The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-03-03

sional standing. but held the belief tina,
such men could be secured for tho con
SHERATON provided in the original bin
tltne limitation for it's completion. l,
vas possible they thought. that the
~orh could be completed in less than
eighteen months.
IL was pointed out By Senator Cannon
that tho House. which WAS considering
similar hill. had provided the com.
hrGihsatlon contained In his amendment
The amendment was put and was de.
ieated BY substantial majority SEN
tstor Featherston Immediately intro
duced AN amendment providing lump
missioner. This one. too. was defeated
ana the bill was passed az reported
from the committee
Inc bill VIII effect the first revision
Oh the statutes SINCE 1857, when the
last digcst was Issued. Many of th..
tctS passed since then contain conflict
t ing. pi h.., ana large nu,noel
statutes. The contemplated revision
VIII reconcile all CONNECTS and provlae
an annotated digest OF air the laws. In
cludlnS those passed b. the present
General Assembly
In addition. 10 the bill providing for
. revision of the Code the senate
passed half dozen measures of more
restricted interest. and devoted consid-
cradle debate TO Senator Vests anti
fee bill.
fFmdfy oiI B6Ascd By.
The primary bill, which was a spc-
cial ana continuing oruer, WAS passeu
by because OF the unavoidable absence
ot t,s patron. Senator Holt. The post
poncment was elected through n mo-
tion onered BY senator kison. asking
that the senate reconsider The vote b.
when IL passed on Friday the Gravatt
amendment, providing for The holuinr
OF primaries on the same day through
out the state.
senator Gravatt objected to the re
- ~ q f.1,.. ~.
ton to the fact that Senator HolI had
himself Withdrawn his objections 10 III.
amendment IN question. senator Bow
ers offered a motion 10 pass b. the mo
ton or senator Rison. calling for a re
consideration. The Bowers motion was
carried b. vote of 20 to ). causing the
primary measure. Its consideration
Will be resumed to-day at 1890 o'clock.
me tax commission bill of Senator
smith. reported by tho Finance Com
mittee with substitute. was taken up
as the mex, special order. 1t developed
lhat the iates; tax commission bill.
of Senator Fletcher, the Consideration
OF Of the several plans for the appointment
ferred until the new bill was printed.
Senator Walker pointed out that
there was little difference between the
the Senate One provides for q com
mission OF five to be appointed by the
Governor. and the. other for commits
sion OF seven, Of which the Governor
OF the General Assembly Ave. He
thought the Senate could very we'll
pass upon the points of difference be-
tween the oills without waiting for n
printed copy OF Senate bill No 4o5, but
majority OF the body preferred 10
nave both bills before them for com
erS motion.
Paul Attacks Antifee Hill.
The antifee bin was next taken up
tention OF tho Senate until the chair
was vacated at : o'clock. Senator PAUL
attacked the amended bilrs provision
the law all counties and cities OF less
than 25,o0O population. lie offered an
amendment permitting fee officers in
counties SO; OF less than $1,000 population
the maximum salary provided in the
bill for officers In counties between 32
oVV ana 10000 Dopulation--but exempt
Ing no counties from the applicati ton OF
the act.
1T Is the purpose OF my amendment"
said Senator Paul. TO strike out that
lute exemption TO counties having !,
population less than $4,000. After ali
the talk about fee system reform which
this Senate and the whole State has
INDUCED in, we are now offered a bill
ostensibly aimed AZ REFORM which ac-
tually excludes from its application
thirteen counties in the State.
In my opinion the chief value OF
The bill lies in the provision which
creates commission to which all
der complete report Of all the reve-
nucs OF their offices and the sources
from which they are derived. From
the information so secured. in my opin-
ion. Will be derived Invaluable data
upon which TO base n further and per-
haps more complete reform of our on
tire fec system.
Notwithstanding the Importance OF
reported ny the committee which we
are asked to pass, relieves eighty-seven
OF the 100 counties In the State from
any restrictions as to the salary that
further and eXempts from tho provision
which requires the officers in these
counties to furnish the data TO the com
mission which the bill creates
Not willing to Exempt Any.
If the bill becomes law In Its pres
ent form we will have IL less effective
instrument for fee system reform than
the Senate resolution we passed at the
last session of the Senate That resoo
luton at least furnished us with somo
valuable Information. ! am not willing
TO vote for bin which Will permit
me zee officers in eighty seven coun-
amount Of fees they receive and tho
sources from which they are derived.
the very secrecy with which these
officers surround the business OF their
conduct. If thcre were nothing sinister
in this secrecy there would not he this
consistent and determined effort to
maintain it want to know what they
are getting--the whole State wants to
know. and has the right to know what
they are getting. ! want n bill which
viii not exempt a single city or county
from the operation of the provision
~ fl,a