO rat!ty the committee anne ndme n
Of 80 and 90 per cent With suca a
division. hs thought his city might.
by sirict economy and Increased as
sessments. avert disaster.
Framed by Ctty Attorneys.
Senator Royal opened the argumen,
Tor the bill with a defense OF tn, claim
OF the rural districts upon the rolling
stock tax. Without the tonnage sup
piled BY the agricultural communities
nor the roadbed would os worth tax
ing. He resented the insinuaIon oil
Senator Folkes the day before that rail-
road attorneys had a hand In the pro-
posed law II seemed to him far more
likely that the city attorneys had FIN
gers In the constitutional pie. wnen the
Constitutional Convention assigned the
rolling stock tax for period OF ten
years TO the cities.
He reminded Senator Hart that dis
tinguished attorney from the city OF
Roanoke. at the time when the question
first arose ten years ago. pleaded tn. I
the cities be given ths beneht of the
tax ten years longer. at the end OF
which time Roanoke Will have made
provisions rendering it Independent o.
this source OF revenue. The year 1913
marks the expiration of the years OF
grace asked for. said Senator Royal
>wt the cry remains the same.
Supported by Common Law.
The right OF the homo office cities tc
the rolling stock taN, asserted senator
Drewry, of Petersburg, is upheld by
all principles OF common inv. The roll
Ing stock of d railroad cannot be dis
tinguished. he claimed. from the Per.
sonal property OF any other corpora
lion. Following the reasoning of tht
opposition, it would be just as raason
able to tax the buggies and hocses oi
livery stable keeper in the counties
over whose roads they travel in tnt
course Of business, instead of in thu
town where tho owner OF the livery
stable lives. The homo office OF III,
companies. insisted Senator Drewry. BY
reason OF privileges they gave to the
road when the charter was granted. IS
clearly entitled to the tax on the roads
rolling stock
Senator Bowers spoke vigorously in
favor of the bill Roanoke, he thought
was too successful city and had too
many manufacturing enterprises to feel
seriously the loss of few Thousands,
in revenue. The picture of It's depend
ence upon the Norfolk and Western
Railway, in his opinion, was oVerdrawn.
AS an instance of the country's part
in contributing to the value OF this
rolling stock. he mentioned the inn
mense apple orchards of certain parts
OF the State. which furnish SO important
Il share OF the shipping.
Selfish Spirit on Top.
That the lure of adding a ,w thous-
ands to the taxable property Of their
respective counties. more thaa q sense
OF outraged justice, was responsible
for the Bills attraction to q ~lnbc,
OF tha Senator'S was tn charge made
by Senator Paul. of RocKingharn. VINO
made one of the strongest speeches OF
the day. Notwithstanding the TACT that
his county would gain S30o,0O0 in iaX-
able values by the enactment OF the
proposed law, he was opposed 10 1t, he
declared, because II was neither eNpa-
dent, just nor patriotic
Il have heard SO much OF my county'
and my city on the floor to-day that
begin TO wonder IL any OF the senator's
care anything at all about my S.@te.
The only reason have heard advances
by advocates OF this bill for IT'S pas
sage is that 1t would add 10 tn. county
revenue and that now is a Sond time
! to get it,"
He held the position that the cities
furnishing most of the traffic and prac.
ticaliy all of the fire and police protec-
ton. arc entitled to the tax from the
rolling stock, especially since til,
counties have always received the larg