The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-07-31
SPEAKER BYRD
1917 CANDIDATE
FOR GOVERNOR
This Political Gossip
Generally Believed
by Lawyers.
RAILROAD TAX
is DISCUSS ED
Judge Prentiss and Former
Speaker at Odds on the Value
Placed by Railroads on Their
Property in Virginia.
Examination of Can
BY RIoN McKIssICk.

Hot Springs, Va. July 30.-It Is ac-
cepted here by members of the Virginia
State Bar Association that Richard
Evelyn Byrd will be the unopposed
Democratic nominee for Governor of
Virginia in 1917 This is the most dis
cussed feature of the meeting
The discussion was opened by Judge
Prentiss. chairman OF the State Corpo
ration Commission. who took issue with
Mr. Byrd on the statement that the
physical property of railroads is as
sesscd al about third of the value
| claimed by the roads, and said that the
railroads claimed that all of their
property both roadbed, depot property
and franchise was worth between
$4,000 and 100000 per mile and that
| the roadbeds alone were now assessed
at $4,000 for single track and $1,000
| for double tracks.
Mr. Byrd, however. insisted that the
record In the rate cases would carry
out his contention that the present
assessment is only about a third of the
value claimed by the railroad
| Lewis Fl. Machen asked several ques-
tons to clear up certain points, and
Mr.. STROBE. of Amherst: Judge Hatton.
! OF Abingdon; r. T. Barton, of Win
chester; Mr. Sans, of Norfolk and r.
NJ Hughes. of Norfolk. took part In
the discussion which was very interest
! ing. Mr. Byrd answered all questions
promptly and clearly.
Morning Session.
Al the morning session Lucien H.
Cooke, OF Roanoke, reported that for
the monument to Judge Thornton L.
| Massir and commemorative Attorney
| Foster he had collected only 1851 He
urged more liberal contributions from
| the State.
The principal argument of the day
came up on the standards TO be OBJ
/ served by applicants for admission to
the practice of law. Professor Raleigh
{. Miner, of the law school of the Uni
versity of Virginia, explained the reso-
lutions offered yesterday by the COM
inittee on legal education and admis-
/ sion 10 the bar. EX-President ]. F
Bullitt. of the association. offered a
substitute to the effect that only n thor
ough examination on fundamental prin-
| ciples of law be required.
Examinations for Admission.
The association resolved TO omit
bankruptcy and Federal procedure
The report OF the committee referred
10 was adopted with three exceptions.
! The association refused to give public
mention to applicants for admission
attaining 90 per cent more. and not
TO require certificates in certain cases
The report with these exceptions was
adopted. There was general debate as
to the changes suggested. Judge r. G
ion that there should be more careful
examination of applicants for admis-
sion TO the bar. AS member of the
state Board OF Law Examiners he de-
Tended past tests not too hard. Much
of the complaint he ascribed to those
who had failed 10 pass the law eXami-
nations. w. Kinckle Allen. of AM
herst. was OF the opinion that the State
Board OF Law Examiners needed no de-
fense. He thought its tests sufficient
~ difficult. and that they ought to be
Z rendered no more difficult
Judge w j. Henson, OF Roanoke was
against the proposition to advertise
those applicants who received more
than 80 per cent on their examinations
EN- President j. f. Bullitt. OF the asso-
cation. moved 10 require only rea-
sonable knowledge OF the fundamentals
OF law. Aubrey STROBE. of Amherst
seconded the suggestion, taking tho
position that the present quiz is TOO
hard 1hn Bullitt motion was defeat
c'i Professor Charles \. Graves of
the University of Virginia Law school
SAID that his law school had no objec-
tion To the rules insisted upon hv the
! state E"ard OF Law Examiners and
would abide by them. The University
OF Virginia Law School entertains no
desire TO lower the standards for nd-
mission TO the bar
Night Session.
AT the night session Lewis II. Mach
en-. of Alexandria. chairman of the
committee on legislation and law re-
form. submitte oral report In
thorough agreement with Woodrow
Wilson, Mr. Machen, a candidate for
Lieutenant Governor. declares that he
and his committee thoroughly favor
/ free. open and public sessions of legis-
latiVc committees