The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-02-05
Takes Up Modified Measure.
THE HOUSE

The morning session of the House
Of Delegates Yesterday was concerned
largely w4th debate on the mineral
land assessment bill, finally defeated
by an oyerw heiming majority, and
debate on the doctors license bill al
ready dead by action of the senate
The mineral land bill was debated
at length Wednesday afternoon, with
the result that by a safe majority H.
was ordered to it's engrossment. How
ever. the fight upon 1t WAS resumed
yesterday by Delegate Jordan of Pu-
laski when 1t came up fer passage.
and was defeated by q vote az Is TO
81.
The measure was not spared by any
of the speakers in opposition To 1t. MT
Jordan calling II IAN outrageous rua4-
sure. ard MIR Meyers, OF Richmond
declaring 1t to be "one of the most
dangerous bills ever offered ian the
House of Delegates" during his in
cumbcncy.
Corporations ueaent ny II.
Those opposing the bill. which was
drawn to define mineral lands and to
relieve from taxation lands assessed
as mineral hearing on which IL was
alleged there is no mineral. declared
that its effect would be to relieve from
taxation as mineral lands enormous
tracts OF such property held by cor
poratloRs undeEeloped. "Corporations
own many agrees of coal lands IN south
west Virginia which they are not de
velopinS at this time" said Mr.. Mey-
ers. holding the property until they
are ready 70 work II. To pass this
bill defining mineral lands as those
containing workable seams. would
place the burden of proof upon the
Commonwealth. The result would be
that these undeveloped coal lands
would escape taxation as SUCH
Judge Martin William. OF Giles. and
AR. Stephenson. OF Bath argued for
the bill, repeating their arguments Of
the previous day.
After its passage the House took ,lp
and considered several bills. passing
most Of them by When the Love
bill reimposing a license tax upon ply
sicians was called, Mr. Weaver ~
Warren moved that it he dismissed
from the calendar. explaining that
the Senate lad already defeated il
overwhelmingIy and that any action
by the House would be a sheer waste
OF time. The House voted to dismiss
1t. but before the clerk could call the
next bill on the calendar. MIR. Gordon,
of Louisa moved n reconsideration.
This gave several members an oppor-
ready dead and buried for all prac-
ticabie purposes Mr. Gordon. or
Louisa. and Mr., Love, Of Lunenhurg,
spoke for the bill. while MIR. I.aedy.
Of Page. spoke against it. By a good
majority the House refused to recon-
sider
The Afternoon Session.
The afternoon was consumed large
Iv with short discussions Of several
bills and the adoption of motions to
pass them by. Mr.. Gregory. of New.
Kent, and MIR. Willis. Of Roanoke.
protested earnestly against the dis
position on the part Of the House for
the last two days TO pass by all con-
tested bills and TO consume time with
debates and discussions only to take
no final action
The only hill to be ordered to its
yesterday afternoon was
tIle bill IL, require the actual consider
alton to be stated I'm ali transfers ut
property by deed or other cDrTreyaHre
or IL be furnished 70 the clerk OF the
court before any such deed or other
- Admitted ~ record. =