The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-02-12
TRYING TO REACH
COMPROMISE ON
ENABLING ACT
Conferees Hold Lengthy
Session Behind Closed
Doors.
SPECIAL SESSION
FOR TAX REFORM
Finance Committees of Both
Houses Agree on Plan-Twelve
Delegates and Eight Sena-
tors to Serve on Special
Committee on
Taxation.

The Join. conference committee. ap
pointed from the Senate and House Of
Delegates to draft ii compromise
nbi,ng act worked for two hours be.
hind closed doors yesterday after
noon. and adjourned AT $40 o'clock
without making n report The com
Initt,c viii hold another meeting at
8 O'Clock this morning
There Ia nothing To he made pub
Iic.' said Judge Martin Williams. pa
tron or the enabling act. and one Of
tho conterces, To the reporters who be-
gan plying him with questions when
lie emerged from the committee room
we held meeting which lasted from
G:"o o'clock until nov. and we will
meet again at o'clock tomorrow
morning. That is ali ! can say
sits behind Closed Doors.
Tie committee held It's conference
IN the Office Of Lieutenant Govern 1r
}. Taylor i!llyson. on the Senate side,
eYa the fun membership was present.
Newspaper men were excluded. Com
fnittce members declined last night to
Eay which OF their number presided
ns chairman. The committee is com
yoscd OF Senator'S Holt Mapp and
l,chols. and Delegates oliver. Williams
and barley.
\ pledge OF silence az TO the pro
cecdiLgs Of the meeting hal evidently
been oNacted or all Tie conferces. since
three OF the members who were ap-
preached last might declined to have
ANYTHING to say. Delegate oliver dc
Clined even TO confirm the information
Givea out by Judge Williams. and said
thar 1t would be impossible to obtain
. fuller report from ahy OF the con-
ieyces.
1t is conhdentlaliy believed that the
committee viii hnish its task at this
morning meeting. and report 4 com
promise bill. The expectation is
founded on the belief that yesterdays $
session WAS devoted 10 a full discus
sion of all the amendments that have
Leen proposed, and that to-day's meet
Ing will begin with the prclminaries
ont OF the way.
Special session for Tux reform.
After Il Joint conference Yesterday
morning the House and Senate Finance
Committees voted TO report To their re-
spectivc hopscs = resolution FOR n spc-
ciel committee OF twenty members to
draw n new plan al taxation. this corn.
Iu!ttce TO submit It's report 10 a special
session OF the General Assembly, which
Governor Stuart win be asked To call
for the second Wednesday in Jauu-
cry. 1915
The composition OF the special com
mittce u sit in the interim after the
close of this session To investigate
tax conditions ana prepare the new
plan OF taxation, with the proper bills
TOT CONslueratiON Ui the special SeS
sion, has been the bone Of contention.
As recommended twelve of the mem
bcrs OF the special committee viii be
appointed from the House or Delegates
by Speaker Cox. ono from each OF the
ten congressional districts. and TWO at
large Eight members from the Senate
are to be named by Lieutenant Cover
,lor j. Taylor Ellyson. one To represent
each OF the five geographical grand Iii
visions OF the State. and three at large
IIcnbers OF the special committee
whilo at work on the new plan of tax
alton will receive tho pay of members
OF the General Assembly-sS3s n day.
sad mileage.
The resolution, which Is to he re-
ported to both houses as n substitute
for the Baker Land resolution, referred
IA To he drafted by Chairman Echols
Of the Senate committee. and Chair
man Weaver, Of the House committee
10 meet the Views as agreed upon.
Mnke-tip Of Committee.
The Joint meeting OF the House and
Senate committees 10 consider the cx-
ra session was held behind closed
doors yesterday morning. and, though
there is said to have been nm agree
ment not to reveal what went on in
executive session, the report promptly
spread in the House that the session
had been interesting-not to say
stornly--and that the final result was
not reached with any degree OF unani-
nifty, either rs to the number COM
posing the special committee, or as to
the manner of their appointment
Mr.. Brewer, of Nansemond was pa
tron of the plan for having commit
tee OF twenty, twelve from the House
and eight from the Senate. Delegates
Steurnes, OF Roanoke: Montague, of
Richmond and senator West approved
this plan. Senator Echols proposed
different apportionmcnt of commit
teemcn, which had the approval OF
Delegates Gregory, of New Kent: Spes-
sard. of Craig, and Senator Buchanan
The Echols plan proposed that Gov
ernor Stuart should appoint four mem
bcrs of 4 general tax commission, the
president Of tho Senate to name six
Senators, and the Speaker Of the House
to name ten Delegates, making a com
mission of twenty
1T was agreed that Governor Stuart
would not desire to take any part in
the appointment of n Legislative com
mittce. though If the work were to be
done by n commission not limited to
members Of the General Assembly, 1t
would be desirable to have its NOM
bership appointed by the Governor.
Object to Size of Committee.
objection was made that twenty
members was too large number, tho
Walker bill, suggesting q tax commits
sion OF five members and plan for
q legislative committee consisting OF
five from the Senate and seven from
the House. being suggested as alter
mates TO tho plan proposed.
The majority of the joint committee
favored large committee, both as
giving wider judgment and experience
IN preparation of tho tax bills and as
carrying greater weight with the Gem
Continued On Fifth Pago.)