Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-03-13
HOUSE AFTERNOON
SESSION


ice corporations tax bill was killed and
mo tax restored to per cent instead OF
4. an annual increase OF 100000 on
the railroads. werc reported to tho
House at the afternoon session.
Delegate Stearnes moved to refuse to
concur In tho Senate amendment and
20 ask Tor conference. Then ensued
one OF the lvclicst argumentative free
for-all bouts in which the House has
engaged at this special session.
Graham Is. 1iobson. Of Richmond,
urged concurrence with the Senate. He
SAID ne did not think this was a proper
.,me 10 impose additional burdens on
inc railroads. the past year having been
marked by period Of business deprcs-
sion
WHOLE BILL MAY FAIL,
SAYS JUDGE WILLIAMS
Judge Martin Williams. Democratic
moor leader. suggested that tho House
concur While stand nominally as
the patron OF this BILL" no said. ut is
because II was assigned to me. We
| find ourselves in n somewhat peculiar
position. This is an important meas
urc. Without the Stcarnes amendment
the state will get something like $50 900
or 100000 from new sources OF railroad
! taxation This Is tho last day OF the
House. Suppose the House insists upon
It's amendment and the Senate refuses
10 concur with us. 1t is very probable
We VIII not get the bill through at all.
In my opinion we had better wait eight
months or 80 on this proposition rather
than lose the bill"
Mr.. Montague: You brought in an
amendment TO tho railroad section of
| the bill. hut did Il affect taSat!on?''
Judge Williams admitted it did not
Mr. Montague then asked Judge Will
lian's 20 state how he had voted on the
Stcarnes amendments. Judge Williams
replied that he had voted for tho bill
| but against tho amendments
liugA ~. White. OF Rockbridge argued
Tor concurrence with the Senate we
may jeopnrdize the whole railroad tax
IT we don't" he said. III the bill with
that amendment is passed the railroads
may raise questions that will tic us I'D
In the United States courts for years,
| GENTLsMEN's AGREEMENT
AS TO RAILROAD TAXES
Mr.. Montague recalled that when tho
! TAX Commission met here last summer
/ II was disclosed that for some Years
there had existed between the state
Legislature and the railroads "a sort OF
sen,icmen's agreement" on the taxes
the railroads were to pay to the state
Mr.. Stearnes intima;ed thu, some o,
the members were personally interested
IN the issue. His allusians brought Mr.
itobhoh TO his feet. On a question OF
persona! privilege he was recognized by
me Speaker and demanded that Mr.
Stcarncs explain his illusions
Mr.. S,earnes: II mentioned the Tredc-
gar iron Company. with which the gen
ileman from Richmond IL connected.
one or the largest businesses in which
The TredeGar company is engaged is
selling iron TO railroads. That's what
! wan trying to bring out Just to show
this House that the gentleman Is in
terested, quite naturally Interested"
Let's refuse concurrence" Mr.. Mon
taguc pleaded, and put this thing
sauarely up TO the Senate. II the bill
/ falls. VIC have done our duty. have
examined the records OF the United
states courts and found that the pres
ent law under which we nrc taxing our
railroads Is unconstitutional. appeal
10 you gentlemen to stand by your ac-
ton II We fail. we fail. But let us
demand conference. | have Travelled
the whole length and breadth OF this
country and ] can assert without fear
| OF contradiction that no State IN the
Union Is so lenient with the railroads
as Virginia"
SAYS RAILROADS HAD AMPLE
HEARING IN L0BBIEs
Delegate Julien Gum. Of Hcnrico,
commented upon the attitude OF Floor
Leader Williams toward the Stearnes
amendment II had not intended TO
discuss the bill no said, but | cannot
refrain when see the gentleman from
Giles trying TO drag forth a spectre to
scare u.s.
II didn't drag out any spectre" pro.
tested Mr.. Williams Il merely offered
suggestion.
The railroads have not had a chance
10 be heard" Delegate Willis OF Roam
okc said
II think they have had a pretty full
hearing" rstorted Mr.. Gum Are
they not being heard In the lobby?
think they have had quite a hearing
in the lobby.
Mr.. Willis: IT never heard them
there"
Mr. Montague: What's the harm in
trying the Senate on this measure?
Let's see what the conference commit
tee will do"
Judge Gregory: That's fair enough.
Isn't it Il fact that since the amend
ments were passed all the corporation
lawyers in the State have gathered
here?"
Mr.. Willis: II haven't seen them.
Anyway, we can gain nothing by insist
ing upon that amendment
Mr.. Gordon: IT don't think that We
should be expected to yield to the other
side Of the Capitol on every issue To
maintain the dignity OF this House we
might occasionally stand by our own
action
hECONDED VOTE ON REFLECTION
OF STSARNES'S RESOLUTION
Tho Senates amendment killing the
Stcarnes amendment and restoring tho
tax on tho railroads to per cent was
rejected by the following recorded
vote:
Ayes--Adams, Baker, Barley, Brewer,
Brown. Cousins. Crawford. Crockett.
Earman, Easley. Grant. Grasty. Harris,
llobson. Houston. Huff. Land, Leedy,
i.owery. Milstead, Myers. Nelson, Nor.
ris. Oliver. Spessnrd, Stubs, TIFFANY.
y: G. Weaver, White. Williams. Willis.
Woodward and Speaker Cox--33.
Noes-Bonifant. Browning, Cawthorn.
Chalkley. Chapman, Commins, Dalton.
]. o. Daniel, j. w Daniel. Dodson,
Duke. Ferebec, Field, Green. Gregory,
Gordon. Gum. Harrison, Helm. Horncr,
Hughes. Kent. Lewis. Love. Lowry. NAL
bon, Massie. Mertye. Miller, Montague,
holland, Owen. Page. Philpott. Pitts.
Powell, Powers, Price. Reed. Rev, Rob.
.ta@ lrto