The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-01-27
Here and There
in The Legislature

Beforo tho House Committee on
Finance. Wyndham R. Meredith began
yesterday morning the argument OF
the express companies against the pro-
posed Increase In the rate of taxation
on them. He had not progressed far
when the hour OF noon arrived, and
the committee was obliged to rIae.
In 1908 the tax on these companies
was placed ut 50 per mile by agree
ment, whereas prior to that time they
had been paying license equivalent 10
about Sl.ho a mile. The Legislature
OF 1910 raised tho tax 100 per cent.
making 1t Sc per mile. The bill under
consideration seeks to mako 1t So.
Representing tho Adams EXPRESS
Company and the Southern EXPRESS
Company. Mr.. Meredith said that tho
tax as 1t stands takes more than the
entire lntrastate earnings of these
companies. Quoting from the report
81 the State Tax Commission, Mr..
Meredith said that the real earnings
Tomato expenses chargeable to Inter-
state and intrastato business could be
.sreod upon Tho Income from en-
press companies from all points OF tax
,tion last year was about $34,5o0.
Stationary engineers will be licensed
10 follow their occupations IL a bill
proposed In the House yesterday by
Mr. Banks becomes law. It looks 10
Inc appointment by the Governor OF a
,hlef examiner OF steam engineers.
Tith ten district examiners, only one
Aalf OF whom shall be of the snme
political party. These inspectors would
examine boilers as to their safety and
conduct examinations for licensing
engineers and hromen. The licenses
are made revocable IL It appears that
ihey were obtained by fraud, or IL tho
engineer becomes insane or Is ad-
dicted to liquor or drug habit.
The hearing on the Boil bill 20 ro-
quire the election OF members OF tho
State Corporation Commission by a
vote OF the people has been passed
by In the House Committee on Privi-
leges and Elections until Monday
morning.
penit.ntlary sentence OF from one
to ten years Is provided in bill In
troducod In tho House yesterday by
fully and maliciously tears out tho
plumbing or gns lighting nxtures or
otherwise Injuries houses.
In reply to inquiries from various
parts of ths First Congressional Dis
trtot, William Built Fltzhugh, the
House member from Northampton
county. states that no will not be a
candidate for Congress this year. Mr..
Fitzhugh feels that II he is to seek
further honors they may we'll come
later.
There will however, be opposition
to Representative William A. Jones
Samuel f. Buxton. OF Newport News.
&, uiready o candidate.
a bill providing for @ State Tax
Commission along somewhat different
lines from those preserved In the Byrd
bill was offered In the House yester-
day by Hill Montague. Tho measure
Is. word for word. that now In the
House. for the most part.
Yet there arc few radical changes.
One Of these Is that instead OF ono
commissioner, there shall BIO three, one
OF whom Is to BIO chairman, ct $500
por year. and the others 10 receive
$4,000 per year each.
They are to be elected by tho Con-
oral Assembly. Their powers are to
no practically tho, sams as in tho Byrd
hill, whole pages OF the measure be-
ing the same, indicating that Mr..
Montague approves tho principle But
tho section rspenling the act estab-
fishing State Accountant and sub