The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-01-29
HOUSE MAY ADOPT

CONTINUED from First Page.)
lander consideration, and the segre-
ration bill. further down on the call
s endar, should be debated before a
vote should be taken. This resolution
s was adopted by the House. The con-
i sequence Is that the House will debate
both measures before any vote is
taken. The amendments to the tax
commission bill will be considered
and following that a vote Will be taken
on the bill. The Weaver buchanan
segregation bill will then be voted
upon.
This means that the debate now in
progress, will continue through to-
day and tomorrow. II is possible that
before adjournment Saturday vote
on the tax commission bill Will be
reached. but that is extremely doubt
full, especially rs tho House will hold
no afternoon session Saturday.
~ The debate on the tax commission
bill yesterday began Immediately al
ter the morning hour. during which
routine matters were considered Colo
mel Robert F, I.ecdy, Of Page, opened
with an argument in favor Of the com
mission and against segregation. He
was followed by Mr.. White, Of Rock
bridge
whites strong Argument.
Mr.. White began his address by di-
recting attention to the fact that al
though the Tax Commission Pinn had
been under discussion for two days and
though several of its advocates Ind
addressed themselves to the hill for
hours not one OF them had made more
than perfunctory nllnsion 10 the meas
ure, nor had any sought to point out
its projections.
"They have spent almost their entire
time in attack upon our e7trpnch-
ments," he declared amid appla use.
but have not sought 90 defend their
own positions
There must be some reason for this.
he thought saying that Il was prob
ably the difficulty they experienced in
their own minds n finding any convinc-
.s.ng argument IN favor Of Tho efficiency
of the proposed commission
Mr.; white maintained that attacks
upon the segregation plan were ire
1evant at thls time The commission
plan and the segregation plan, he said.
Are not anttheses. The commission
hill, 81 a good one. he held might well
be adopted along with the segregation
bill.
- "But IT Is not good oili." he de-
:. clared. and whore they have lodged
reference TO II. / am going to point out
dts defeats. as they appear to me"
The Rockbridg man, who was fire.
auently interrupted by applause. led by
Judge Martin Williams and Aubrey
Weaver. principal patrons OF the segre
: cation bin, based his opposition to tho
Pitts -Challsley Montague tax commits
ssion bin on two grounds. which were
: these
~ Grounds of Opposition.
1. The proposed commission is merely /,
advisory and lacks the power to do !
what IL is to be created TO do.
2. Even If given the power II Is "A
physical impossibility for its members
to perform their tasks /
Arguing from these premises, Mr.. |
white challenged anyone 10 quote from
any OF the speeches made In favor
of the bill q single argument to prove
rhat the power of the commission is
sufficient. He challenged anyone 10
quote from any speech any testimony
that II would be physically possible for
any three men TO perform the duties
assigned them in the bill He ehai-
ienged anyone to demonstrate that any
three men could travel from one end
of the state TO the other. examine all
the books In the state or to correct
them after discovering the errors.
e, III you could draw bill with claws
and teeth to II and then ind demi-
gods to carry out it's provisions" he
said, cor. in other words II what you
seek could be accomplished. 7 would
favor your bill, But IL can not he
done. Your own committee reports
that 1t cannot be done: that II has
never been done"
Turning his attention TO the argu
.nents of his supporters, Mr.. white de-
elared that figures might be manipu
lated TO prove almost anything Il
know little of your hgures." he said.
y do not even know what will be the
supposed effect of segregation upon
Rockbrfdwe, Buena Vista and Lexing-
ton. want first to establish a Just.
fair and adequate system and all these
things will take care OF themselves.
Because "a locality here and there viii
be hurt does not turn me from my
belief In the efficacy of tho sagrega-
lion system"
Touching upon MIR. Chalkley's refer |
enee of Wednesday 10 Pennsylvsnia, /
Mr., White quoted from the report OF
the Joint Committee on Tax Revision. !
signed by Chaikley. Montague and
Pitts, holding up that State SPLEEN
did example of its efficient, system OF I
taxing intanEihles. Going 10 West viz I
ginia, he answered the argument that
under segregation real estate would
!. bear the great share OF the tax burden.
by declaring that in that state, under
..ths commission system. real estate /
taxes have increased Tremendously In +
this he was supported by Judge Martin
Williams, who said ne owned real es-
tate in that State and knew what his
tax ticket was
still owes Taxes,
r. Mr.. Montague Interrupted 10 tell OF
. personal experience iu "a law case in
that State, saying that on "A valuable
EARN. whose location hv named the tax
was only t64.
II do not know how ne did II" re- I
torted Mr.. White. but he still owes
West Virginia some taxes. Il that he !
1.-The case"
Referring 10 Mr., Chalkleys declara- |
Z tion that Governor Stuart ~ leading the /
State astfay Oh aggregation. the Rock /
= hT ,ase man declared tAst Ae had been ,
{ 4 segregatiouist before Governor Stuart
! Became candidate FOR Governor III
! am going astray nay blood be upon
! my own head" he said. Il led myself
estray"
Mr. White closed by declaring that
7 he could see evidence 81 ilI-teeliug on
: the part of come because the House
saw 1T 10 vote against their bills
~ have no intention OF getting angry" (