Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-03-21
LITTLE IF ANY CHANGE
IN TREAsURER'S FEES
Hubbub Over New Tax Law Proves
to BE Without Foun-
dalton.
no ERROR IN BILL AS PASSED
Typographical Change in Measure
as Reported From Committee Was
Detected by White and Oliver and
Promptly Corrected.


Promptly Corrected.
Not long lived but great was the Joy
"f city Treasurer James b. Pace, when,
sitting comfortably at home scanning
an afternoon paper last evening. his
eyes gave him ono OF the delightful sur
prlscs Of his life.
New tax law increases PAGES in
rome by 100000" he read.
Then he laid down the printed page.
took OFF his glasso3. rubbed them brisk
" with his pocket handkerchief. read
justcd the glasses on his nose and
looked again. His eyes had not de-
ccivcd him. There II was In type of tho
fat, black. broadfaced style and size
that scarcs horses In the street. The
city treasurer grinned broadly he
read tho second bank of head typo:
Commissions TO be allowed city treas
urer. coupled with his regular compen-
hation. will run his stipend up TO moro
than President Wilson receives"
by golly. that's 3d." unused the treas
urer. Tho city pays me 5000 salary.
Add $4,000 to that and the total is con-
siderably more than Woodrow gets
from Uncle Sam"
JOYOUS LIGHT FADES
OUT OF TREASURERS EYES
lie read rapidly. and as his eye
story Of how It was suppose ed 10 happen
the joyous light died out of the treas
urcr's optics.
Vanity. vanity" he murmured. and
al IL vanity. AS our old friend, Eugene
Ararn was wont to remark. Il never
loved plant or flower but twas the
first TO fade and die"
Treasurer Pace had recovered from
his shock and disappointment and was
IN laughing mood when he discussed
his reported windfall last night.
"Of course It's ridiculous" he said.
nut regard il az unfortunate because
the publication telling Of the enormous
Condiments OF the office of the treas
urer Of tho city OF Richmond is likely to
mud crcdcnce In other parts of the State
and the pcopl. will quite naturally form
an unfavorable opinion OF a system un-
der which a treasurer is permitted 10
reap such n harvest
Mr.. Pace said that SO far as he has
been abb" to estimate II. the effect OF
tho new tan laws on the compensation
Of his Office Is NIL. He WAS not sure,
however. whether he would suffer In
tho aggregate n slight loss or make n
slight gain.
SHIFTING SUBJECTS OF
TAXATION MAKES LITTLE CHANGE
clerk John w Williams, of the House
~ Delegates, and other State officers
said last night that the shifting OF the
different subjects OF taxation left the
Office Of the treasurer exactly where IL
was before In the matter Of compensa-
ton
It is a popular belief that the Office Of
treasurer OF the city OF Richmond gives
tho incumbent n net annual com pensa-
t'on OF about SO. 600. Records in the
Office OF the state Auditor show that
commissions paid 10 the city treasurer
by tAc state last year amounted to ST.
Thn ~tF 81
salary OF 5000 a year Clerks en-
ployed In the city division OF the treas
urer's once are on the payroll Of the
city. and those employed in the State
division are paid out OF the rocket OF
Treasurer Pace.
Mr.. Pace directed attention to the
fact that tho change made by the segre-
cation system takes away from him
tho commissions ON tho - cent State
tax and ne must now be content with
only tho Decent school tax so far as
Sta;e taxes arc concerned. The loss
he thus suffers is iust about Offset by
The increase he receives from other
sources
According TO the published report. the
hill-lIouse bill lo3-Fivins the enor-
nous Increases in compensation TO
treasurer, is q goose that lays golden
"ggs for commissioners OF the revenue
TOO. But. a.as. for the commissioners
~ the revenue, they can make but -
.!a'.nccidc feast Of the ercs
ERROR IN BtI.i WAS
DETECTED AND CORRECTED
In tho same story concerning the
;rcasurers and commissioners and their
Imaginary golden eggs I, was related
that section "a of the bill passed BY
The General Assembly and signed by
tho Governor contained n Typographical
error. which obscured the sense OF the
section Ii was set forth that sec
ton ga OF the bill. which is row n law,
rcnds az follows:
ga. On the real estate and persona!
property or other taxes assessed or ex-
tended for local purposes, and hereto
fore assessed for State purposes the
commissioners OF the revenue shall be
not less than the COMMISSIONER now
allowed by law for the assessment OF
state taxes"
The suppositious error. or misprInt
IS the word Commissioners" the elev-
,nth word from the end of the section
should read commissions" This mis-
II int was supposed 10 have eluded the
$ -utiny of everybody who examined
", bill before II became q law. includ-
irfs' Delegates Walter Tansill oliver and
i3Eh y. White, its patrons when it was
introduced: all members of the Leg
stature. who heard the bill read In open
session: the engrossinG clerk. the pub
lie printer and finally, Governor Stuart
Who used TO sit up until after mid
night going through such bills with n
nc;aphoricai fine tooth comb.
Clerk John w. Williams stated last
night that the error was no more sub
stantiai than the aforementioned gold
"n eggs. The mtsprint appeared In
tho printed sheet as II camo from the
interim committee and was detected
,nd corrected Immediately The error
WAS not In the bin when It was intro
dnccd in the House, and. of course. did
not appear when the measure was en-
crossed and signed. First to detect
The msprint were Mr.. White and Mr.
oliver. patrons OF the bill
WILL VISIT MASONS
nr IInory nt,1r.tv r>,,.x. xx,.,, s. <..