Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-09-03
ADOPT
COUNTY ROAD BILL
Local Highways Will Receive
S8o0,O0O During Next Two
Years.
VOTE ENDS LONG CONTEST
Bitterly Fought Proposal Now
Lacks Only Signature of
Governor Davis

BY a vote of ~ to :. tho House oe
Delegates yesterday Afternoon, set tho
seal Of it's approval upon the senate
bill which appropriatcs the sum Of
100000 for use in the maintenance
and construction of county roads dur
ing the next two years
Having received final action in tho
upper branch OF tho General Assembly
the measure lacks now only tho sigma
ture of the Governor to make i, tho
sovereign law of the. Commonwealth
The finance bills designed 70 furnish
the funds which the APPROXIMATION
ineasure N. sets aside Will he reported out
pass practically without opposition
Center of Legislative Fight
Thus stands approved an idea which
has been since the frs; days OF the
extra session the stormy petrol Of
sem oiy. Attacked vigorously by the
cities, which claimed that they would
be forced to pay taxes for "A purpose
benefit. i was also dividing line be-
tween the stoutcst advocates of the
state highway system.
From the beginning IT looked like
victory for the counties but SO marked
pecan-. the line Of cleavage that Dele
gaze cz!in. of I.unenburg. and his CO.
wor kers for county roads apppropra
ht tiotrs. accepted compromise which
wantcd for the years 1920 and 1921
frnm Il.25o.ooO TO $4,000
When the measure came to a vote
yesterday, Delegate r. r. Fuller, OF
R!chmond. voiced the solemn protest of
{ Richmond against it, declaring that Il
violates the segregation pledge of
leaving taxes on realty to the COM
muni,ies and gives 10 the counties
something in which the cities. which
VIII pay most of the taA. cannot par
ticipate to any great extent.
Under Commissioner's Control.
I Delegate Shackleford denied the as
sertions, which, he said, had been made
during the session. hat the money
would be turned over to the Boards
of Supervisors of the counties TO waste
/ in inudholes. He said the State high
way commissioner has general super
vision Of the expenditure OF funds on
county roads and no project is put
through without his approval.
Delegate Gillian, of Petersburg,
who represents city constituency.
/ brought much applause from the House
when he declared that the roads which
/ run into the sticks are the highways
which Will benefit the Commonwealth
and that. to recognize the claim Of
the counties is political eXpediency.
pleased IL their vote is expected for
the proposed bond issue for roads
I Floor Leader Wills, one OF the most
outspoken opponents OF the plan TO
{ give at this session additional aid to
! county roads. said he had agreed TO the
| compromise of 100000 year. and that
| he intended 10 stand by that agree
men,.
! Wheel Tax Passed BY.
Considerable opposition developed
| yesterday to the wheel tax BILL with
| the result that on roll call it lack ed
the constitutional vote for the passage
| of measure. 1t was passed by and
! will be brought up again this morning
for final action. Under this bill. all
persons who do regular business of
hauling lum ber. slaves. ties and SINH
lar material are required TO pay a
| license tax of $3.50 per animal.
Delegate Walton pronounced the
measure class legislation OF the worst
sort and Delegate Davis made a viSor-
Gus speech in opposition.
The bill introduced at the instance
of the State Corporation Commission
under which corporations need not
/ place n valuation upon shares OF capi-
tai stock. was passed by. Under the
measure shares so listed are taxable at
500 par value. unless they are worth
more when such value may be placed
, upon them rs seems equitable.
Has Judge Rhcn's Endorsement.
Delegate Wilbur G Hall is the patron
Of the bill and ii has the Endorsement
or the Corporation Commission. the
Governor and the counsel TO the state
Tax Board. 1t probably will be taken
up today.
Among the bills passed yesterday
were appropriation measures recon-
mended by the Governor. including
one for sl90.329.l1 for the elcemosynary
institutions of the state, $1,000 for the
Convict Lime Board. 5000 for main
tenance OF the Capitol grounds and
buildings. S13.0l5 for William and Mary
College, 100000 To pay criminal
charges, s25.350 for the Virginia Nor
NAL and Industrial Institute at Pc
tersburc and a little over $1,000 for
the state Pcnitcntiary.
The Senate having stood by its
amendment 20 the state highway COM
mission bill. requiring that the Cover
nor give the Republican party rcpresen-
tation on the commission, conferccs
were named by Speaker Houston to act
for the House. which rejected the