The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-08-23

and in groups Of half dozen or more
discussed questions OF an official ma
ture.
After the beginning of the formal
session r. S. Marrable. OF Newport
! News, suggested. on behalf of the com
mittee on legislative enactments, the
following:
That the commissioner OF accounts
file his books directly to the Auditor:
that Article 3179 OF tho statutes on the
subject of legal holidays be changed
so as TO make It's meaning with ref
erence to the clerks clear. or struck
off entirely; that no list OF deeds be
made or posted: that the laws he
amended so that the fees to clerks
over the State be uniform for like work:
that the clerks be allowed TO show
their fine reports TO the court or the
commissioner of accounts. and that the
tax on deeds be made lower. 49,
After full discussion OF these reso-
lutions had been engaged in. c. D.
DENT, Of Salem, was called upon to
speak on The Delinquent Land Tax
Laws"
This talk provoked a lively debate,
in which S. p. Wnddill. of Henrico; HI.
II. Holt, OF Hampton. and J. V. Trchy,
of Norfolk, took leading parts
Auditor c. Lee Moore was invited by
President Gold to speak to the con-
vention on the subject of general tex
reform. but declined on the grounds
that the subject was not one OF which
the association could take Official
cogniZance.
The motion of ]. y. Bosang. OF Pu-
| laski. that Mr. Moore be extended a
standing invitation to attend the de-
alterations OF the association. was
unanimously carried.
The mootcd question concerning the
abolition OF the fee system was touch
ed upon by Mr.. Trehy Declaring IL
the reasonable and natural way OF
payment. In his judgment. he further
said that the matter would not be
agitated now by the press, were it not
| for himself and a very few other
clerks. A desire to know the general
opinion of the convention on the sub
| ject actuated him to speak, and this
opinion. when learned, he and the other
clerks who were the targets OF the
attacks would be willing to conform to.
AT this point, the business was sus-
| pended so that the members might en-
| joy an address OF welcome by c. W.
Allen. Of this city.
The response was delivered by T.. j.
| Davenport, OF Washington County
Unjustly. 1t has been charged he
| said against the Clerks Association
that 1t was organized to fight the op-
| position to the fee system, as the as
ISOLATION originated before the opposi-
| tion arose. Instead of being ashamed
at the 'enormity of their incomes, many
| clerks are modest because they are
so small.
| The attack. he declared, brought on
| by ignorant newspapers. is against
some few rlnces-Norfolk, in particu-
lar. Should system. the good of
which has been so long demonstrated,
| be destroyed and revolution of
methods caused on account OF an ex-
ception?
Moreover. the plan is not to help the
! ordinary citizen. Mr.. Davenport said,
but simply to divert his Zee from the
! clerks pocket and send II TO the State
treasury. His burden remains the
same, and the change will not benefit
him. Let the newspapers Which arc
agitating the subject prepare n better
plan than the one In force, and, when
the bill is presented. the clerks will
support 1t.