Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1925-02-20
GASOLINE PROBE
URGED BY BYRD
In FARM SPEECH
PUBLIC ECONOMY Is
STRONGLY ADVOCATED

Harrisonburg. Va.-State Senator
Harry r. Byrd, In an address recently
before the state convention of the
Virginia Farm Bureau Federation.
strongly advocated government and
state investigation of the price of gas
oline This declaration was the out
standing feature of the speech Of Mr..
Byrd, who is a member Of the Farm
Bureau although he presented COM
prehensive review of economic condi-
lions and progress of the state. He
made no allusion to politics during the
course of his address.
Senator Byrd denounced the in.
crease In gasoline prices of nearly
seven cents in the past few days as
being deliberate and unwarranted
mulcting of the consumers. Gasoline.
he declared is a public necessity, and
large item In the cost of motor
transportation, which would justify
governmental regulation of its price
on the same principle as railroad and
other public utility rates are regu.
lated. The increase of 6h cents a
gallon, he said, would cost the people
of Virginia nearly $4,000, 900 yearly,
and the total additional cost to the
100000 cars in operation through
out the United States will be over
$500,000,000. Market conditions could
not account for this increase of forty
per cent. In the wholesale price at a
time of the year when gasoline is in
less demand than at any other time.
While not referring to his candidacy
for the governorship, Senator Byrd
left the impression upon his audience
that IL elected he would do everything
in his power to protect the interest Of
the gasoline consumers. Mr.. Byrd, as
head Of citizens committee at Win
chester, was instrumental year ago
in greatly reducing the retail price of
gasoline In Winchester.
Urges Public Economy.
He advocated the most rigid econ
omy in the expenditure of public funds
and the simpliflcation of the state
government wherever possible, includ
ing the elimination of useless Offices
Mr.. Byrd declared that he considered
the constantly mounting taxes, state,
local and national, to be the greatest
problem now confronting the Ameri-
can people. Last year, he said, the
total taxes Of the country, state, local
and national, were SITS, 000, 900 more
than the year before. He also called
attention to the increasing bonded in
debtedness of the country and the is
suance Of tax-exempt securities. In
Guiding the real estate exempted from
taxation, there is today $50, 900, 0O0. 900
Of tax exempt property, or one-sixth of
our total wealth, he said.
Virginia 10 Advancing.
Mr.. Byrd asserted there is much to
be done toward the advancement of
Virginia and that constructive crit.
cism should be welcomed, but he con.
demned the systematic campaign that
has been conducted in the State In an
attempt to show that Virginia is a
backward and unprogressive State. He
cited the material advancement OF the
State, and then referred to the e1
penditures for public purposes. declar.
ing that II progress is measured by
public expenditures, the increase in
Virginia in the past eight years for
all public purposes shows that vir
ginia is not lacking in progress
In 1905, Mr.. Byrd pointed out, the
total amount expended for all public
purposes in the State was $4,72S,776;
in 1916, 1888. 1871, while in 1924, from
all sources was expended under state
control, including government aid for
roads and schools, the grand total Of
s30,387,9 500.