The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-03-11

be away from their polling places on
election days to vote by registered
mail; the omnibus revenue bill, with
amendment restoring the rates of tax
alton on merchants to the old scale;
the teachers pension bill, with
amendment increasing the fund to
$4,000 from 1880, as adopted by
the House, and the bill fixing the tax
on water, heat. light and power COM
panies at three-fourth of one per
cent.
Merchants Tax Bill Passed.
The merchants license tax rates, as
fixed by the Senate yesterday. are the
same as they are under the present
law. The IS tax on merchants whose
annual purchases are less than ST.
600. IL restored and the rate of ten
cents on each 500 of purchases In
excess Of 100000. The House made
the rate on purchases In excess OF
100000 twenty cents on the hundred,
as was suggested by the Governor IN
hts taxation message to the General
Assembly.
The afternoon session of the House
was enlivened considerably just be-
fore the supper recess was taken. The
bill to enlarge the powers of the state
Tax Board had been passed and under
the rule obtaining Mr.. Reed, OF Ports
mouth, had been shut out of the dis
cussion by the motion for the previous
question. Mr.. Reed moving to recon-
slider edged his speech into the session.
He declared that the property. both
real and personal of Governor Stuart
| are now grossly underassessed. He
/ presented figures which he had COM
/ piled to show that the Washington
| County land of the Stuart Land and
/ Cattle Company Is assessed at S2.64 an
acre, while the average per acre as
sessment Of other land is s7.25. The
Russell County land of the Governor
is assessed, he said at $1,000 per acre,
while the land Is worth 500 to s125
| per acre.
Mr.. Brewer and others made unsuc-
| cessful attempts to shut off Mr.. Reed.
| but he talked until he was called down
by the Speaker, who announced thai
his ten minutes had expired. There
/ was considerable confusion throughout
| the afternoon, but at this point 1t was
greater than at any other.
Pleads for Fair Chance.
Mr.. Brewer pleaded. that the new
tax system OF the State be given q
fair chance. Mr.. Moss urged that the
vote by which the bill was passed be
reconsidered because it. was "half-
|
thought more time should be given It.
| With reference to the Governors In
sistence upon the passage Of the rev.
enue measures, Mr.. Moss said: THE
Governors back is getting sore; he
has been ridden SO much on the tax
system since last summer"
The Gayle omitted tax remitter bill
was the cause OF another spirited dis
cussion, during which many voices
! ~ n~A AfA at hA trfa
The bill was contested sharply by Mr..
Jordan and others, who contended
that it is unjust to limit the probing
of the examiners OF record because
a few very rich persons would be
caught. Mr.. White insisted that the
Legislature has no constitutional right
to remit taxes. and declared the bill
will be beaten in the courts.
THE chief argument last nfght--a
discussion lasting more than an hour
was on the amendment OF the
House Finance Committee to the
Senate bill for the election Of the ex-
aminers of record by the State Tax
Board. The amendment. which
would put the appointment of the ex-
aminers in the circuit court as now.
but give the State board the right
to remove them at pleasure from
1 office. was beaten. The bill was
passed. Opposition was led against
the bill by Messrs. Willis. w. w.
Baker, White. Cox and Jordan.
Messrs. Hohson. Bristow and Pitts
favored the amendment.
The House concurred with the SEN
ate In joint resolutions calling upon
the code revisers to present to the
next session general laws extending
to local governments larger powers
for local legislation. lessening the
necessity for eugh legislation by Gen.
eral Assembly and instructing State
Corporation Con mission to report on
the cost, value, earnings, net revenue.
mileage, franchise value and other
data concerning steam railways In
the State at the end of the next and
the following fiscal years.