The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-09-17
Members of General Assembly
Favor Plan Suggested at
Bar Association.

Bar Association.
Democratic nominees for the House
of Delegates who have been I'm Rich
fnond in the past week or ten days
lean largely to the view outlined by
former Speaker Richard Evelyn Byrd
that there should be special session
for the consideration of tax reform.
If tentative plans now taking shape
are fully maturcd. Il Democratic caucus
of the two houses OF the General AS
scmbly will determine In advance Of
the coming regular session to defer
all matters relating to tax reform to
special session to be held In No
vembcr, 1914. to appoint joint com
mittec from the Senate and House to
sit in the interim and prepare bills
for consideration Of the members. and
TO ask Henry G. Stuart. who will then
be Governor of Virginia, to call the
special session for the purpose of con-
sidcring tax reform only.
This will clear the decks OF the reg
ular session for the consideration Of
routine measures that must DO passed.
for a more careful scrutiny of the APP
preparation bill, and for such local
Legislation as the counties and cities
demand and will leave the special
session with but one thing to consider
when the attention Of members would
not be diverted by those seeking lcgis-
lation on a great variety OF topics.
byrd SuEHcsts IIun.
In his address at the Virginia Hot
Springs before the Virginia Bar Asso-
citation recently. Mr.. Byrd said:
The instrument of reform must be
the General Assembly OF Virginia. The
Constitution limits the regular session
10 sixty days every two years. This
is not time enough for even ordinary
routine business. The Speaker Of the
House of Delegates must be elected
tho committees of both houses ap-
pointed and organized. and many hear
ings must be given The mere opera
ton of the mechanics OF legislation.
the reading OF bills and innumer a bic
roll calls make heavy demand upon
tho time and attention OF members
There is in fact very little time for
reflection. consideration. argument or
study. The biennial budget. which
carries upwards of Sl4,00o,o0o, could
we'll demand the entire time available
to members. 1t Is. therefore. idle to
expect the General Assembly. at it's
regular session, TO deal intclligently
with any unusual and complex pro-
posals for legislation.
IL venture To suggest method for
dealing with the tax question from
its practical standpoint. When the
General Assembly meets at It's rcgu-
lar session IN January. 1914, let a com
mittce be appointed. TO which all bills
dealing In any way with the tax sys-
TEN shall be referred Direct the
committee TO sit during the recess at
certain stated times IN Richmond and
several other important points in the
State hold open sessions and hear the
arguments OF individuals and public
bodies. Give the committee the au-
thority to employ expert assistance.
and require It to report a blu or bills
dealing comprchcnsivcly with the tax
system some time in the fall OF 1914.
Let these proposed bills be printed and
widely circulated. and then, after. say
thirty or sixty days OF public discus
sion, call a spec!a! session Of the
General Assembly for the sole pur-
pose OF dealing with these bills"
Candidates Give Their Views.
Since the Democratic primary of Au-
gust . nearly all OF the Democratic
nominees whose election Is practically
assured have at one time or another
been in Richmond and have been about
the Capitol discussing these matters.
indicating their views and getting on
to the ropes. There are a few who
believe that the State already has all
the light on the tax situation IL is
going to get; that with the exhaustive
report OF the Tax Commission and the
elaborate studies OF state Auditor
Moore the plans OF equalization pre-
sented at the last session by Speake or
Byrd, and that for segregation pre-
scented by Hugh a. White. the newly
elected General Assembly should be
able to get down to Il vote without
more ado. and reach some conclusion
Of matter which has been before the
State in concrete form certainly for
two years, and under indefinite dis
cussion for much longer period.
They sec nothing to be gained by de-
lay. and regard the present uneven
system OF taxation as a milestone In
the way Of the States progress. which
cannot too quickly be changed.
Favor Special Session.
much larger number of the visitors,
including new and old members. have
expressed themselves in favor OF the
special session. Taxes are levied on
the basis OF the first day of February.
Even if a bill were adopted at the reg
ular session this winter. it would not
take effect in time to affect the as
sessmcnts to be made in 1914. IF
passed at special session in October
or November OF that year. however. it
would be In full effect when the as
acssmcDt, are made for 1915, as soon
as a law passed. at the regular session
would he in practical effect.
The appropriation bill. ii is held, de-
mands more scrutiny than has often