Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-08
READS RIOT ACT
TOLEC|SlATORS
Gov. Stuart Warns Virginia
SoIons Against ProdigaI
Appropriations.
ONLY A TAX INCREASE
WILL PREVENT DEFICIT
Ninth District Democrats to Try for
Slemp's Seat-Judges to Be Re-
tired-Social Functions.
Special Correspondence Of The star.

! Special Correspondence Of The star.
/ RICHMOND. Va. March :. 1914.
j Gov. Stuart has read the riot act to the
Virginia Legislature in the matter
J of making appropriations. The gen
eral appropriation bill has lately
passed the senate. and at this
| time the house is engaged in dis
, cussing its many provisions. 1t has been
at this for several days. and with a
prOdigal hand it is dealing out public
money. It has added immense sums to
. the schools and to the pension funds and
there has been no effort to get the money
ing considered shall become law The
financial officers of the state have fig
ured it out pretty closely and have said
that if the bill fo: the two years shall ex-
coed $14.oG1OO0 there will be a deficit in
the treasury. There is just one alterna-
tive. In order to prevent the deficit there
will have to be an increase in taxation
1t was expected that there was chance
for reduction in the tax rate. but this
has been abandoned by reason of the eN-
traOrdinary amounts which nave been
given by the house.
Gov Stuart has made it plain that he
will veto any such bill as may exceed
the sum he has designated and he can az
that, compelling members to come back
here to undertake to pass the bill over
his veto. This can never be done. for the
reason that the senate stands with the
governor and will hold down the men in
the lower branch OF the general assem-
bly,. There is nothing that the house can
do but to recede from the position it has
assumed-that of undertaking to spend
vastly more money than there is to be
had unless there be raising of the tax
rate.
In this connection il is pointed out that
there are many measures now pending
which seek to reduce the income of the
state and to exempt many things from
taxation. The tax rate on bank deposits
has been reduced to an Insignificant fig-
ure as compared with former years and
there is pending bill to remove the Ii
cense tax from physicians and surgeons.
1t is impossible to say what will be done
with this latter bill. On the face of it
all there is clamor for more money by
all the state departments which the
house has declined to concede.
Interlocking Directorates.
The impression obtains that Gov. Stuart
intends to follow q policy of preventing
any person connected with any branch
of the state or federal government from
becoming identified with any of the state
institutions which are dependent on the
public funds: For long time 1t has
been the custom of governors to name as
members Of the various state Doards
members of the general assembly ana
other officers. The positions are wholly
honorable, carrying no enolument what
ever, and they have for years been sort
of compliment to the members.
When he named members of the board
Of visitors to the University of Virginia
recently Gov. Stuart omitted the name
Of Representative Flood from those re,
appointed. 1t is known that Mr.. Flood
came here and it is reported that he
had a talk with the governor and asked
to be relieved of further service on the
board having as much as ne could 90
to discharge his duties in Washington.
There is at this time a bill to, prevent
the very thing that has been inaugurated
Gy the governor-to prevent the naming OF
any man connected with the state govern
ment for any positions as members o.
boards and the like. 1t Is held that when
there are members of the legislature on
such boards they have an advantage
over institutions not so represented
Democrats of the ninth district, at
this time represented by Representative
Slemp, will make another fight this year
to redeem that district and send
democrat to Congress. 1t is practically
certain that r. Tate Irvine of Big stone
Gap will be the man who is to be named
by the democrats in the convention to be
held in Bristol March IS, and from that
time on the campaign will be under full
swing The district is large one, there
being more than q dozen counties. and'it
is very difficult to travel. 1t has been
printed repeatedly that Mr.. Slemp Is to
retire from politics at the end of the
present term. and 1t is known that there
will be hot contest for the republican
nornina ZION as his successor, that district
being republican by a large majority, but
last fall it sent more democrats to the
legislature than ever before in years.
even Lee county turning down a re-
publican and sending democrat.
For State Red Light Bill.
No matter has attracted, before the
legislature, more attention than that to
eradicate vice and to abolish the red
light" districts in all the cities of the
state.
i've democratic party are in high feather
over the recent convention of that party
in this city. there are those Of the organ
ization who claim to know few things
and who declare that the convention was
not all that was expected by any manner
of means. The convention timed its ses-
sions to have Secretary Bryan and Sen
ator Owen both in Richmond. 1t may
not be out of place 70 state that since
the convention adjourned there has been
under consideration i'll the senate pri-
mary election bill.
Gov. Stuart has signed the senate bill
which provides for the retirement of
judges of the supreme court OF appeals
! when they shall have served twelve years
and shall have reached the age of seventy.
When the bill went to the house it en-
countered bitter opposition, and man
aged to get the approval of just one