The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-03-12
THE HOUSE

Of Z oucester. in an eloquent speech
nominated David II. Pitts, member of
the House from Albemarle. as menu
her Of the Virginia Debt Commission.
to succeed the late John H. Moon. Of
Charlottesville. Mr.. PITTS was elected
unanimously.
The House then resumed discus
sion Of the general license bill. after
adopting the Horner resolution limit
ing debate.
Mr.. Oliver. of Fairfax. spoke in
favor Of the committee amendment
eliminating the FIVE dollars additional
license tax upon merchants retailing
tobacco. He was supported by Mr.
Gordon. OF Louisa. Mr.. Myers OPP
posed It The amendpent was lost
az TO As.
Medicine Vendors.
y Mr.. Field. Of Madison. spoke to his
amendment increasing the license tax
on vendors Of proprietary medicines
from $50 IN the pending hill. to 500.
Mr.. Oliver wanted to make the lax
SIS. and Mr.. Spatig. Of Brunswick, to
make 1t $3.50. Mr.. Gordon wishes 10
place such vendors Of medicines In
he peddlers' class. Mr.. Pitts, Of Able
marie, wanted to place prob! hitive
tax unon them. Mr. Meetse, OF Prince
william. opposed any increase IN the
tax. The Spatig amendment, increns-
ing the tax to s250 was adopted, after
an argument in its favor by the lat
ter.
The Gordon amendment increasing
the tax on purchases over 500. 900
from ten cei.ts on the hundred TO
twenty cents on the hundred dollars
was defeated. The Gordon amend
ment striking out the clause ex-
enpting LAWYERS doing brokera ge
brokers was also defeated
The Spessard amendment making
the license tax on summer hotels
omen not more than four months In
the year. one-half the regular hotel
license was adopted
Cider Manufacture.
The Land amendment imposing a
license tax on the SAC of cider equal
In amount TO that imposed on other
soft drinks. was opposed by MIR. Page
OF Alhemarle. The amendment was
defeated. An amendment bv Mr.
Smith. of King and Queen, limiting
the cider exemption to quantities
under FIVE gallons. was defeated
Martin williams. OF Giles. pro.
tested arainst any legislation on the
manufa cture or sale OF cider oi
licenses thereon at this time The
question was settled at the polls las
November, he said. and the Genera
Assembly should not repudiate tn,
, terms Of the enabling act
r. MIR white. of Rockhr'dge. with
. drew his amendment striking out tn
emergency clause.
a Tho MYERS amendment allowing IN
y reduction from nnnrha nta' capital 70
the purposes of taxation of account
Que for merchandise purchased wa
? adopted
| Oliver Amendments
About twenty amendments to tn,
bin prepared and offered by Mr.
oliver OF Fairfax. were offered II
order and rapi7ly moved down by tn
| House, with the exception of two q
three. correcting typographical er
rors
Continued efforts by Mr. Norris o
Ianca ster. and Mr.. Daniel. Of Middle
sex. to eliminate the additional to
haoco tax on merchants were defeat
ed.
Mr. MYERS OF Richmond. went efte
- the gvpsies. He wanted to tax then
> double the amount provided I'm tn
hill.
f Il know what Rvpsles are" he sa I'd
4 Zone Of 'em touched me for m
4 watch"
, $50 do r" said Mr. white, OF Rock
I bridge, that's all the royalty "
have"
. ROYALTY Is at discount now" Sc
r have An influx from E,urope and :
. vou adon' my amenamen, we vii
garner large Income"
@ tn" hin was then nut on it's passa q
3 n~h was carried IT 70 ia TIL
' Mousse ~o'"s~d 10 r"cors'aAr.
The Afternoon Session
! The statement prepared by Delegat
= Powell. OF Spotsylvania. in response Z
the House resolution requesting proc
p Of his charges against Judge r. II.
= Chichester. OF the Fifteenth Judicia
I Circuit. was filed at the morning sea
sion and read by the clerk at tn
2 opening OF the afternoon session. TIL
e matter was referred to the Commute,
> on Courts of Justice,
/ Senate bin No. II. relating TO tn,
State TAX on property for school pur
: poseswas then taken up on motion t,
reconsider the vote by which the bill
> was rejected. The bill allows count,
I boards of supervisors to increas,
, levies for county and district schoo
7 purposes. The measure was sup
ported by Mr. White. with a plea t.
the Legislature TO allow the county
schools to develop.
Mr. Oliver spoke against the bill
, repudiat.ng what ne declared was ar
tntimation tnat ne opposes the de.
velop>nent OF the public school system
He censured Superintendent OF Public
Instruction Stearnes for coming or
the floor OF the House to work fol
the bill. He denounced the bill Az 4
violation of the constitutional limita.
ton, OF five mills for school purposes
and expressed fear that school trus.
tees in the counties would call cleo.
tions and increase taxation. Mr.
Gordon. OF Louisa. also opposed the
bill
The question Of reconsideration was
! then put and defeated
Adopt Stearnes' Amendment.
When the corporation tax bill was
taken UP MIR. Stearnes. of Roanoke
spoke again to his amendments in
creasng the tax on public service
corporations He argued In favor oil
i Ia per cent tax on gross earn.
ings OF railroads. The State of Ohio
he said, il ieVying a tax of A liz per
cent He declared that Virginia tax
returns from railroads are so small as
!, to be ridiculous.
Mr.. Stearnes speech was a strong
one and his amendment was adopted
, by vote OF 81 TO 20.
Other amendments to the bill were
Of minor importance, a motion to
> strike out the emergency clause fail
ing. as did an amendment by Mr.
Miistead, OF Newport News, retaining
I the present mileage basis OF taxation