The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-01-15
TO RE|MPQSE TAX
ON ALL PHYSICIANS
GREGORY ANNOUNCES INTENTION
TO INTRODUCE BILL IN
HOUSE TODAY.
COMMITTEE AT WORK
HOUSE BODY DIsPosEs OF DELIN-
aUENT TAX, CAPITATTON TAX
AND LICENSES BILLS AT
ONE SESSION.

The license tax on physicians, re-
pealed by the General Assembly OF
1912, will be reimposed Mt this spe-
ctal session of the Assembly, II Judge
Gregory, of New Kent and others are
able to get through a measure to De
! introduced in the House today.
| Judge Gregory attempted to amend
the ucansa laws at the afternoon SEES
sion of the House Finance Committee
Yesterday. but fafted because OF the
committees fear that action at tnat
time would place the entire bill IN
/ jeopardy. II was suggested that
new bill be prepared to that end and
this Judge Gregory announced ne
would do. introducing it today.
| What the Committee DID.
| The House Finance Committee yes
! terday voted TO report the following
bills:
/ The hill enacting licenses and inn
| posing taxes.
/ The Lowry bill. providing for the
collection of eapitatton taxes more
than three years past due.
! The delinquent tax bill, repeating
the land Krabbers' act and providing
for commissioners i'm chancery to as-
sesA delinquent lands. provide for their
sait and to collect taxes due.
/ The action of the license tax law.
/ imposing a tax on real estate agents
/ of ten dollars fiat and one eighth OF
| one per cent on the amount OF sales
was adopted without amendment by
the committee only after several abor-
| tive attempts to amend IL had been
made. Mr. Grasty, of Augusta, pro-
posed to strike out the tax on the
amount of sales, preparing the way
for the Introduction OF an amendment
u, {v.,,N .,t tfat
/ Of ten dollars on each member OF a
firm. Both amendments were lost.
/ ON motion OF Mr. Spessard. of AL
leghany. the tax on hotels conducted
at watering places and for period
no longer than four months was
made one-half the rate ON other no.
tells, or nifty cents for each bedroom
and twenty five cents for each bath
room. The bathroom tax in the COM
missions bill is an addition to the
present laws.
The Automobile Tax.
/ The automobile and garage license
tax sections of the commissions bill
occupied a good portion of the COM
emittees time in the afternoon pro-
fYoKing consIdera bic discussion. Judge
Gregory attempted to increase greatly
the fees for registration. license and
plates to be paid by the owners OF
! automobiles. The commissions bill
/ imposes fee of Ave dollars on each
motor vehicle of twenty horsepower
or less, of ten dollars between TWEEN
| ty and forty five horsepower. and of
I twenty dollars II more than forty
{ five horsepower Judge Gregory q
amendment proposed an increase of
/ FIVE dollars In each case. To the re-
mark of Mr. Houston. OF Hampton,
that the time would come when any
tax on motor vehicles would be re-
garded as ridiculous, Judge Gregory
took exception. He said that taxes
should be paid by those most able to
bear them and these are owners of
automobiles. Furthermore. he de-
clared, automobiles do more damage
to roads than any other kind of We
hicle and should pay more for their
construction and maintenance. His
amendment was supported only by Mr..
Jordan, of Pulaski, and was lost.
! The new provision OF the bill pro-
viding that one-half of any fine COL
Iected s TO be paid to the constable
or other police officer making the ar
rest was stricken out on motion Of
Mr.. Grasty. OF Augusta
Several other amendments were Of
fered to the automobile section of the
bill. but none other of any Importance
was adopted.
The Merning Session.
The committee went into session ut
| 10:30 o'clock and shortly thereafter
received Senator Garrett, OF the Sem
! ate Finance Committee, who stated
| that his committee suggested Mon
day. Tuesday and Wednesday for the
| joint meetings of the House and Sen :
ate Finance Committees In pursuance
af the joint resolution passed by the
I'D
committee agreed and took up con-
sideration OF proposed bills which may
be adopted irrespective Of whether
the commission or segregation plan
be adopted By the Assembly. The Sen
ate committee adjourned.
Consideration of the merchants II.
cense taxes bill was the only thins
to precipitate debate at the morning
session. chief objections being to fea-
lures Of the merchants tax law.
Stearnes' Motion Defeated.
Mr. Stearnes, of Roanoke. offered
two amendments One was to strike
out the section classifying merchants
for the purpose of taxation. as retail
and wholesale. and the other to re
duce tax on 900 of purchases tc
five dollars, Both were defeated, and
the merchants tax section Of the bill
adopted.
The proposal to strike out the pro-
vision taxing retailers of tobacco five
dollars gave Delegate Love, of Lu-
nenburg. Opportunity to take q
sideswipe at lobbyists for the
big fellows who swarm about
the Capitol while the little fsl.
low can rely only..on his representa-.
tive. by the boots of Brutus." he
exclaimed. II am going to fight this
motion until the cows come home
Mr.. Love was able to leave before
milking Time, for the committee re-
fused to strike out the provision.
The committee then proceeded with
consideration of the various sections
of the bill, adopting all providing for
no change in the present law and
making a few minor amendments t.
some of the sections.
The committee adjourned at $50
o'clock to meet again this morning
Attachment Issued For Gates.