Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-01-14
HOUR HAS STRUCK FOR
TAX REFORM, SAYS STUART
Governor Sends Message to General
Assembly Recommending Seq
regation Plan.
DISCUSSES PUBLIC EDUCATION
Burden OF Supporting Schools, Says
Stuart, Is Function OF State, and,
From Its Nature, Incapable Of
Equalization.

Tho hour has struck for readjust-
ment Of the tax system of our state
The information is at hand. public ser
timent Is now ready for a change. and
is expecting results from the session
OF the General Assembly that begins
o-day."
In this manner. Governor Henry Car
ter Stunrt. in his message TO the Cen
eral Assembly. which was read In both
houses yesterday. brings 10 a point a
lengthy summary of the tax situation
devoted In large part to an advocacy
or the segregation. rather than the
State Commission plan of reform.
The Governor tells of his conversion
10 the segregation idea since taking
ms seat last February, and summarizes
In brief his objections to the establish
ment OF a State Tax Commission. Such
plan for recasting .the tax system. he
concludes. would embark the State
upon "cumbrous, uncertain and ex-
pensive undertaking."
SEGREGATION OFFERS
ECONOMICAL REFORM
Segregation. on the other hand. saws
the Governor. offers 4 reasonably Ger
tain, economical and self-executiny
system of equalization. The message
pays high compliment to the Tax
Commission and to its labors as re-
flected In Its report
The Governor devotes considerable
space to consideration of the uues-
ton or public education. This, he
holds. Is function OF the State, and
not of the counties and cities as such.
The burden of public education, Gov
ri hftl {,
ture incapable of equalization. cxcept
that the poor should pay according to
their poverty and the rich according to
their abundance
GOVERNORS MESSAGE
TO GENERAL ASSEMBLY
The complete text of the Governors
message follows:
To the General Assembly of Virginia:
IN message sent by me to the Cen
eral Assembly on February 7, 1914. /
used the following language:
believing that the long standing
demand for tax reform In Virginia, in
volving general revision of our as
sessment and revenue laws, reached It's
elimination I'm our last general cleo
tion, and that the legislative and
executive branches Of the government
as now constituted. are looked to by
the people for substantial response
to this demand. feel justified in call
Ing your special attention to RESPONSE
bility under which we rest, and in
making 1t the subject OF my first mes
sage to the General Assembly.
Repeated expressions Of
individual members of the General AS
sembly lead me to the belief that there
is quite general concurrence I'm the
view that tax revision is a matter of
such vital Importance as not only to
justify. but to demand an extraordi-
nary session of the General Assembly
for. the sole consideration of that ques-
tion, to which all tax measures, pend
ing or hereafter proposed, shall be re-
ferrcd.
SUGGESTED CALLING
OF EXTRA SESSION
"I therefore announce. my readiness
to exercise the constitutional authority
vested In me to call an extraordinary
session for the purpose mentioned. and
venture to recommend that tho General
Assembly proceed, as soon as possible.
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