The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-03-07

4
said he had been q newspaper man
but intimated that he had reformed
ard entered the law. Discussing this
/ phases 81 the bill, he declared that
because II had 20 happened that two
/ instances were before the people there
/ had come up from some sections a de-
! mRnd for the rejection OF the bill. but
! he thought that the vast majority ot
the people in the State at large would
welcome such a measure and express
ed the belief that many thousands oil
dollars would find their way into the
treasury. Remittance OF taxes had
been made by the Legislature time and
! time again on real estate. 1t being in
keeping with a sound public policy TO
grant relief at times in order that en-
/ barrassed people might not be forced
into bankruptcy.
STROBE speaks Against the Bn.
Senator Strobe. who had made q
speech on Saturday, offered amend
ments which were designed 10 prevent
the evasion of such taxes His own
county had been mentioned, and he
did not see why there should be any
emption there because IL happened to
strike one man hard He argued the
matter from the constitutional view
point, saying that the courts had held
repeatedly that taxes could not be ex-
empted either by localities or BY the
State. He declared that he did not be-
lieve that the trainers of the consti-
tuition had any intention of allowing
any man or-men to escape paying their
taxes. He did not believe that the
Legislature had any right to pass any
such measure, though lawyers of re-
putc might differ with him on that
matter.
Discrepancy of 81 100000.
Senator Royal of Tazewell, offered
an amendment which sought to ex-
empt from the operations OF the bill
all such cases of omitted taxes as had
been reported by examiners of record
and which were in process of collec-
ton. He said that the amendment
was offered at the request OF tho
senator from Roanoke, who was ABB
sent, and he pointed out that the case
in point was the Bonsscks Cigarette
Machine Company, which had for sew
eral years been paying taxes on $780,
600 when 1t should have paid on ST.
500. 900. That was a mere omission
of sourteen-flfteenths of the amount of
taxes which the company should have
paid. The company has now disposed
of all Its property TO an English con-
Germ and Is winding up Its affairs.
Gum Talks Very Plainly.
Senator Gum said that the bill In
effect was to give an immunity bath to
men who had failed to make an honest
return OF their belongings as required
by law. That there had been de-
ltberate. intentional false returns he
did not for a. moment doubt. He
asked IL such persons deserved any
consideration whatever at the hands
of the General Assembly. He took
occasion to read the affidavit of j.
Fred Kernochan, of New York. COM
mittes for Miss Marshall, at Williams
burg. in which he said some years ago
that the total possessions OF that wo-
man were $3.50. The affidavit said that
Miss Marshall was not resident OF
the State of New York, hut of the
State of Virginia, where she had been
for more than thirty years. That
same man now claims that Misc Mar
shall Is not resident OF the state Of
Virginia, but OF New York, and the
man has taken the State into the
Federal Courts and is resisting the
payment of sea- 900 due to the State OF
Virginia. That was a case in point,
and he had neither consideration nor
patience Win any suCH attempt 70
eqade the payment of taxes.
State Stricken From Bill.
The amendments to the bill strike
out all reference to the State taxes,
leaving only the localities affected TO
light 1t out. The localities can col
iect for three years back, and they
are forbidden to impose penalties on
the dodgers for having failed to make
correct returns OF their belongings. In
other words. the dodgers will have to
pay their state taxes. which are very
much lower than the county rates. and
the counties will lose all the taxes
prior to 1912. which are due them,
penalties included. IL the House agrees
TO the bill. Only the amendments
proposed by Senator Gpolrick were
adopted, the others. being rejected as
soon as they could be submitted TO
vote. the lineup for the bill remain
ing unbroken, and the final vote was
taken after 7 o'clock. few of the MEM
bers leaving before that time.
Following is the final vote on the
passage of the bill:
Ayes-Senators Addison, Barham,
Bowers, Byrd. Cannon. Davis, Down
ing, Early. Garrett, Gayle. Good!oe.
Goolrick, Gravatt. Jeffreys. Lacy,
Mapp, Mathews, IhSuei- NhiSh'i@'
Rison, Robertson, Royal, Thornton,
Trinkle, Walker. Webb and West--21.
Nays-Senators Allen, Conrad,
Quinn, Holt, Jordan, Saunders and
Strode-~-7
senate Bills Passed.
The Senate passed these two bills.
the FIRST a Senate aud the second a
House bill:
Senate Bill No. s41-To provide for
the nppointmeht Of a commission on
economy and efficiency TO make
survey of the state and local govern
meuts of the Commonwealth OF VIZ
rinin and 10 submit a report tn the
next General Assembly of Virginia
House Bill No. 42s.--To amend ann
re-enact chapter eb4 OF the Acts OF
Assembly of 1919. entitled an act 10
authorize the board of supervisors or
Eqovd County to let 10 contract tine
pubIic roads of that county ana lcVF
a tax 20 keep the same in repair. as
amended and re-enacted by chapter
o27 of the Acts of is99-1soo. ana as
amended and re-enacted by chaptef
IaA OF the Acts of 1904.
| THE HOUSE |