The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-02-10
HOUSE.

esterdaN afternoon < session of the
House was devoted largely to the CON
sideration Of the conference report on
the Weaver Buchanan segregation
bill. The report was accepted on mo-
ton of MIR. Weaver, of Warren, Joint
patron of the measure. after some
discussion.
The interesting feature Of the morn
ing session was the discussion Of the
income tax bill and the Montague
amendment to the bill. placing tax
of one per cent on the gross earnings
of sick benefit insurance companies
The debate on the latter was over the
rate. The bill, as It was prepared by
the Joint committee on tax revision
last summer, put the tax at one per
cent, but the Finance Committee of
the House raised the rate 10 two per
cent an increase of four hundred per
cent on the present tax OF one-half
of one per cent.
Montague Opposes.
Mr Montague, the patron Of the
measure, opposed this increase and
offered an amendment, placing II back
at one per cent. which, he pointed out
Was double the present rate. After
warm debate. in which the class of
Insurance companies under discussion
came In for fiaying. the Montague
amendment WAS rejected and the bin
with It's two per cent rate, was pass
ed
The income tax bill WAS passed by
after some discussion. After II had
been amended there was no real OBJ
lection to the measure. apparently.
and II wns about to be passed, when
Major Stubhs. OF 6fou aester, pointed
out several defects In the title. On
motion Of Mr. Montague. the bill was
passed by temporarily. to allow the
defects to be corrected.
The Montague State depository bill.
on motion OF Speaker Cox. who took
the floor for the purpose. was amend
ed and then passed, This bill places
among State repositories two itch
mond and one other hank, not now
on the list.
The Gregory bill. allowing school
districts more freedom IN securing
loans from the literary fund OF the
State was rejected. but motion TO
reconsider was passed by 10 the
afternoon. AT that time the House
refused to reconsider
The Stearnes' bill, allowing the
Auditor of Public Accounts. instead of
the Auditing Committee OF the De-
partment OF Agriculture. to audit the
expenditures of the department. was
passed. an were several local bills
Int AItefBOOn session.
AT the afternoon session the Con-
ference Committee report on the Sem
ate amendment to the Weaver
Buchanan segregation bin was taken
up. debated briefly and passed. The
House bill reducing the tax on in
tangibles property segregated to the
State to seventy cents, was taken up
out az order the constitutional read
ing dispensed with without dissent
ing vote, and the various amendments
debated. Before action was taken 1t
was passed by to allow consideration
of the Senate bill providing for an ex-
officio tax commission. The commit
tee amendments, some twenty in num-
Der. together with the amendments
were distributed and motion adopted
limiting debate to FIVE minutes for
proposed by Mr. Oliver and Mr. Reed.
Proceedings were here halted by an
effort by MIR. Oliver to adjourn until
10 o'clock this morning. This was de-
fealed on roll call and the hour of s
then having arrived, the chair was
vacated until o'clock at night
During the afternoon the income fas
bill, passed by during the morning
session to allow defects In the title,
was taken up and after amendment of
the. title. the. bill was passed
One local bill was ordered 10 it's
iengrossment during tho afternoon,
this being an net 10 provide a new
charter for Bristol, and three House
BILLS. similar TO Senate bills already
passed, were dismissed from the
The nigh, session OF the House was
devoted 10 consideration OF the Sen
ate modified tax commission bill,
which WAS adopted with many amend
msnts.