The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-03-15
MUST PAY TAXES OR QUIT.
THE PROFESSIONS UNEASY OVER
THE RECENT STATE LAW.

1t Was Conveniently Forgotten Soon
After 1t Was Passed-The Con-
troIIer General Reminded of 1t,
However, and 1t Is Likely 1t VIII
he EnfOrced--NIayOr MeIdrim EX-
plains the Purpose of the Law and
Its Intentions.
In all probability there are many pro-
fessional men in Savannah who are now
following their professions in violation Of
the law.
An act passed at the last session of the
legislature makes It misdemeanor for
any professional man to practice his pro-
fession in this state before he has paid
his professional tax for that year. Con-
sequently, attorneys, doctors and dentists,
and there are probably number of them.
who have not paid their professional tax
for 1897 are subject to punishment; that
is, provided they have any practice, and
1t is to be presumed that most of them
have.
The law seems TO have attracted little
attention at the time OF its passage, and
to have been forgotten Immediately after
collectors of the state have never been
notified of the passage of the law. This
omission will doubtless be remedied i'm
medlately, as the controller general has
recently had his attention called to the
law.
When the tax collector undertakes to
enforce the law there will be a stir among
Of
whom have taken advantage Of the good
nature of the tax collector to postpone
the payment of their professional tax in
definitely. and some of them, it is said,
have not paid 1t at all. They are the
very fellows the law was meant to reach,
and II the tax collectors choose, they can
make it warm for them.
Mayor =. w. Meldrim, who is also a
member of the legislature, had his atten-
ton called to the law by a Morning News
reporter. The mayor said the fact that
such a law had been enacted had passed
out of his mind, though he recalled 1t on
glancing at the act.
THE law is intended as / understand
It," said Mayor Meidrim, ito get at the
shysters, the fellows who live by their
wits, and who are no particular credit to
their professions anyway. Under this
law they can at least be compelled to pay
their professional tax. There is nothing
new in the professional men being required
to pay tax. The law has required that
for many years. The law simply pro-
vides a penalty for those who persist in
practicing their professions after having
failed to pay their license tax"
The law reads as follows:
Section l. Be it enacted by the general
assembly of the state of Georgia, and it Is
hereby enacted by authority of the same
that from and after the passage of this
act IL shall be unlawful for any person or
persons in this state to practice the pro-
fession of law, medicine, dentistry or any
other professions upon which a special tax
Is levied by the state, and charge for the
same without paying said special tax.
Sec. 2. Be it further enacted by the au-
thority aforesaid that If at any time af-
ter the passage of this act, 1t shall be
found that nulla bona has by the proper
authority, been entered upon an execution
issued by a tax collector in any county of
this state against any person or persons
for said special tax, and that such person
or persons have thereafter engaged in the
practice of any or all of said professions
and charged for the same, such person or
persons shall be deemed guilty Of a mis-
demeanor and upon conviction shall be
punishable as prescribed in section 1899 of
the third volume of the code of 1895"
The city directory gives 90 lawyers, 10
physicians and 16 dentists as practicing
their profession in Savannah, a total of
ITO, in addition to loan agents and money
brokers, who are also liable TO the tax
There are probably 200 persons liable for
the tax. The lawyers, dentists and physi-
clans are not the only professionals" Per-
haps the professional politicians might
also be taxed under this law