The Van Buren press., 1874-12-08
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
SENATE.
TUESDAY, December /

Tess tnan tnat sum, imprisonment IN the
county Jail not exceeding one year, and
fined 5000 The committee recommend
its passage
Senator Warren moved the bill be read
third time and placed on its final pas.
sage. Carried.
Senator Williams of Phillips. opposed
the bill. He thought the sum too low
Senator Warren said it had been in
sinuated that bill like this was for the
purpose OF bearing on a particular class,
This was untrue The bill would apply
simply to all dishonest people. The col
ored people in his section were favorable
to this bill. 1t was impossible in some
sections Of the state for parties to keep
up their plantations and stock because
Of the petty theving which prevails. If
a law like this is passed we may rccupe
rate, by placing in the penitentiary all
parties guilty of killing and stealing
stock. 1t is not intended to operate
against anybody except those who steal.
Senator Williams, of Phillips, claimed
the poor people. More stock is killed
on account of the want of good fences
than anything else. In the fall, frequent
y the poor laboring men are cheated out
of all they have made, and they must live
of of somebody. If this bill passes, not
only the colored men but the poor white
men will be driven to the penitentiary
That institution needs charging now.
Men are driven to do things sometimes
the taking of something to cat--and 1t
is not stealing.
The roll was called and the bill passed
by the following vote:
Yeas-Senators Black, Blackwell,
Brown, Campbell, East, Fletcher, Forney,
Hart, Henderson, Hicks, House, John
son, Loughborough, McCallum, Norman,
Pindall Pollard, Reagan, Sims. Tobey,
Toomer, Turner, Walker, Warren, Wheel
er, Williams Of Sharp, Mr.. President
26
Nays-Senators Haycock, Jones,
Thrower, Williams of Phillips-4.
The senate went into committee ofthe
whole (Senator Fletcher in the chair)
and took up senate bill to exempt from
taxation for period of seven years,
from the 30th Of October. 1874, mines
and manufacturing establishments, The
original bill exempted all capital, present
and future, employed in manufacturing.
An amendment was offered few days
ago by Senator East making the eXemp
ton apply only to future investments. 1t
was an inducement for capital to be in
vested in our state He did not think
capital already invested should be ex.
empt The bill is not to protect the few
hundred manufacturers now in the state.
but to induce more capital to come here
and invest in mines and manufacturing.
1t may work hardship in a few cases
The most prosperous man to day in Pike
county is the owner of a cotton manu-
factory. He is now paying taxes, and
finds his investment remuperative. He
did not see why he should now he ex-
empt from taxation, and all the burdens
be imposed on the other citizens.
Senator Williams of Sharp said he
hailed from a section rich in mineral re-
sources, and peculiarly adapted to manu-
featuring Our zinc is almost ineXhaust-
able, and of superior character. lie
cotton and woolen mills, but mines of
every character. We have the finest was
ter power in the world, peculiarly adapt
ed for manufacturing purposes. lie
wanted to encourage and foster such es-
tablishments The only objection the
gentleman (Senator East) seems to have
to the original bill, is that one manufac
turer in Pike county will be exempted
from taxation. He believed in free trade
and sailors rights-the exemption of
capital already employe ed and to be en-
ployed hereafter. He saw no justice in
eXeT pting capital that may come here
and engage in manufacturing, and not ex-
empt that already so employed. Such a
course would be to crush out those es-
adjustments we now have. He wanted
to encourage the Introduction of labor
saving machinery into the state.
Senator East could not see how manu-
factories would be encouraged by exempt
ing from taxation those already estab
lished He would be opposed to eX
empting any species of property from
taxation except to encourage the build
ing up of the state. To exempt species
Of property already established is class
legislation. To exempt all alike hereaf.
ter would not be such legislation, all be
ing benefited alike.
Senator Wheeler opposed the amend
ment Of Senator East He thought copi.
tai now employed in mining and manu-
featuring should be exempt We should
not invite those with large means to come
here and crush out the small establish
mcnts He could see no justice in tax
ing those already in existence and not
tax those which may be established here
after.
Senator Hicks moved that the commit
tee rise and report progress. Carried
The committee rose, and Senator
Fletcher reported the action Of the com
mittee.
Senator Hicks moved that the bill be
referred to a special committee, of which
the senator from Sebastian (Wheeler)
shall be chairman.
Senator Williams, of Sharp, opposed
the motion 1t had been referred once,
and he saw no necessity in referring it
again.
The motion to refer to special com
mittee of five carried.
The chair announced as such commit
tec--Senators Wheeler, East, Williams