The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-01-15
Baker-Land Resolution
Would Clear Calendar
of Revenue Bills.
LEGISLATURE OF
1914 is AT WORK
Many Bills on Important Subjects
Come In on Opening Day.
Williams Offers New Draft
of Prohibition Enabling
Act-Efective in 1916
If People Vote Dry.

Within an hour after the General AS
se.nbly OF Virginia convened for It's
1si4 session yesterday. bills were
placed on the clerks desk In tho two
houses covering most OF tho topics
which have been under discussion Tor
months. Bills on taxation. the zee
system. the enabling act. reapportion-
mont and for the election OF corpora
tton commissioners by the people all
went their way to appropriate commit
tees. Judge Martin Williams an
nounced that he would have O. new
rolling stock bill TO offer In day or
two, and Hugh a. White Is putting the
final strokes on a new primary bill.
The Senate organization has been
perfected. and It's Finance Committee
is wrestling with tho appropriation
bill. The House committees will be
announced to-day. tho body having
adopted the suggestion of Speaker Coz
that tho work of the Finance Com
Inittee be divided, the committee hero
after TO raise the revenue. and new
Committee on Appropriations 70 have
charge OF spending IL. Gossip about
q, Innittee assignments Is venc'al. but
Speaker Cox said last night tfat the
lists we're not definitely concluded. and
that ,hanGes might yet be made 10 Sc
cure the test availabl, men.
Tor Spcci al s's~iOn.
That The question of tax reform is
The paramount issh- before the State
bccaire apparent Yesterday In both
hnuses. W. W. Bak,r. o: Oh >s:erfield.
auL " A. Land. of Notto"av. offered
Il joint olution. which was read with
care before ii was referred tV the
:iousc &, mmittce ..n Finance. II sets
forth that there IS Il necessity for Il
careful ard thorough revision o. cy ist-
ing taN laws. ana tn :. ii Is iractcal
Is ~ poshibl. ut u, q prescn, session.
h;tvmi: Que regard 20 other subjects of
pressing Importance demanding prumpt
attention. TO give the subject OF taxa
lion the thorough consideration IT
needs The resolution. therefore, pro-
yides that n joint committee be named
from the Senate and House. to he
known AZ the special Joint committee
on taxation to be charged with the
duty of fully considering the whole
subject OF taxation. and reporting at
IA special session OF the General Assem-
bly,. to be called later. what changes
in the present system are advisable.
The committee Is to organize after adj
journment of the present session, and
ls to prepare In written form bills
carrying into effect the system OF taxa
tion recommended. The committee
MAY employ clerks and experts, and
shall report 10 the Governor when its
work Is completed. asking him to call
special session OF the General AS
sembly TO consider the report and
enact such laws as may be expedient
In carrying il into effect.
The New Enabling Act.
The new enabling act offered by Mr..
Williams differs in some OF its details
from the Jordon bill, under considera-
tion at the last session. It provides
that when e-fourth OF the number
OF persons voting In the preceding
subernatorial election petition the
Governor he shall call an election, the
bill specifying that the election must
be held on the fourth Tuesday in tho
September following. Within fifteen
days after such election the Secretary
OF the Commonwealth shall certify tho
result to the Governor, showing the
total vote for and against Statewide
prohibition. and the Governor shall
the. eupoE issue a proclamation declar-
ins tho result, and calling attention to
ITS erect under this act. Should the
report to the Governor show n major
ity against Statewide prohibition. the
laws In relation 10 the sale Of LIQUOR in
erect at the date OF the approval of
this act shall continue in force. If the
majority is found to be for Statewide
prohibition. the Governor shall pro-
claim that fact, and on and after the
first day OF tho May next succeeding
tho regular session OF tho General AS
sombly of Virginia, held after the date
of such election, Ii shall be unlawful
FOR any person. social club, firm or cor
poration to manufacture for sale sell
or purchase or sale, transport for sale
Or dispense any Intoxicating liquors.
except for medicinal, scientific sacra-
mental or mechanical purposes.
The changes In the wording of the
act ii was stated. were made in an
effort TO meet constitutional objections
which We're raised against tho former
bill by those who held that the law
making power was in the General AS
GO mi, nd fl,,t las
enact nor the Governor proclaim n law
Should the Williams bill be adopted
and IN the election held under 1t the
vote be in favor of Statewide prohi-
bit!on. the proclamation would not
take effect until May !, 1916-that is,
the first day OF May following the next
regular session OF tho General Assem-
bly,
Botl, ltouscs Organize.
The organization OF the two houses
followed the lines laid down in the
caucus. o. v. Hanger being elected
clerk OF the Senate. Vice Marshall
Booker resigned. The other Senate Of
ficers hold over In the House Edwin
p. Cox. of Richmond, was. elected
Speaker and John w. Williams, clerk
Governor Mann laid before the Cen
eral Assembly for confirmation the ap-
pointments of Judge William +. Rhea
on the Corporation Commission, George
p. Coleman as Highway Commissions
er and Robert L. Gardner as Judge Of
the Corporation Court at Radford The
Governors message was read and the
usual number OF copies ordered
printed
BY unanimous action Joint resolu-
tion was adopted approving Richmond