The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1893-02-09
JEFFERSON CITY GOSSIP

A Ei'i Hndcr Consideration In the senate
of M smad Importance to Merchants
and Manufacturers-f' f'r.anur and the
Taxation of rroperty-A BiN ." knock
out Lightning Rod Swindlcrs
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo, Feb. G.-The
senate has under consideration a bill
that is Of no small Importance TO mer-
c harts and manufacturers. III %r~ in.
troduccd some time ago by Senator
Ronncr, Of Knox county, and seeks to
repeal two old sections of law under
which notes and accounts held by
merchants and manufacturers are
escD,pt from taxation under certain
prONisiUus ~ the law now stands
merchant nHd manufacturers make a
report of the greatest ,ulo"u, 81 stock
they have on hand at any tirfc between
March and June of each year Is are
county clerks and on this they pay ii
tax. The law Mr. Ruuner desires to
repeal 'providcs that notes, due bills,
| etc, held by su ch parties shall not be
| 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 filed with the county clerk,
and shat the no,ns and due bills
heH represent stoci sold which
has bcth properly taxed. in 9th
or ro,ds 90 th ,ssces s-Sl,
| cvi,,oucns NJ ;,d.bted,,r.c e.cr,lI rcst,i.
| in dOublp taxation Mr. EOutitt thirSl;s
nat the exemption laws REFERRED 10
hre enhcohS'itntonal' Dut o'herS u'''er
WIN Nun ana ms OH mas p"en Vlsof-
ouSly attacked IN thc senate lie
/ stated some weeks ago tl"' u ~" 'H'
| cmp'lohs are repeated several !"orS
OF doiIars OF property Will DC ad'eu 70
the taXanic values OF the state ana no
doubt TINS Is correct 1he merchants
90 not scemto oe aware that snch le9is-
latlon Is contcmplatcd; ut ali events.
It's passage mas not been prote'teo
| OUTSIDE Oh the senate Wp years ago
a bill requiring merchants to list all
such property, and even goods i'll their
custody or consigned to them, passed
both houses before its existence was
ciscuvcrrd by the very class of men it
had reached the president df the sen
ate. however, such strong protest was
made that he refused to sign it, and,
being indorscd by the senate in sucl'
pcton, the measure failed. Mr..
Rottncrs bill is row pending in the sen
ate as Il special order, and may he taken
up at any time.
A Id 1 f,, ,.f
and means committee has been at work
for ten days or more endcavoring to
frame n general law ont of the numer-
ous bills pending affecting in one direc-
tion or another the revenue and the
tusation of property. For two years
efforts have tceti made to enact Il law
requiring assessors to stamp notes and
obligations listed for taxation. and rem
der non-collcctablc and non negotiable
all evidences OF Indebtedness not so
stamped. The committee is opposed to
this measure and SO reported the
other day. There are numerous
measures of a somewhat SINH
lar character, and the commit
tee has not been able to agree on a sub
stitutc embodying any Of the ideas. A
hiil providing an indirect manner of
e'Ning mortgages by applying pro
rata Of the tax paid on mortgagcd
| property ON the Interest nni principal
the committee at orcot length vi,bont
satisfactory conclusion, beiua, rcochal
and IL will dnubtIrss ba rnturncd tntba
bouse without recommendation
The impression prevails thnt very
large per cent. of personal property
such rs notes, bonds, mortgages, etc.,
escapes taxation, but the committee is
averse- to tearing up the revenue laws
and perhaps be the means of causing
worse evils than now exist In fact
the subcommittee has not been able to
accomplish much, as the radical
changes proposed are considered
dangerous. The general changes
OF Importance contemplated by
the committee relate to an Increase in
the state dramshop license from $50 20
slOo per year. and possibly the imposi-
ton Of state tax OF fraction of one
cent per gallon on beer. While some
have considered this latter suggcstioi
in the light OF Joke, it is not so re-
garded by the committee, and the sta te-
melt comes directly therefrom that in
all probability the tax will be recon-
mendtd.
The house as n committee of the
whole has passed favorably upon four
appropriation bills, disposing of about
81, ,sa5, 900 of the state revenue for the
vcnrs ls93-lS04, the school appropria.
ton being estimated on the auditors
figures. This sum is, accordingly, di.
vidcd as follows Purchase of bonds,
81 200, ,OOO public schools, 81 ,9So, 900: as.
scssing and collecting revenues, saoO, 900
interest on general debt, s5aS, 900: inter.
act an, consolidated bords SY,o nsn. H.,