The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-11-14
FREE AND WANT TO STAY so.

Lawyers and Doctors Oppose Re-
pealing the Professional Tex Elk.
emption.
The lawyers and doctors are in a stew
over the proposition to repeal the state law
exempting them and also bankers, dentists
and other professional men from business
tax by municipal corporation.
At the last meeting of the CITY council a
resolution was passed urging the legislature
TO SO amend the law as to make LAWYERS
doctors, dentists and professional man gen.
orally liable for a tax for practicing their
profession within the corporate limits of
any town or city. Similar resolutions have
been passed by the city councils of Augusta
aud other cities. The municipal authorities.
it seems, want to get whack at the pro-
fessional men.
AT present there is a state tax OF $40 per
annum upon doctors, lawyers and profes-
sional men generally, practicing their pro-
fessions within the limits of the state.
The professional men are, however, ex-
empted from similar taxation by munich
palities.
This custom has been in vogue so long
that the doctors and lawyers have never
considered themselves subject to city taxa
ton or license. and IL made liable 70 such
tax they would feel very much imposed
upon.
Some years ago the city council of Savan,
nah undertook to tax dentists, but the dem
lists carried the matter into the courts and
finally secured a decision of bhe supreme
court in their favor.
"lf | had known that resolution was
coming up in council before hand" said
Alderman Charlton yesterday, "a would
have tackled on an amendment to include
preachers too. They are professional men,
are they notG The preachers save a mans
. IL ~ 4 ~
lawyers save his property, 80 they
are all upon the same footing. l don't
think the bill will become a law. All the
lawyers In the legislature will fight it, and
every lawyer and doctor in the state will
throw his influence against it The bill may
pass the House, but it will hardly pass the
Senate
"a municipal tax would be q serious
hardship upon many young lawyers. In
fact il it were not for the kindness Of the
tax collector l expect that many of them
would be debarred from pracEicing for fail
ure to pay the state license. Many of them
could not afford to pay municipal tax"
The doctors will kiok like steers against
any municipal tax.
Every physician does enough charity
practice TO exempt him from any taxation
night
1.-The young physicians, especially, do q
large amount of charity practice, / did
800 worth Of practice last month, accord
ing to my books but only collected $40
"a young physician has to live on hope for
year or two anyway, after hanging out
his single, and it would be hardship TO
compel him TO pay municipal tar. The
doctors will fight that bill certain.
Representative Doolan, who spent yester-
day in the city, said:
There is certain to be lively fight over
the measure In the House. / spoke
to a number Of the legal members
of the House after reading In
the MORNING NEWS of the action of the
city council here, and they expressed them
selves as bitterly opposed to any scheme to
subject their profession to tax. The
country members, on the other hand,
do not sec any reason why professions should
be any more privileged than other lines of
business aud they will supportsthe scheme.
This will make a square issue beween
farmers and lawyers, and the result can be
better imagined than described. The cues
ton will be productive Of plenty of debates
when it Is brought up"
Representative Osborne is lawyer and
Mr.. Guerard is connected with the banking
business, so the probability is that Chat
hams delegation will solidly oppose the
measure.
The Oldest voter in Newark, N. j.. is Elijah