Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-01-10
.DONOHOE EXPLAINS HIS
PLAN FOR SEGREGATION
Says "Ponderous and Perambulating
Commission" Would Prove
Expensive.
JORDAN SAYS ENFORCE LAWS
Staunton Man Declares That IL OFF,
clals Would Obey Their Oaths Of
Office, There Would Be No Need
for Tax Revision.

Explanation OF the principal features
taxation. the system advocated by Caps
tain S. r. Donohoe. Aubrey G.. Weaver
and Il. +. Buchanan, constituting n
minority of the Tax Commission, was
given by Captain Donohoe for the In
formation OF the Finance Committee Of
the House OF Delegates at the session
held yesterday morning.
This explanation, which was in the
form OF n written address prepared by
Captain Donohoe since the afternoon
of the preceding day, occupied about
half Of the time of the committee. The
greater part of the remainder OF the
session was given TO hearing from g.
d. Timberlake. Jr., and Professor c. +.
Jordan, a committee representing the
Staunton Business League.
Professor Jordan told the commit
tee that If the laws of Virginia were
enforced under the present system Of
taxation, there would be no occasion
for the assembling of tho Legislature
in special session on January 13. Be
cause the laws are not enforced. he
said. the crying needs Of the Common
wealth have compelled TIE effort to
improve conditions.
QUESTION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT
oVERSHAD0WERSE EVERYTHING
"Overshadowing everything else" he
said. "ls the question OF law enforce
ment. The General Assembly is ex-
pected to take such action as may be
desired to secure for the State the
revenues to which 1t Is entitled. Let
us hope that the problem will be
solved. But the members OF the Legis-
lature should keep in mind, above
everything. that what we are suffering
from in reality is failure to enforce
the laws. I mean the tax laws In par
ticular. other laws in general If
grand turies and court judges per-
formed their sworn duty, the State
would get it's just revenues.
II can speak from my own knowl-
edge of the County OF Augusta. The
State should be getting revenues from
$500 citizens of Augusta County. which
1t is not getting. The city of Staunton
is not so bad as Augusta County. but
1T is bad enough in that respect"
The tenor OF his address indicated
that Professor Jordan's expectation
that the General Assembly will adopt
either OF the plans submitted by the
Tax Commission is tho reverse of
sanguine. He said:
"If you gentlemen Of the Legisla-
ture eventually decide to leave the
system Of taxation as It is to-day, we
hope that YOU will at least provide
some effective system for the enforce
ment Of the laws"
WANTS INDEPENDENT BOARD
REMOVED FROM POLITICS
He said he would like to see some
suitable scheme of taxation operating
under n general tax board, but he
wanted this board to be as far re-
moved from politics and political influ-
ences as possible. He advocated tho
creation OF such a board, provided 1t
shall be charged with full responsl-
bility for the enforcement OF the tax
laws and vested with ample power to
enforce the laws.
Concluding, he Congratulated the
committee on the work 1t is doing, and
said: Even II the Legislature does
(COntinued on Fifth J,a0eN