The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-03-08
Further Amendments Prepared
and Move To Dismiss 1t
Will Be Made
Ten O'clock Will
Quorum Present
Many Members Arrived Last
Individuality To Secure
Copies of New Bills Causes
Criticism

The General Assembly convenei
this morning at 10 O'Clock, after "a re.
cess Of three weeks. to make final dis
position Of the question of TAX reform
Many of the members came in yes.
terday and last nigh, and by midnight
"A large number was In the city
enough with those who may he sx-
pected 10 arrive THIS morning, TO en-
sure the presence of quorum In both
houses rhe members must serve this
thal week without pay, and with tbs
matter of travelling expense in doubt
but that the great majority If not all
will be in attendance during the week
is expected.
Under williams Resolution.
There had been some doubt as &c
the hour Of meeting this morning
some OF the members being under tht
impression that II would he IL O'Clock
noon. IL developed last night, how
ever, that as no hour was set in this
resolution providing for recess, the
House would meet under .he Williams
resolution n force when recess was
taken, and providing for meeting al
o o'clock each morning. Under a
similar resolution the Senate Will meet
at | / o'clock.
If leaders IN the House are correct
In their diasgnoisis, shock awiis the
merchants of the state IN that tht
merchants license bill will he defeat
cd this week This section of the
general license bill was warmly dehat.
ed by the General Assembly, especial
iy In the house. In the latter body II
was amended beyond all resem slancf
10 the original measure. and was
about To he passed when defects were
found In the title. II was then recon.
naittea TO the Committee On Finance
There 1t stili rests,
Action Postponed.
However. the pill pnssed the Senats
and was on its third reading on the
House calendar when recess was
taken. being passed by, when reach
ed until the General Assembly should
reconvene After n long fight. the
merchants of the State had succeeded
Ia amending the bill to their satisfac 9
ton. eliminating the differentiation be
tween the wholesale and retail mer.
chants for purposes OF taxation and
reducing the rates on retail merchants
considerably below those Of the bill
as prepared by the joint committee or
faN revision and as II came from frt
financs Committee.
The bill, as Ii passed tho Senate and
as II was on the House calendar. WAS
satisfactory to the merchants. Now
however. ii has been amended again
number OF members intend Ia offer
numerous other amendments ON tbs
floor and. to save time and debate
with the work facing the House sc
heavy. it's isnissa, from tho cal.
endar will he moved. The prospect,
are that the motion TO dismiss will bs
carried. especially as the State vii
lose. IL Is said BY its opponents. $50
600 under it's operation.
State Would Lose.
The State cannct afford to lose
thai amount st this time OF expert
rnenting With q new tax system
said enc member last night. III will
nroba by be killed. leaving the entire
general license law as II stands al
present We can make necessary
changes next year. VIZ did not come
tn levy taxes anyway. but to revise
the tax system
Several other bills on the calendar
when the General Assembly adjourned
have been amended and revised
These will come up In order. as tbs
House. except by Suspension OF rules
must take ur the calendar just where
it left off. The same applies to the
senate. where few bills remain undis'
posed of.
There are twenty-four bills affect.
ing the revenue laws of the state
prepared by the joint committed
named for the purpose. which have
been changed to conform to the new
tax system. These have been print
ed and will be distributed today
Much comment was caused among
some Of the members last night oveI
their failure to receive copies of these
bills. in accordance with the resolu.
ton of the General Assembly provid
ing that they must be forwarded Il
each member of the House wher
completed
The Public Printer.
II was explained by a member o.
the joint committee that the wori
was completed so late that 1t was i'm
possible to comply with the terms o.
pressed, however, at the report state
ment OF Public Printer Davis Bottom
that he had been instructed TO deliver
the documen. containing the bills onl,
to members Of the joint COMMITTEES
to the Governor, Auditor and ono OF
two others, until this morning. Wnl
such instruction should be given, /
they were given, they regarded q,
incomprehensible. Some of the mem
bers OF the committee declared tina
they had heard nothing of such In
structions.
THE last thing heard" said on,
member was that inasmuch As W,
were unable to forward copies as in
atructed. the sooner they were dis
tributed to members and to the news
papers the better
The bills are accompanied by note
setting forth the reason for each bill
and for changes in the present laws
These bills. with the explanator.
notes. will be in the hands Of all tn,
members this morning.
Members were optimistic last nigh
over the prospects for completing tn
work this week.
= I. s.1fnless We. haze an outbreak, a
mouth disease," said one, 1--WE will &c
a Z. ffsna s1nueA N nocnnA pnRa.l