Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1915-01-26
Advocates of Centralized
Form of Tax Control
Are Anxious
ARE UP AGAINST ODDS
Some Members of General Assembly.
Are Opposed to the Auditor Weld
ing So Much Power.

Richmond, Jan. 26.-UneXpected
opposition, which has developed In
the Legislature within the last few
days to the administration bills, tax
ing intangibles and giving the Audi
tor the power to collect the tax, has
led several members to wonder
whether any hidden influence is at
work.
There are two bills in question.
They are companiSn bills and both
have the unqualified approval of the
Governor and of the House leaders.
When they were introduced it was
said that they would be favorably
considered by the Senate, but there
is now some uneasiness lest the up
per branch of the General Assembly
try to defeat them.
Opposition to the bills is byno means
confined to the Senate, however,
there having developed in the last
two days strong antagonistic feel
ing in the House. At present the SEN
timent against the bills in the House
is not enough to defeat them, but
some of those advocating the bills
fear that the same influence which
developed the present opposition may
finally so increase and strengthen it
that the bills will be in jeopardy.
The first of the two bills gives the
State Auditor the necessary powers
to enable him to discover intangibles
not returned by their owners for
taxation. The second bill puts fat
rate of 70 cents on the $100 on all
such intangibles as stock, bonds,
notes, etc.
Technical errors have been dis
covered in the bill reducing the taN
on intangibles-the second Of the two
companion bills-and after consi-
deration by the House Committee on
Finance it was referred to the At
torney General:;'
Unofficial polls show without ques-
ton that the segregationists out
number their opponents almost two
to one, and the segregation mea-
sures advocated by the Governor
should therefore, be passed by large
majorities.
In the Senate it is said that the
group opposed to segregation has
lost several of its most influential
members. The centralization advo-
Gates are now able to muster only
some eight or ten votes in the Sen
ate, it is declared, and when the
House passes its reform bills and
sends them to the Senate they VIII
there be; approved, leaders assert
with only very slight amendments
The forces Off centralization sys-
tenn of taxation fought hard in the
House yesterday and when adjourn
ment came the forces for segregas-
tion held the fort. The first test came
when the Chlakley bill, designed to
do away with the land grabbers-
the purchasers Of land on which tax
es have become delinquent-was kill
ed by a vote of Al to 43, after two
hours of debate. The bill was favored
BY several members who are counted
with the centralizationists an dthey
caused the segregationists to op
pose it.
The merchants license bill was de-
bated at length and then given u
subcommittee.
Because of errors in the bill rela
ing to taxes on intangibles. the bill
was referred to the Attorney Genera
A rumor was current that rich mel
of the State, among them Thoma
Fortune Ryan, oppose the bill be
cause it would reveal the value o
their intangibles.
Bills introduced in each house t
appropriate $4,000 for the enter
taiument of Confederate veterans,
who attend the reunion here in Jun
were referred to committees.