The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-01-13
Begins lifelong Delayed Work
of Reform of Tax Laws OF
The Commonwealth
Result Is Matter
OF Serious Doubt
Segregation Principal AT Pre-
sent Is Choice of Majority.
Finance Committee Hears
Richmond Men

Many men of mary minds will
gather today in the halls Of Tho Gcn-
eral Assembly at the state Capitol to
correct errors aud reform, abuses in
the tax laws Of the State of Viz
ginia
At moor the special session of the
General Assem- bly, called bH GoNeruor
Henry =. Stuart, in response IL q
resolution adopted hS that body In
regular session last winter, will send
JoiHt committee 10 the Governor to
inform him that it rs ready for bust
ness, snh shortly tllerea fter will re-
c"ive from the Chief Executive mes
sage advocating the adoption OF a
tial segregation
The va riouS steps leading M to the
convention of the special sessions, the
prel minary meetings of the Finance
Committee OF The House. and the pub
Hcatioa of the varying views of the
mem bers have excited little public
Interest Specuiations as to how ,he
task is to be accomplished are things
20 which the average man Is paying
little attention. The details do not
interest him
I All vitality Affected.
3 But that ia not 10 say that every
taxpayer in the State is not vitality
affected by the Anal result and that
he does not know it, Not aale does
his session Of the Leg !sIa lure pfQn-
Use to he one of the most momentoas
in The recent history OF the State. bat
one Of the most mou1entous gather
inEs Of a public nature since the Con-
stltutionai I convention Of 1901. Aside
from It's economic effects upon the
state. IN Il public men are to be
made and ruined. Many who new
Ylra f4a3da hat
munities are going to pave the way
for retirement from public life. many
who are little known will probably
emerge Statewide figures. It is not
beyond the bounds of the possible
that in this session will be born sub
stantial and result producing boons
for high Office in the Commonwealth.
Nearly every man in the Legislature
stands on the verge Of his political
grave and at the same time at the
begtnnine Of a long career OF public
life. 1t IS The crisis.
All Is OF course provided some
thing is done: and there are those who
believe nothing will be done. The
consensus Of opinion, however, seems
to he that conservative action Will
result from the deliberations of the
two bodies of the General Assem- bly,
and that ont Of the present confusion
will emerge a new tax measure prob
ably providing for some modified form
of segregation on which. as time
passes and as experience dictates. can
be grated supplemental laws. tend
ing towards final complete segrega-
tiCn.
I Sanc Good Results.
I Yesterday afternoon, few minures
after o'clock the Finance Commit
tee OF the House ended its unofficial
preliminary hea rings that Iegan last
Wednesday, Just "a week ago. Moth
ing tangible IVES accomplished for the
committee. having no official eXis-
tence. could do nothing. hut all the
members feel that the time was we'll
Spen. They secured information.
they got the other fellows point Of
view and they had their own ideas
clarified somewhat, and as "A result
most OF them are now prepared to
4 vote on all of the broad general aues-
lions involved and some OF them on
most OF the particular bills already
proposed.
! Jus} what procedure will be follow ed
/ in che House, which on account OF its
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