The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-02-16
INITIATE CHANGE
N CONSTITUTION
School Superintendent to Be
Elected As Assembly
May Direct
HIGH TRIBUTE is
PAID EGGLESTON
Initiative and Referendum
Dead, Receiving Small Vote.
Tax Commission Bill At
Head OF House Calendar

Adopting the resolution offered bJ
Nr. Love to submit to the people 9
constitutional amendment to take
from the State Board Of Education the
power OF naming division superinten-
dents Of schools and permitting this
i method Of their selection to be fixed
by laws to be enacted by the General
Assembly. and defeating the Martir
resolution to cngraft the initiative and
referendum upon the constitution the
House devoted almost Its entire SEES,
sion yesterday to the discussion Of
constitutional change.
In the course of the discussion upon
the question OF changing the econsti-
tutlonai powers of the State Board OF
Education Speaker Byrd took occasion
to pay high tribute to Superintendent
OF Public Instruction J. ID. Eggleston.
Jr.. whom he declared TO be one OF
the most useful public officials In Vir-
Einia, man who had breathed life
into q dead system and brought II to
o high point OF efficiency. He de-
clAred that the criticisms OF the
schools was directed ct the system
required By existing las and not AT
the men working under that system.
Tax Commission BiH NJ Head OF
Calendar.
This morning when the members
OF the House open the large volume
known a. the calendar OF the House
Of Delegates at the top OF the front
page viii appear House bill No. rs,
the amended Byrd tax commission
bill. which was reported out Of the
House Finance Committee yesterday
morning. The provisions Of the
amended measure have been explain
cd at length In these columns. the
only change made by the Finance
Comnttsss bafore reporting It beiuG
- provide that the present state ac-
oouutant should bo q member Of the
Sax commission for tho remainder Of
his unexpirrd term M State ac-
thy would have been thrown cut OF
his position by the bill before his
term had one half expired.
Prospects for the Measure.
In its revised form II Is believed
that the tax commission bill will have
Is strong support although II is by
no means clear that II Will even yet
command the support af a majority Of
the members OF the House. However.
there are 80 many arguments for "a
measure having for It's underlying
QSiUGipfc Inv " NsAaNS
that the most conservative bcsiness
men Of the State feel that II should
by all means become law.
Unless there IL a motion to pass by
the bill will take precedence under
the original arrangement making the
tex bill special and continuing or
der. the lapse Of time In the hands
Of the Finance Committee having no
effect in disp!acir9 II from It's priv
ypt.A
Win reach the House today Is radically
different from the original measure.
places no large mower In the hands
of the tax commissioners. who are to
he the State accountant. the mineral
assessor and third member to be
rsned by the governor.
FIfseen for Initiative ana Feferendum.
Fifteen members Of the House voted
on yesterday for the resolution offer
ed by Mr.. Martin. OF Lynchburg. pro-
POSING the initiative and referendum
amendment to the CONSTITUTION of
Virginia. Fifty-ei<ht member. Wen.
on record AGAINST the amendment. Mr..
Martin In his specch declared that,the
referendum principle had been long
recognized In Virginia, and declared
that the people In the quiet OF their
homes had better opportunity to dis
essae. and, naatsisn ...esl&lasinn than the
members OF the Assembly In the rush
Of short session. He declared. In
fart. that In the busy cine OF a leg
islatiye session Il frequently occurred
that the members did not know what
they were vofsnx on
Fake Titles Ventilated.
% One OF the three matters that con-
sumed the time OF the House yester-
day was the discussion arss,ng from
the. introduction by Mr.. Williams. Of
r63lea Of 4 resolution directing the
employment OF 4 committee CONSISTING
q three prominent ATTORNEYS to inves-
ttgAte the UNIQUE land situation In
Buchanan county. where hundreds Of
thousand Of acres which are absolute
81 non-existent arc on the deed books
whiie In many other cases lands are
claimed BY rival interests one claim
tn6yund6r an old or senior pAtent and
smother under junior patent. Mr..
Williams finally rot his measure
through Authorixin1 the appointment
81 commission bv amendinv It so
that tho State may not be liable Tor
The dealers In bogus land titles have
bean carrying on swindling operations
Tor many years ana II has resulted In
o. situation that has damaged the
country and DELAYED its DEVELOPMENT
~ IN AEnMeasurable extent.
Ia discussing the matter on the
noor Mr.. White. Of Rockbridge, said
that tho Naybrick patent had Just
been recorded covering more than two
Grayucn and other c0uhties, again
covofing lands already claimed IN d
numbSr OF cases by more than one
\. gsllins Steak issus II esnaAs.
II the Senate the principal Issue or