Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-16
GOV. BYRD URGES
ANT|-LyNCH|NG LAW
Virginia Assembly Asked Also
to Continue Support of
v. M. |.
BY the Associated Press

Ey the Associated Press
RICHMOND, Va, January l6.-Op-
position 10 withdrawal of State support
to Virginia Military Institute and rec
onmenoation of a lynch law equipped
with teeth were the two outstanding
features of the program of legislation
submitted to the General Assembly to-
day BY Gov. Harry Flood Byrd.
i recommend that the crime OF
lynching be declared by law a specific
State offcnse 10 be prosecuted by the
sttorney general or other prosecutors
designated by the govcrnor in addition
to local authorities" the governor de-
clared
Also, that county or city where
the lynching occurs be required to pay
$4,000 10 the lawflE distributors OF the
person lynched. and that the governor
be authorized to spend such sums rs
he deems necessary III apprehendmG
the guilty members OF the mob. II
should be made clear that declaring
lyaching a specific State ofTcnse does
not take away the constitutional rights
of accused citizens for trial in the
localities where the crime was COM
nlitteG."
Praise Given V. NJ. l.
The governor said he was opposed to
the proposal 10 Withdraw State sup
port OF V. NJ. I. and that "lhe ins;l-
tute had done great service 10 the
State, but that brutal hazing must be
stopped and no repetition Of the stu
dent strike viii be tolerated"
He also pointed out that no one
need submit SON to the discipline
of this military school If he does not
care 20 do so. but there are many who
believe that this discipline builds char
acter ard that no other institution quite
serves the purpose Of the institute"
In reference TO the Barton commits
sion, which urged that V. NJ. l. be
placed in private hands without State
support. the governor said; I wish
TO commend this commission for Its
courageous frankneSs III stating It's
honest conclusions. I have no SYM
pathy with criticism because this re-
port was made"
Under the heading Of improvement
Of country roads" the governor said
that the State was spending approx
r2atelv $4,000 900 yearly. but the Work
Is being done in many instances with
OFT svStem and with waste OF public
funds"
AS result OF five regional road meet
irgs a plan OF improvement had been
offered This plan proposed that the
State Highway Commission offer, with
out cost. its engineering adv,ce TO coun-
" authorities: that the State Road
Purchasing Department buy for the
county authorities. thereby saving large
sums: that a unified county road law
be adopted BY the State. and that the
State highway system be increased by
500 miles. !
In order to finance this additional
mileage. the governor approved the re-
nrnmendation of the Commission on Mo-
tor Vehicle Questions 10 increase the
gasoline tax from Az cents gallon to
s cents This. he said. should not IN
crease the price Of gasoline. as the
half cent has already been added on by
most dealers.
Progress Program Urged.
In a second address submitting a
program Of Progress" Gov. Byrd
urged tax reduction to encourage indus |
trial Development. with the hope that |
when my term expires the value OF the |
industrial output in Virginia viii De on |
the basis OF 81 coo, 100000 annually.
The governor pointed out that IN 1925 |
virginias industrial output was S601.- /
co2 ,3e5; IN 1925 il had risen TO S667,- |
600 900, and in 1927 10 $500 900 900. |
Recommendations for reduction in taxes
20 promote development follow:
81 The complete repeal Of the tax
or class 5 shares of stock owned By
virginians in corporations OF other
States-as this tax IS keeping desira-
bic new residents from domiciling in
Virginia. Gain 10 taxpayers and loss
20 treasury, s49l 900.
% Repeal Of nonresident transfer
inheritance tax of per cent on stock |
IN Virginia corporations. This tax is
q direct barrier 10 the investment Of
foreign capital in Virginia. Gain To
taxpayers and loss 10 treasury, S3l5 900 !.
- Repeal OF the tax on class Z,
which consists Of tax on bonds Of polit- |
!cai subdivisions of the State. This /
should result in enabling localities To
refund present bond issues or issue new
bonds al lower rates o. interest Gain /
70 taxpayers and loss To treasury, !
$4,000.
"A AS further encouragement 10 |
industrial development, reduction o! |
20 cents per hundred IN the tax or
capital in business. Gain 70 taxpayers /
and loss 20 treasury. $50. coo.
% The allowance Of contributions /
or donations In income tax upon same !
terms anc conditions as allowed by the /
Federal income tax law. Gain to tax /
payers and loss 70 treasury siS9 900. /
e Allowance Of all taxes As Teduc-
tons Ia Individual income tax Law, eZ- f.
cept income taxes. inheritance taxes
and public local improvements. The /
main relic! in this item VIII be- 70 allow
deductions Of taxes paid On non1es
owf4ed by taxpayers and certain other
taxes not nov osdilciible Gain 10 tag
payers and loss 70 treasury. so 900
Total gain ~ taxpayers and loss 10