The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-01-10
COMMITTEE GIVES
PRIMARY SCHOOLS
$4,000 INCREASE
Pensions Also to be Larger
and Tax Rate Reduced in
Bill to be Presented to the
General Assembly.
Higher Educational Institutions
VIII Not Get Increase, Is
Belief Around Capitol. Ac-
kiss Has Amendment to
Constitution.

The appropriation bill to be intro
duced into the legislature soon after
that body eonvenes here next Wednes-
day Will grant an increase of $50. 00G
for the primary schools of the State.
twenty five pei. cent increase for
pensions and IA five cent decrease on
the tax rate. according to informa-
ton gathered at the capitol yesterday
afternoon.
1t is also, understood that the APP
preparation for the higher educational
institutiopx Of the State are being
pared tssa much smaller figure than
they asked for, and that an increase
in the amount appropriated for the
use Of The convict road gangs is be-
ing made.
Following the completion of the
rough draft Of the appropriations yes
terday afternoon it was discovered
that the total amount nearly reached
the s7,oe0,Go0 mark.
Appropriate $500, 900.
The amount which the committee
will appropriate is held to be about
So 500. 0eo, and during the late after
noon and for a while at night the
committee was busy at work cutting
off hundreds OF dollars from various
appropriations to bring down the total.
The draft of the bill itself was got
into a semblance of form last night
and the members OF the COMMITTEES
hope that by tonight 4they will have
completed their work. certainly all
except the actual drafting OF tina bill.
This will probably be done by Clerk
letter with special committee of the
finance COMMITTEES. Immediately after.
Members Of the legislature other
than members OF the finance cprnnait-
s~e, sare~ already be9fngYng to arrive
in Richmond for the Democratic
caucus. which will be held Tuesday
night The legislature conveues the
following day.
Governors Message Ready.
The annual message of the governor
has been about completed by the ex-
ecutive. and portion of Il Is already
in the hands of the public printer.
The remainder will probably reach
Superintendent Bottom this afternoon
and the complete message will be
ready in print for the lawmakers when
they take their seats in the two houses
on next Wednesday morning.
On that day. after being called to
order. the senate and house Will select
committees TO wait upon Governor
Mann and inform him that the gen.
eral assembly has assembled and il
ready to do business. The message
will be taken TO senate chamber and
to the house by Colonel Ben Owens.
the governors private secretary. and
reported Having already been print
ed and in the hancs of the legislators,
it will be unnecessary TO have formal
reading Of it and in each house a mo-
ton will be made that the reading be
dispensed with.
The message this year is said to be
Of great length and to have treated sef
many of the important State matters
with considerable attention to detail.
II was announced at the executive
office yesterday that the tax laws were
given especial consideration and that
many important and interesting
concerning them
to contain In the neighborhood of ten
thousand words.
Caucus Tuesday.
: Both the senate and the house VIII
hold caucuses beginning at s O'Clock
Tuesday night for the purpose OF
officers. Captain w. W.
Baker, of Chesterfield, the senior
member in. point of service. is to call
the meeting to order and John w.
Williams clerk of the house. will pre-
side until a speaker Is chosen. The
present officers hold over in the SEN
ate.
The race for the speakership In the
house is expected to be close one.
Hugh A. White arrived in Richmond
Yesterday and reaffirmed the an.
that he is In the ngnf
to the finish. He expects TO VIE
han,iily. but the friends OF Edwin r.
Cox. the other recognized candidate,
are also confident that a sharp con-
test Is generally expected
-payyaeut- af- Poll -Tax.---------
Despite ths disappearing vote Of
the state central Democratic commit
tee. q bill will be offered by A. J.
Ackiss. OF Princess Anne. at the forth
coming session Of the general assem-
bly, providing for popular vote on
constitutional amendment reducing
from three to one Year the pcrioo
Tor which 1t Is necessary TO pay pou
tax in order TO vote.
Judge Ackiss offered resolution
at the last meeting OF the State CEN
trail Democratic committee In Rich
nond putting that body on record ~
such an amendment II
was forthwith rejected, but judge
Ackiss stated afterwH-rd that he did
not believe the action represented tho
mature Judgment of tbs COMMITTEES. 80
several members who voted agetnse
the resolution later told that upon
further thought, they were diapose0
10 support 1t and would do 70 Is tha
opportunity came. j. Use
Judge Ackiss had hoped 70 get the
before the COMMITTEES AG1tn
before the converting at the H0nNrx1
assembly. as ne fett sure the ecanA ltssss
tee would approve III. There s
been no meeting OF the c3sNHa lE8A4 tylk ss
matter wsH Htassd ot1ittniist n u r. F7s
the cofnmitte1. hut ID spl4o NJ ~ s ~
Nili ~ presented n to 7 N
Ju0ge Acki N M n S