Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-07-07
RUSHING IN THE BILLS.
THE STATE LAW MAKERS PIT-
ING UP THEIR WORK.

ATLANTA, July 6.-The House was
called to order at O'Clock by the Speaker
and after prayer by the Chaplain the
journal was read and approved.
Mr.. Wilson, of Sumter county. was
added to the Finance Committee.
The contested election case OF. Anthony
Wesson and Daniel Proctor, of Camden
county, was the regular order. but on
motion of Mr.. Rountree. of Brooks
county, the case was postponed, as both
sides were not ready.
THE GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
Secretary Palmer appeared on the floor
OF the House with the following message
from the Governor, which, on motion. was
taken up and read as follows:
EXEC'TIvE DEPARTM'T. STATE OF GEORGIA
ATLANTA. GA, July ). 1888.
To the Senate and House Of ReDresentdtires.
1t Is the duty of the Executive to communi-
cate TO the General Assembly, from time tC
time, information of the condition and sup-
gestions for the government of the common
wealth.
! regret to inform you that the Treasury
Department of the United States has declined
TO pay the sum of S35,555 ~ appropriated bv
Congress, in the Act, approved March 2 1885,
ito refund to the State of Georgia certain
money expended by said State for the com
mon defense in l771.N The First ComDtroIler
of the Treasury has decided that this sum shall
De creulted on account of what is claimed TO he
due for the quota of direct taxes appOrtiOned
to the state by the direct tax act Of August
., 1861. This decision is, in my Judgment
erroneous; and have notified the Secretary
OF the treasury that the State does not
acquIesce in it. If the taxes claimed are due.
the obligation Is upon the citizen. and not up-
on the State, which has never assumed the
payment OF the taxes and cannot be Justly
charged with them All proper means will
DC used TO secure the payment of the sum an
propriated for the benefit of the state.
Ihe various matters submitted IN the mes
sages OF my predecessors. in connection with
the annual reports OfState officials and other
wise, should, and doubtless will. receive
the consideration their Importance demands.
L desire TO supplement them by inviting yonr
attention to additional subjects of legisla-
ton.
The act of October IS, 1879, provides that
"Ihe Governor shall name and appoint a SOL
vent chartered bank, OF good standing and
credit, in each of the following cities Of this
state to wit: In the cities of Atlanta Athens.
Augusta, Columbus, Macon. Savannah. Rome.
Americus, Albany, Hawldnsville, Gaines
vile, Griffin and LaGrange. which shall he
known and designated as State Depositories. -
In pursuance of this law the following banks
were designated as State DeDositOries, to
wit:
Bank of Rome. November 18th. 1879: Saw
ings Department Eagle and Phoenix Manu-
featuring Company, Columbus, November
2lst, 1873; Central Georgia Bank, Macon. No
Nember 24th, 1873; Griffin Banking Company,
November 24th, 1873; LaGrange Banking and
Trust Company, November 24th. 1879: Citi-
zens Bank of Georgia. Atlanta November
26th, 1879; Southern Bank of Georgia Savan-
nan, DecemDer2d, 1873; Georgia Railroad and
Banklng Company, Augusta, December ID
1879; Bank of the University, Athens Decem1
Der 9th, 1879; and the Bank of Amerlcus
March l6, lsS0, each for term of four (4)
years" The Citizens Bank of Georgia and the
Bank of Rome have ceased to do business.
and the Griffin Banking COMPANY.
on the 18th day of April, 1881, declined To re,
celVe further deposits of public money. The
other banks named continue to discharge the
duties assigned them. The act would seem to
contemplate further legislation at the exnira-
ton OF these terms. Under this construction
the power OF the Executive to appoint de-
posltorles was exhausted in the foregoing
exercise of 1t. No provision Is made, in terms
Tor subsequent appointments of the same
banks. or other banks, pending the term of
four years, or subsequent to the eNpiration Of
the term. 1t Is manifestly unwise to leave n
matter of such Importance TO Executive con-
struction. \ mistake might involve conse-
quences OF a nature too serious to be incurred
without necessity.
The act should be repealed or amended. to
conform to the conditions soon to exist. The
policy of providing for the safety of the large
sums of money necessary to be kept in the
treasury, at certain times in each wear. to
meet the expenses of the state Government
and to pay the public debt, must be left to the
wisdom of the Legislature. If the present
\
recommend that the law be so amended as to
provide for subsequent appointments under
any circumstances which may require them
\ recent application by certain sureties on
the bond OF state depository to be relieved
from further liability on the bond. upOn the
banks giving other satisfactory sureties
which il was ready to do, suggests another
amendment. | declined to release these sure-
ties. fOr-the reason that the act under which
they signed the bond, makes no provision for
such release. The state could not be expected
to incur the risk of change in the bond. un-
less the suretles had contracted with refer
ence to plain provisions for the exercise of
such power by the executive in his discretion
and prescribing the mode of release so that
there might be certain compliance with the
law, involving no danger of litigation. The
law should be explicit on this point. to the
end that the citizen should have no cause to
complain that he was subjected unnecessarily
to Inconvenience, and that sureties signing
such bonds may understand that they are
bound, in any event, until the bank makes
full settlement with the Treasurer
An embarrassing question has arisen in the
taxation of personal property of railroads To-
Gated partly within this state and partly
in another State. The realty and the per
sOnalty located in this state must, of necessity
be taxed in this State. But much of the DeT-
this, or another State, only by reason of the
rule of law which fixes the Situs of person =
atty at the dOmicil of the owner; or in case of
a railroad, where its principal office is loca-
ted. In practice a difficulty arises. because
adjoining States claim the right to tax such
proportion of the entire personally as the
number of miles Of railroad located within
their limits bears to the whole number of
miles in both States. This would seem to be
the rule of convenience as well as of Justice
and recommend its adoption.
The subject of taxation cannot engage too
much of your attention. Equality and uni
formity are substantially secured, in theory
under our system. But experience proves
that our laws, Tor ascertalning the property
NrgIa Al fnr ~ l.
fective: its aggregate value being largely in
excess of the annual returns. The amount to
be raised is regulated by the necessities of
the State, and the rate is governed by the
amount of property upon which the levy is
made. 1t Is manifest that when a citizen
fails to return any part of his taxable prop
erty, or undertakes what he does return. he
nflicts wrong upon his neighbOr, who re-
market value, by raising the rate which the
latter Is forced to pay. The remedy for
TINS inequality may be difficult to apply.
4 II systems of taxation are necessarily de-
fective. Ours has been steadily improving
but the result continues to be unsatisfactory.
Some remedy can be devised, by judicious
provisions for assessment, or by other ade-
quate means, to secure an approach to uni
fOrmity in valuation of the visible property Of
the people, as well as full returns of all tax
able property; and invite your earnest at
tention to the task. 1t VIII not increase the
burdens OF taxation. 1t viii distribute them
justly, and rather promote feeling of salts
faction among the people, because of the low
er rate of taxation thereby made possible.
In view of the reduction in taxation already
effected by the watchfulness of the people and
the labors OF your predecessors, without i'm
pairing the efficiency of the State Govern
niUut, you can afford to give much r.tn,I, T.,
this problem. We collect from the people of
Georgia, for State and county purposes an
nually. less than one dollar and twenty-five
cents per capita. The Federal Government
collects from the people OF the United States
Annually than dollars ylcy
Contrasting these amounts with the bene-
fits received, we have just cause
for pride. 1t is surprising that
so little interest is manifested in the
subject of Federal taxation and expenditures.
A common interest in the common gOyerR-
ment should induce the people of all the States
to give the same attention to this subject that
they bestOw upon local systems of taxation
and expenditure. In no other way can our
complex government be administered for the
benefit of all the people.
interests of the Commonwealth. which en-
lightened constituents have placed in your
care. HENRY ID. Mcdaniel.
The message was ordered printed and
referred to the Finance Committee.
The call of counties was then resumed
as the unfinished business Of yesterday,
and the following bills were introduced:
BY Mr.. Jones, of Twiggs cOunty-A
liquor prehibitOry bill for Twiggs,
BY Mr.. Wright, of Washington-Givin
the owners or keepers of bulls, stations,
etc, lien on the get of such animals.
Also bill defining trespass on land in
Washington county and the punishment
therefor.
BY Mr.. Pringle, of Washington-Pro-
viding for only one grand jury for each
term of the Washington Superior Court.
By Mr.. Kinsey, of White county
Changing the time for holding courts in
the Northeastern circuit, and also a bill
incorDOratiuV the CIarkSVille Street Rail