Evening star., 1929-06-29
BYRD TAKES ISSUE
WITH Anderson
Governor Charges Gross Mis-
representation in Speech at
Republican Convention.

BY the Associated Press.
RICHMOND, Va, June 29.-Gov.
Harry r. Byrd, in a formal statement
last night, charged Henry w. Ander-
son with gross Misrepresentation OF
facts in his attack on the administra-
tion's taxation policy in his keynote
address to the Virginia Republican
convention.
The governor termed Mr.. Anderson s
criticism of the State judiciary "an
astonishing exhibition of reckless par
tisanship," defended Virginia elections
as fair and honest ansd declared that
Q. victory for the Republican -anti-Smith
coalition this year would mean
straight Republican label for candidates
succeeding elections.
Il would not feel called upon, the
governor said, Ito reply to any general
indictment, however vindictive."
Error of s4o,o0O.OOO.
Gov. Byrd charged that Mr.. Ander-
son made an error of $40,000,000 IN his
calculation of the expenditure OF tax
money during his administration, and
cited statistics designed to refute the
claims of the ksynoter that the Byrd
administration has been marked by In
efficiency, and extravaganza In govern
mental expenditure.
The Democratic party, Gov. BYRD
said, docs not deny that the total re-
ceipts from taxation have increased. as
they have increased in every developing
State OF course, the increased wealth
of Virginia thereby increases our tax
income and this enables the State to
educate better the children IN the less
prosperous sections, to build roads and
otherwise improve living conoltlonS OF
our people everywhere"
The increased revenue to the State,
the governor said, "even after tax re-
ductions, is due first to the equaliza-
ton of taxation by compelling all to
pay a lust share. Twenty-three thou
sand delinquent income taxpayers were
assessed In 1925 alone. Second, the
attraction of new wealth and new resi-
dents to Virginia, and third. to the
increased tax return from increasing
prosperity"
Inheritance Tax.
,,ying to the contention Of Mr..
Anderson that the State law now pro-
yides that mo person can be assessed
the governor pointed out that this law
was rendered imperative in 1925.
In criticizing the Byrd reorganization
program the Virginia executive charged
that Mr.. Anderson censures his own
colleague, Robert H. Angel, chairman
of the Republican State committee.
"Mr. Angel" he said, was member
of the citizens efficiency committee and
signed the report, spoke before the COM
mittee of the General Assembly, and
every Republican member Of the Gen.
eral Assembly voted in favor OF the
reorganization bill. 1t is not necessary
to introduce Democratic witnesses to
testify in favor Of our reorganization
program
In closing his statement, Gov. Byrd
declared that 1T has now been near
ly half a century since the Democratic
party redeemed Virginia from Repub-
lican corruption and oppression. In all
this long period successive Democratic
administrations have handled the peo-
pies money honestly Not one dollar
has been stolen, a record gratifying
when contrasted with that Of the ad-
ministration OF many other States, ad-
ministrations of National Government
with which Col. Anderson is more
familiar and with which he has been
in closer touch than he is with vir-
ginia."