The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-03-03
FATE OF PRIMARY
BILL IS PULLING
ID VIRGINIA'S SOLONS


rating at this time. But there will not
be session tomorrow evening. there
being special order which will re-
quire the presence of the officers OF
the senate and all the members. Vt
has been arranged for several days.
and may partake of a sort of social
function before the evening is over.
That Primary Election Bill.
Looks like all that has been done
or the primary election bill. which
was made the special order some days
ago. and which was partly considered.
will have to be done all over again.
Mr.. Rison. acting chairman OF the
! committee on privileges and elections
when the bill was reached, moved to
reconsider the vote by which the
amendment had been added fixing
the dates for the primaries for nam
ing spring election officers and that
for fall elections.
Mr. Gravatt interposed an objec-
ton. saying that the amendment had
been accepted by the patron OF the
bill and also by the chairman of the
committee. He saw no reason for
reconsidering the matter. stressing the
fact that IL was about the most Inn
pertant subject before the general
{ assembly. and that the public had Its
eye on the proposition.
Mr.. R!son declared that be wanted
the matter reconsidered for the rea-
. eons that the patron. Mr. Holt, had
been detained in Newport News and
. could not get here TIL later in the
day.
Mr.. Feathers.on asked what diseov-
cry had been made to require re-
consideration of a vote which, had
been unanimous on proposition
which had ben accepted by the pa
tron Of the measure and also the
chairman Of the committee reporting
The bill He saw no reason for any
such action.
Mr.. Brock moved that the motion
To reconsider be passed by. and that
was agreed To on roll call.
For Code Revision.
The bin providing for gaming a
com mission OF three to revise the
code caused a little debate. II de-
yeIoped that the former revisers or
the code--three of the ahlest law
yers at the Virginia bar--had per-
formed that duty for s2.5o0 each.
The bill under consideration proposed
to give them $4,000 each There was
an amendment by Mr.. Cannon to
make it $4,000 each, and when that
was defeated there was another
amendment to make the sum $500
each This was rejected. and the bill.
as reported. was agreed 10 by vote
that produced single negative.
Tax Revtsion Commission.
when the bill proposing revision
OF the tax laws Of the State was reached
there was little debate. Mr.. Fletcher
asked that the substitute and the Wal
ker bill be printed SO that the mem
hers might he able to follow the pro-
gress Of the consideration OF the meas
ures.
MIR. Walker favored the consideration
Of his measure as the basis OF the
subject and for the members TO offer
such amendments as they might de-
sire He called attention to the fact
that the time is growing short and that
the consideration of the proposition
would have To he hurried. However.
he wonld not oppose the measure, and
the motion TO print all of the propo-
sitons was agreed to. This carried
the matter over till today, when 1t
viii come up again
The hill provides for a commission
of xevsn--three from the house. two
from the senate, and two to be named
hX the governor The Walker bill per-
mits the governor to name Ave.
VESTS Fee Bill.
The West fee bin came Up as a
special order. and the question was
on the adoption OF an amendment to
exempt all counties Of rs. 600 popula-
ton and under from the operations of
the measure.
AIR. Paul offered an amendment to
put all the counties and towns under
the provisions Of the act. He de-
ciared that the bill as 1t stood &C
complished nothing. there being no
excuse for exempting any county or
city. An attempt was being made to
get information for the possible placing
OF the officers on n salary basis, and
yet etghty-seven counties of the State
were eliminated from it's provisions.
1t was not fair or equitable,
AT the afternoon session tho con-
sideration OF the bill was resumed. and
the Paul amendment was agreed to.
Mr. Holt offered an amendment to
exempt from the provisions OF the bill
any county with an area OF less than
fifty square miles. This was rejected.
Mr.. Paul offered another amendment,
placing the maximum fee and salary
OF $4,000 in all counties of 10000 and
under This was adopted.
There was another amendment de-
ferring the operations OF the law until
after January /, 1915. This was
adopted.
All officers I'm counties and towns
with population of 1000 WILL under
the provisions OF the law, De re-
CURED to keep correct books and ac-
counts and make reports of the opera
tons to the auditor of public ac-
counts.~
Apply to State Fees. !.
Mr.. Paxton. of Rockbridge. offered an
amendment making the law apply to
the fees paid to the officers by the
state thus eliminating very many of
tho highest priced officers from the
operations OF the measure.
Mr.. West vigorously opposed the
amendment. He said that the life OF
the measure was conferred around this
very question. The idea was to say
what should be the maximum salary
~ its ofiicials. This amendment would
tpa r. the -hAart-out- he-HaSaSure.
MFR. Saunders asked Mr.. West II he
intended to maintain that the cities
and counties did not have the right
to pay their officers whatever they
might choose.
Mr. West said that his purpose, as
contained In the bill. was to make q
maximum salary for all persons who
worked for the State. He had, talked
with not less than one hundred per-
sons who said the bill Is fair. and
they were officers. and in that time he
had met only one who was opposed
TO the $4,000 proposition. and he was
in Richmond.
MIR. Featherston said that the amend
- aut ss,nn1sa Ylarlfify fha AHacfs - III