The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-02-08
CAPITOL GOSSIP

I
| afternoon laid low the White bill to
increase the tax on money In hank to
/ fifty cents on the hundred dollars
! The bill will not be reported. The
law now taxes money on deposit
! drawing interest AT twenty cents on
| the hundred dollars. Because the re-
| turns during the operation of the law
! have not been so large as IL was ex-
| pected they would be, Mr.. White
| sought to increase the rate. II for
! merly was $1.75. Representatives of
banks in various parts of the State APP
peared before the committee and
asked that the law fixing the tax rate
at twenty cents be continued. giving
! 1t a fair trial. Among those speaking
were Attorney George Bryan, of the
Richmond Clearing House Associa-
ton: Oliver ]. Sands, president of the
American National Bank; Westwood
Hutchinson of Manassas, and Mr. Mich
OILS, of Loudoun.
Speaker Harry Houston, who repre-
sents Hampton and Elizabeth CITY.
| appeared yesterday afternoon before
the House Committee on the Oh ia
peake and It's Tributaries and made an
earnest appeal for only a seven
weeks closed season on the egg-bear-
ing crab. The committee had pre-
viousiy recommended that the egg
bearer should not be caught at any
season. After the strong appeal the
committee concluded to amend It's bill
| by making the closed season two
months--July and August The Com
n1ittee on Chesa peake and Its Tribu
taries will amend it's bill, extending
the oyster-tonging season through the
month of April. making the extended
season apply only to James River and
the eastern side OF Accomac and
Northampton Counties - Extending
the season is not popular outside Of
those sections. Former Commissioner
of Fisheries W. Mcdonald Lee ad-
dressed the committee yesterday af-
ternoon advocating the change for the
James River and ocean side but pro-
testing against Its applying to other
parts of the State. Delegates Norris
and stubos also opposed adding April
to other than the seed beds
Another Supreme Court OF Appeals
measure made It's appearance in the
House yesterday by Delegate Cook. of
| Madison. The measure provides that
lTG OoIFt OF Appears small
in its decisions, decide all questions
presented by the petition. and not
hereafter decide by the court upon
which the appeal or writ of error was
granted.
Opinion given yesterday by Attorney
General Pollard on the proposed
changes In the oyster laws. declaring
them unconstitutional. as they are at
Irn w, No
House The defects at this time may
be easily rnended The measures give
the State Fisheries Commission legis-
.lative powers, IN the opinion of the
Attorney General The bills move the
Gull lines further down the James
River. and provides that seed oysters
may be sold and shipped without the
state. and give the fish commission
the power to change the Gull lines and
to prohibit in its discretion the sale Of,
seed oysters outside Virginia. The At
torney General suggests that the law
be made to allow the Fisheries Com
mission the right to issue permits to-
go beyond the present Gu lines or tol
sell outside the State, II. after investi-
cations. facts are ascertained show
ing that such permission will not hurt
the interests OF the oyster industry in
Virginia
Friends Of the coordinate college
bill are expecting that IL will be re-
ported out OF the Schools and Coll
leges Committee tomorrow. Oppo-
nents to the coordinate college are
also keenly interested. and they feel
that the earlier It comes from COM
mittee the poorer will be its chances
for passage. If the bin comes out now
opponents say II will be defeated in
the House. Friends of the measure
are sanguine. and elain.-that- they
have majority in both branches.
Delegates Ehumate and Leedy are
patrons of bill designed TO protect
people OF Virginia having incomes of
from the prying eyes of the curious,
through publicity The bill provides
that income tax returns shall be en-i
tered IN separate books by commits
sioners OF the revenue and that these
shall be kept under lock and key. |
They are not to be seen by any one ex-l
cept by those having official authority.
The Finance Committee in Joint
executive session last night heard rep
resentatives of the Chambers of Com
merce OF Richmond. Norfolk and Pc
tersbnrg. who are asking for an ap-
preparation to help fight against the
rates in Southeastern territory which
recently were put into effect by the In
terstate Commerce Commission, and
which discriminate against Virginia
cities and In favor of Baltimore ana
other Eastern cities.
Farmers and truck growers are
showing much interest in the fertilizer
bill, OF which DR.. Hening. of Pow
hatan. is patron, and which is on its
second reading in the Senate The
bill was left on the calendar yester-
day by failure by vote of Il to Is to
reach third reading and engrossment,
DIR. Hening and friends OF the bill are
hopeful that the measure will fare
better on It's next call The bill is de-
signed TO protect the farmer by regu- /
lating the sale of fertilizer. IT re-
quires the manufacturer to place in
the printed formula which appears
on the conta.ner 'tatement Of whether
the source of the plant food is avail
able or not available. whether 1t can
be taken up by the plant or not. and /
to state whether the potash is muriate
or sulphate.
Floor Leader r TT Willis yestar-