The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-01-12

In the State the differences between
wholesale and retail stores approach
a minimum. Many merchants do both
a whole sale and retail business. he
said. and under the proposed law they
would be compelled To separate their
businesses and pay taxes or both.
Retail License Highe
In the matter Of The proposed new
rate OF taxation. Secretar- Clark went
into mare detail presented figures
showing that the tax on the larger re-
tall houses are increased both over
The Wholesale rate and over the pres
ent rate on both. Up to $4,000 the
license charged both wholesale aud re-
tail merchants under the proposed
new bill Is the same, and IS less than
the present tax. Up to 100000 the
retail tax is more than the whole
sale tax, but still less than the pres-
ent tax on both. Beyond flat figure
the inequality becomes even moro
marked. The retail merchants license
tax exceeding greatly that of the
wholesale merchant. and gradually in
creasing over the present rate until
IL Is almost doubled.
And We were given the impression
that the cnmmss IONS bill would give
rs relief" said Mr.. CLARK I'VE are
receiving protests from all over the
State
White Ngains. Capitalization.
I Uucs1 white. OF Rocllbridre invited
I 70 address the committee. registered
/ his uralterahle opposition tn = strong
centralized commission with plenarv
/ powers. and declared for "a modified.
conservative segregation plan" Mr..
| white opposed, too, an ex-nfffcto
/ hoard
I The Rock hyidFe delegate raised
! laugh by saving that no hoped to 20
| through a session Of the Legislature
/ without submitting hill. and declared
/ his willingness ~ follow anyone WAC
| gave evidence Of being able to lead
somewhere.
! Must Act. He Says.
| You have got TO do something" he
/ told the committee. The Legislature"
has got 10 do something, the state
| demands II. and from what can
| Judge. the neople Will ne greatly dis
! amounted il nothing is done.
! ct am unaiterahlv opposed 10 TAX
/ ing ur ANYTHING else at this session ~
/ the Legislature" he continued ut
would he unfair TO the Governor who
called us for a speclfc purpose -
/ would be unfair 70 the people who
expect action. That action we viii
not rot n we take w other matters"
I Mr. white took whacks ~ several
heads In some cases Il was neces-
sarv 10 -eaS between thA lines TO un-
serstand the allusicn, but not when In
/ response 70 a question he said the
h.ll ~ Judge Martin Williams is
chock ful! % politics"
| Judge Gregory broke IN to say that
he understood that "tne Auditors
once Is the headquarters Of politics in
Virginia 20 which Mr. Montague re-
Piled that that is new one on me"
The adoption Of the segregation plan
does not eliminate the necessity for
supervising machinery. said J. Lindsay
Heard Of Norfolk arguing for the
bill rrepsref bv him. and Senator Iohn
/ r,esuer Of Norfolk This bill provides
! for local boards under the direction
81 p state board. Mr., Heard ridtcuied
the idea that n central commission
/ sitting in Richuond could eduali3e or
correct assessments all over the state.
Points Ont Errors.
Hamilton Graves an attorney OF
Roanoke. declared ut the afternoon
session for segregation as the best
plan Of tax reform. but pointed out
| what he said were errors in the table
prepared By the professional statisti-
clan employed by the State Tax Com
mission.
on motion of Captain w. W. Baker
the committee then took up considera-
tion Of the bill proposed by the
Special State Tax Commission provi1-
ing for the collection Of delinquent
taxes.
This measure provides for the APP
pointment by Circuit or Corporation
Courts of commission in chancery 10
examine all the delinquent tax records
and other records bearing on delin-
Quent taxes upon real estate and capt.
tation. and to secure information as
to against what lands and lots the
taxes are properly chargeahle and who
owns them. The commissioner is to
report these fsurfs and description
| Of them. together with the name of
the owner when Il was charged. as
+ delinquent. together with the name of
the present owner. Where any tract
of land has been divided by sale or
otherwise after being returned de-
linquent- the commission shall APP
portion such delinquent taxes proper
/ tionately.
Any owner of such lands may pay
all taxes and costs within sixty days
after the fling of the report and have
il SO noted on the delinquent tax
books. Any feeling themselves ag-
grieved by the commissioners report
4 has recourse to the courts,
Il After such payments Of delinquent
taxes as made are noted and cor
rec,ions made, the court shall appoint
the same or some other commits sioner
in chancery who shall bring and prose
cute suits in chancery TO enforce the
tax lieus Of the Commonwealth against
all the remaining undeemed tracts.
Waste of Fees.
The discussion of the bill was led
by Mr.. Graves. John W, Stephenson.
tof Bath. and Hugh White who were
requested by the committee TO give
their views Mr.. White opposed eit as
cumbersome II do not believe" he
I said that there is il lawyer In the
state would undertake to do what that
bin makes compulsory"
! Speaking OF delinquent land recor-
dation. Mr.. white said that sec, 000 is
wasted annually by the state In fees
to court clerks for secordng deln-
quent boom lands that no one would
take a gift. He suggested that at
ter the lands have once been put up
and bought in by the Commonwealth
| they should be recorded once in 4
permanent delinquent land book,
Delegate Montague. who said that the
bill had been drawn up by Delegate