The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-01-30
REPEALED SECTION NINE.
THE Personal TAX ORDINANCE
MODIFIED TO THAT ENTENG.

p.rsons Having no Personal Prop
erty VIII Not Be Compelled 10
Wake Returns NOw-The Other Sec
lions of the Ordinance Unchanged.
Alderman Garrard'S Argument in
support Of the Tax Ordinance as "A
WhoIe-He Charges Alderman FaI-
Iieant with Inconsistency I'm His
attack on the Penal Sections of
the Ordinance.
Male citizens who own no property viii
r1- De required to 90 before the tax as
SCISSORS and make affidavit to that effect.
section of the personal tax ordinance.
rricb made this requirement was re-
nealed by the city council last night.
The tax assessors can now proceed to
close up their work, as the ordinance
requires that all personal tax returns
snail be made by Feb l.
The month of February was allotted to
chose who owned or claimed TO own no
r-ooerty, but this section has been knock
ed out Several hundred returns of this
class have already been made. however
The assessors have SO far received 3.i57
returns from persons owning property.
AGAINST total of 1850 returns for last
wear. being an increase of 1.457 in the
number Of returns, and a considerable
increase in the amount of personal prop
erty returned.
Alderman Falligant's amendment to the
personal tax ordinance repeating those
sections requiring every male adult to
make a return and providing a penalty
in case of failure or refusal TO do SO, and
also the penalties provided for carrying
out other portions of the ordinance. came
Up on its second reading and, as was
expected, caused considerable discussion.
Alderman Garrard notified the council
that he had a few words to say on the
ordinance in behalf of himself and the
finance committee. and that he had pre-
pared a few facts to show the inconsist-
ency of those who sought to change the
ordinance.
He made a lengthy and exhaustive ar
Eument in support of the ordinance as it
stood He poured hot shot into Alder
man Falligant and charged him with in
consistency in seeking to repeal sections
of the ordinance for which he, himself,
had voted and for making an cutlery
against the penalties provided by the or
dinance, when, as matter or fact, SINH
lar and greater penalties had existed in
previous tax ordinances, which had re-
ceived DR.. Falhgants support when he
was member of previous boards, and
that such penalties We're also proVid-
ed in the general tax ordinance
for the present year, to which Alderman
Falligant had taken no exception.
lie also pointed out that under the pre-
viOus ordinances the property owners
were only given until Jan. % to make
their returns, whereas under the pres
ent ordinance they are given until Feb. !.
Sections 6, and 8 of the ordinance, Col.
Garrard said, were not unreasonable, and
in no wise differed from previous tax
ordinances except that the penalties pro-
vided were less.
Section 9, which required all male cit
Of raasNr1
turn of personal property, Col. Garrard
said. was designed for the information
Of the tax receivers in order that they
might find out what citizens
owned personal property and
might not be necessary in succeeding
years. 1t did not place any indignity up
on the citizen, he contended, to be COM
peeled to state whether or not he owned
might be worth a million dollars, he said,
and still have no personal property TO re-
turn, if all his personal property was in
government, state and city bonds.
Nor do we hear many complaints as
10 this ninth section, from men of small
means said Col. Garrard; "on the con-
trary, it is a notorious fact that the men
with small property are easily ascertained
by the tax receiver and the tax gatherer,
and as a general rule they pay their taxes
better than any other class does. 1t is
when men accumulate largely that the
question of taxes becomes a large one,
and disposition is sometimes eVinced TO
the same. As to the man of small means,
he should pay his taxes to the city gov
eminent in consideration of it's protec-
ton and benefits, just as the wealthy man
should, and the former, as a general
rule, is willing to pay"
The tax assessors and receivers" he
said, have now been at work less than a
month, and yet l am Informed by them,
they have so far received 3,457 returns
from from persons ns owning property, against
total of 1000 returns, altogether, for the
year 1850. Why have l,45l persons owning
property made their returns SO far, over
ana above the number who made their
returns last year? Is it to be supposed
1or moment that the people have sud-
denly become infused with civic pride,
or that they have become remorseful, feel
ing that they have escaped taxation as
long as they could, or should, and that
lhey had better now come and do the
Heedtul, or it is, perhaps, because there
are penal sections to the ordinance? 1t
makes no difference which of these, or
Whatever reason is actuating the people;
the Iact remains, that the returns of prop
cry are increasing in number and amount
section was not intended to hurt
ahybody's feelings; it simply makes it
lhe duty of every man to go to the tax
assessors and receivers Office and make
illS own statement, as to whether or not
ne owns property to be taxed. There is
no publicity to the lists of those who state
Idt they own no property, as there nee
e9Sdruy is upon the general tax books Of
I we county, and the list of registered
NoteIs' because the ordinance requires
lue tax assessors and receivers to make
up, from all the returns made, the tax
ulgest, which will include the names of
PERSONS who own property, and the
amount So far as this is concerned, I'M
uer the previous law, with the require
LIeht That every man owning property
should come up and make his return, the
5nsence of any ones name from the tax
uigest would indicate that he had no tax
dTnl6S property, and, possibly, as Alderman
per
The remarkable position taken by the
SHERMAN introducing the ordinance I'M
yer consideration, that the tax law should
re re what shall be done, but leave it
" me moral sense of the people whether
~ ~ 40 It or not all penalties being wiped
GGuL Col. Garrard said, has tended, no
1tGIbt TO generate gossip, street corner
AK cdik, and possibly anonymous newspaper
oTUununlcations, and we hear occasion
dermen are endeavoring to tax
nT'serything; in novel and exasperating
manner. Some of these criticisms may
come from political opponents, jealous
me success of this administration,
mo seize upon anything for the purpose
~ SURFING the DeODle and making