The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-01-27
Speaker Byrd Secures
Passage Of Bill by
Large Majority.
ROLLING STOCK
BILL is DEBATED
Discussion Before Committee
acknowledgements Draw Lines
as to Advantages Secured by
Cities and Counties-Com-
mission Cover ment
Amendment Offered.

't'H INC greatest case, without any
thing that could be remotely called 2
fight. and with but two voices raised
in ineffective protest. Speaker Richard
Evelyn BYRD yesterday secured the pas
sage of his bill legallzing primary elcc-
tons BY the House of Delegates. The
vote on the final passage was SO to
20. The dissenting ballots represented
three factions-those who want a more
strenuous and compulsory measure.
those who want no primaries at all, and
the Republicans.
But even this analysis is, not entire
~ correct. since members who do not
especially want primaries voted for
the bill as legalizing those which are
held. while not requiring any locality
to adopt this method
Expenscs Are Limited
The bill, which Will 20 TO the SEN
ate to-day. there to be guided through
legislative nnzss by Senator Howell
c. Fcatherston, who has collaborated
with Speaker Byrd in Its production,
provides penalties for its viola ton
which It is believed will be effective
Wherever possible, its provisions are
10 be carried out BY operation of gen
erai laws referring TO regular elections.
but in addition II limits the amount
that mag be spent by candidates and
requires that friends who spend money
Tor others must give in sworn state
mcnts.
Hill Montague protested that II was
not drastic enough and that the correct
position Of believer In the primary
principle should be TO make the law
such as 10 force all communities to use
thls method OF nominating candidates.
The people are asking for bread" he
said. and You are giving them but a
stone" Only four others stood with
MI Montague in his effort TO secure an
amendment which would have nude
primaries compulsory on all parties and
sections, Mr.. Chnlkley asserting that
the people of the Ninth District did no,
want primaries and would not have
them.
Byrd Wins Every Point.
Numerous efforts were made to amend
the measure In accordance with indi-
vidual ideas of members, but no
changes went through save those ac-
cepted by the patron. Tho bill, he said,
had been prepared n s a whole and care
fully considered by number of peo-
pie and by two committees, and he
would consent to no amendment on the
floor to change a portion without re-
gard 10 Its effect on the entire propo-
sition.
When the Speaker expressed a doubt
II objections made by Hugh \. White,
OF Rockbridge. were really intended 10
strengthen the bill, the latter admitted
that he cared nothing for II and tina I
his people did not want a legaliZcd pri
mary. many of them desiring no primary
at all He advocated ii return to the
ancient system OF viva vocc voting but
the Speaker characterized this as an
anachronism and relic OF darker ages.
Almost the entire time of the House
was taken UP yesterday with consider
| alton of the primary bill. while the
Senate did very little. AS has been the
case since the beginning OF the session,
most of the interest centred about
meetings of committees
Rolling Stock Taxes.
Aside from consideration OF tho pro-
posed woman's coordinate college at
or near the University OF Virginia, the
debate on which has reached such n
heat that 1t has attracted many OF tine
States most distinguished men and
women. the topic of widest Importance
debated yesterday was the Williams
bill providing for division of the roll
! ing stock taxes. now paid TO the cities
where the railroads have their homes,
among the counties and cities through
| which they run.
Argument on this bill, adjourned
from Wednesday morning, was taken
up at O'Clock last evening by the
| House Committee on Roads and Inter-
nal Navigation, and lasted until l1:3O
last night. The committee came TO no
decision. but after brief executive
session decided to gather at O'Clock
this afterno onto make final disposition
of the matter. The discussion is at an
end.
In way which was considered uu :
fortunate in some respects. the argu-
nent OH this bill took the form of ar
raging the counties against the cities
OF the State.
crea sing. owing to milder weather at
City Attorney George Wayne Ander-
son presented pages of figures to
| show that the cities of the state large
~ run the government ana that Rich
mond. with only per cent of the
population of Virginia, pays 80 per
cent. OF the net revenue which goes
into the treasury Of the Common-
wealth.
Counties Heard From
This brought forth a reply from
Judge Williams. in which. while COM
plimenting Richmond he defended tho
counties and called attention to some
conditions which make Richmond the
beneficiary of revenue paid by country
districts.
Aside from these incidcntnl features.
IL was agreed that tile debate was
mastery. all ptiiies. being evidently
we'll prepared and having made up
their minds to do their best. A most
! deplorable picture was drawn of the
situation in Roanoke, whore the rolf
ins stock tax. forms n very large part
OF tho inco ne. and where 1t was said
the public school system would be
para lyZcd.
II is perhaps more likely that such
a hill VIII pass at this session Than
! has IN other times been the outlook.
iIieforc lac had concluded. Judge VII
Hams said frankly that II was largely
| n -mniter of MlroSc OK. WIS gorcd 4