The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-01-27
THE HOUSE

| The House OF Delegates convened
yesterday morning at II o'clock.
After prayer, a telegram from Sem
ntor Thomas s. Martin. expressing his
thanks for the resolution of sympa%
thy on the death of Mrs. Martin was
read, following which was a message
form Captain s. r. Donohoe. member
of the Joint Committee on Tax Re-
vision, expressing his regret at being
unable to accept the second invitation
of the Assembly to address 1t on tax
alton,
However, he accompanied bis de-
clination with a brief paper setting
forth a brief exposition of his views
In favor of segregation. He declared
that the tax commiss proposed in
tho Pitts Chalkley- Montague bill will
be expensive and useless. 1t has not
the power to perform the duties as
signed 1t. he wrote. nor could It pos
sibly be made effective under the Vir-
gnia constitution. He dubbed the pro-
posed commission as "a lot of wise
acres travelling about the state and
having good time at the public ex-
pense." and took several filings at the
"so-called experts" who have favored
the commission plan. Many of them
are educated" he said. "at colleges en-
dowed by unknown persons where the
cries OF taxation favorable to special
| interests are taught.
| The Postottice site.
The report of the committee to which
! the Hobson resolution anent the loca
! ton of the Richmond postoftce was
/ then read and was strongly opposed
| both by Mr.. Montague, of Richmond,
and others. Mr. Montague opposed it
on the double ground that the vote
| by which the Eleventh Street site was
recommended at Monday nights meet
/ Ing of the Chamber of Commerce was
! not representative of the wishes Of
the members of the Chamber and that
! the General Assembly of the State has
/ nothing to do with the matter. Mt
| Weaver and others also declared that
| the matter was none of the embly's
| business. Mr.. Montague went into an
extended argument, not only opposing
the resolution asking the Virginia
delegation to use its influence for the
/ Eleventh Street site, but criticizing
\ severely the method by which ma
| jority vote was obtained at the meet
| of the Chamber of Commerce Monday.
| A rather sharp discussion with Mr..
/ Hobson was ended by Mr.. Land, of
Nottoway, who. declaring that the en-
/ tire question was out of the province
/ Oi tue AAsStlhpiJt IloNtu tHStt tHe IESO-
luton be passed by indefinitely. Mr..
Lands motion prevailed by large
majority and the incident ended. The
! resolution had already been tabled
! by the Senate
! A resolution presented by Mr.. will
| Hams. of Giles, providing for two
| meetings daily of the House, was
adopted. Accordingly. the House will
hereafter meet at o O'Clock each morn
ing. recess at o'clock and reconvene
at o'clock In the afternoon.
| Lesner Bill Defeated.
The calendar was then called and the
! iIesner bill. passed by the Senate
abolishing the capitation tax as lien
on real estate was debated and de-
feated. eS TO ~. This bill. it was
pointed out by Mr. White. Of Rock
/ bridge, and Mr.. Gordon, OF Louisa de-
| stroyed the effect OF the Lowry bill
| providing for the collection of the de-
| linquent capitation tax Regarded as
blow TO the efforts OF the House to
have delinquent capitation taxes col
| lected the bin was overwhelmingly
voted down
! Two local bills having been passed
the House bills were reached and the
debats con the tax commission bill
opened Mr. Pitts spoke In its favor
t fer about thFee-aHaFteFs eff an hour
and was followed by Mr.. Chalkley.
/ MIR Chalkiey was interrupted by the
! reading and passage of joint resolu-
tons passed by the Senate. About
| half dozen OF these granted permits
sion for the Introduction of bills not
germane to the tax question. The Gum
resolution OF inquiry into the prices
| of textbooks used In the State was
adopted as amended by the Senate.
One of these amendments provided for
a report at the present, instead of
| the next session, of the General AS
sembly. Another Senate resolution per-
mitted the introduction of the bill
drawn by Attorney General Pollard for
| the purpose of strengthening the law
forbidding discrimination in prices by
publishers with whom contracts are
made.
Several local bills were advanced on
the calendar when Mr.. Chalkley re-
sumed, to he interrupted later by "A
motion to adjourn. The Wise County
delegate will res iIne his argument in
favor of the tax commission bill this
| morning.