The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1893-02-11
JEFFERSON CITY GOSSIP.

JEFFERSON CITY GOSSIP.
4 Bill u der Cos siaera tioa Ia the seT'sta
of No small Importance to Me-chanrS
and Manufacture-s-Rrven and tbs
Tnystiou OF Property-A Bill to kneck
Out Lightning Rod Suindiers-
JEFFERSON CITY, No. Feb. 6.-The
senate has under consideration bill
that is of no small Importance to nier,
hants and manufacturers 1t was in
troduccd some time ago by Senator
Htther, of Knox county, and seeks to
repeal iE6 sid SECTORS Of law under
which notes and accounts he'd by
merchants and manufacturers are
exempt from taxation under certain
provisions As the law now stands
merchants ard manufacturers make
report of the greatest 1mornt of stock
they have on hand at any tinic between
March 1 and June of each year to the
county clerks and on this they pay a
tax. The law Mr.. Rosner desires to
repeal provides that notes, duc bills,
etc, held by such parties shall not he
listed for taxation for one year after
given. The theory of this provision is
that the entire value of the stock has
been returned for assessment in the
statement fled with the county clerk.
and that the notes and due bills
lieIi represent stoc1f s0l1 which
has bccH tFbpctiy taxed. in 9th
er words, that t6 asscss such
evidences 81 indebtedness youid result
in double taxation. Mr.. Rnnner thinks
hat the exemption laws referred to
are unconstitutional. but others differ
with him. and his bill has boon vigor-
Cusly attacked in the senate. lie
stated some weeks ago that If the ex-
emptions are repealed several millions
of dollars of property will i'r added to
the taxable values of the state. and no
doubt this is correct The merchants
do not seem to be aware that such legis-
lation is contemplated; at all events,
its passage has not been protested
| outside of the senate. Two years ago
bill requiring merchants to list all
such property, and even goods in their
custody or consigned to them, passed
both houses before its existence was
| discovered by the very class OF men il
was intended to effect. Before the bill
hal reached tie president of the sen
ate: h0we*er; siicii d strong protest was
made that he refused to sign il. and,
being ihdorsed by the senate hi sIch
| action. the measure fIilc,L. Mr..
Rouner's bin is now pending in the sen
ate as special order, and may be taken
up at any time.
A subcommittee of the house ways
and means committee has been at work
for ten days or more endeavoring to
frame a general law out of the numer-
ous bills pending affecting in one direc-
tion or another the revenue and the
taxation of property. For tw" years
efforts have been made to enact 4 law
requiring assessors to stamp notes and
obligations listed for taxation. and rem
| der non-collcctable and nom c-otiabiG
all evidences of Indebtedness not so
stamped. The committee is opposed to
| thi; measure and so reported the
other day. 1hcte are numerous
measures of Il SOMEWHAT SINH
| lar character, and the commit.
lee has not been able to agree on i sub
Stitute eiIbodtiHs any Of the ideas. A
bill providing an indirect manner oI
taxing mortgages by applying n pre-
rata of the tax paid on mortGaged
property on the interest and principa
If indebtedness has been discussed by
the committee at great length without
| a satisfactory conclusion being reached
| and it will doubtless be returned to the
house without recommendation.
The impression prevails that Il very
large per cent Of personal property
such as notes, bonds, mortgages, etc.
escapes taxation. but the committee i
averse TO tearing up the revenue law
and perhaps be the means of causiG!
worse evils than now exist In fac
the subcommittee las not been able t,
accomplish mulch. ~ the radica
changes proposed are cohsideret
dangerous. The general change
of Importance contemplated b.
the committee relate to an increase il
the state dramshop license from $50 T.
800 per year, and possibly the imposi
tiOn of state tax of a fraction of on
cent per gallon on beer. While som
have considered this latter suggestion
in the light of a joke. it is not so re
garded by the committee, and the state
mef comes directly therefrom that il
all probability the tax will be recon
mend, d.
The house as a committee Of tn
whole has passed favorably upon fou
appropriat tiOn bills, disposing of abou
s., ,595. 900 of the state revenue for tn
years ls93-1s94. the school apprOpria
tiOn being estimated on the auditor
figures This sum is, accordingly. di
vided as follows: Purchase of bonds
81 900, 900; public schools. q, ,23O, 900: as
sessing and collecting revenues 8 700, OOC
interest on general debt, S525 200: inter
est on consolidated bonds, s349. .OsO; in
terest on per cent bonds, 1881 200: inter
est on per cent. bonds, $14,G4O; il
terest on per cent certificates, s4l, zoe
interest on Rollins fund. $500; intercs
on seminary fund, s12l, 3Oi; interest ol
trust fund, 1915. While the appropria
tion for the public schools was pendin
. Mr.. Tubbs secured the adoption Of a
amendment providing that all fee
turned over to the state treasurer fror
inspection of oils shall become part c
the public school fund. This amend