The morning news., 1898-11-13
AGITATION OF TAX REFORM.
PENSION LIST OFFERS An APPOR-
TUNITY FOR RETBENCHMENT.

CapftoI in Carriages ana Draw
Their stipend From the state.
DoinEs of the Legislature
Atlanta Ga. Nov. 12-For a Saturday
session the House did good deal Of busi-
y,sss today. while the Senate took us
,,sual day Of and did not attempt TO do
anything.
sneaker Little. who was absent yester-
dav. after a visit to MS home IN Coiuh-
bus called the House TO oroer ana pushed
business with a vim. which promises 70
make his administration notable Tor eNpe-
diousness. The work done ranged ali the
v-av from passing bills to the unimportant
and tiresone proceeding OF reading pills
for a second time.
Tax Reform Agitation.
The agitation Of tax reform and more
economical appropriations has caused ne
creation Of a new standing commut=e
whose duty il viii be to take charge OF all
matters relating to the pension FUND. 1nsre
As a strong disposition manifested IN some
quarters to sift the pension list ana 70
trim the common school appropriation 70
its former figure of $4,000 as the means
of bringing the expenditures Of the state
down to a level with the income. So FAR
the latter part Of the invalid proposition
has not taken any definite shape, but the
creation of the invalid pension committee
to-day. at the instance Of Calvin of Rich
xnond chairman Of the committee on rules,
may be regarded as the first step toward
the other. Il is a fact known to all VINO
have ever made the least inquiry into the
pension business of the state that the in
valid roll and the INDECENT and widows
rolls. too for that matter. could be ma
teriaiy reduced without doing the least in
Justice to the deserving and needy ones,
by a careful system of pruning. The-e
are on the lists the names Of scores of peo-
pie who are Independently wealthy or IN
professional or business situation far re-
moved from a condition of want. Those
who are in favor of a revision of the pen
sion lists argue that the state should not
nav this class Of people a pension. II they
are able to provide for themselves why
should the state do il? In more than one
instance men and women have been seen
to ride UP to the capitol In their carriages
TO draw the stipened claimed from the
state under the present pension law.
Reduced Appropriations the Remedy
Among the most thoughtful and con-
eervative members Of the legislature there
IS little confidence expressed In the vari-
oUs propositions to equalize expenditures
and income without raising the present tax
rate or cutting off the school and pension
funds by adding an increase TO the tax
digests. This class of statesmen have su-
preme confidence in the ability of the tax
dodger to dodge under any law that can
be passed and for this reason they are de-
voting themselves to the task of tncreas-
ing sentiment in favor OF reduced appro-
priations as the only remedy Boards OF
equalizers, they say, might in part remedy
the trouble If these boards were given the
necessary authority In the first place, and
were disposed to exercise their authority
in the spirit in which it was vested.
Bills of the House.
Mr.. Park Of Greene to-day introduced
another bill in the interest of tax equali-
eaton. IL makes tax receivers invesd-
gate property returns, administering oath
Individually to the person making the re-
turn, and requiring the receiver at the
close of his business TO make an oath, in
sweeping terms, that he has executed the
minutest detail of the duties devolving
upon him The person making his returns
IS required TO state under oath all his ac-
counts notes, bonds, stocks judgments
and other taxable liens. In this way Mr..
Park hopes to get at much property that
is now withheld from the tax gatherer.
II appears that there Is a considerable
sentiment In the House IN favor of con-
sttutional convention. The general judi
ciary committee, the largest of the House,
has reported favorably the Ellis bill, pro-
a
Mr.. Ellis is now sanguine that 1t viii pass.
After passing unanimously the local bills
rroyiding for the election of the judges
and solicitors of the City Court of Atlanta
hv the people the House heard the death
knell of the anti 'possum bill. II was re-
ported adversely by the special judiciary
committee, and, therefore, as good as
dead Thus the festive marsupial gets a
new lease on life despite the change Of
ed to bode evil for him.
hght was promised over the Atlanta
City Court bills. Senator Nesbitt repre-
senting this district, has introduced into
the upper branch a bill which is in con-
fit with House bills, as it provides for
the election of judges and solicitors of
all city courts by the people, and this
general bill Is being supported by fac
tion i'm Atlanta politics who hope that the
whole thing will fall through by reason
Of opposition to the general bill, and the
appointment of this branch of the judic-
fairy will be allowed TO remain in the hands
of the Governor. At the meeting of the
local bar this morning resolutions indors-
ing the local bills i'm the House were
passed. The bar is tired of the appoint
ment by the Governor, and Is determined
TO have a change, despite the seeming OPP
position of the senator.
Senatorial courtesy, as Savannah well
knows, is an obstinate thing. and in the
fight It may run out In defiance OF the
whole town, the bar and the delegation
In the lower house included.
Mr.. Calvin's state bank bill was re-
ported favorably by the committee this
morning and is now ready to be put upon
its passage in the House.
The first act to be made a law by the sig
nature of Gov Gambler was reported il
the House during the session. II was the
bill ceding land In Meriwether county e
the Federal government for a fish hatch
cry.
Among the new bills introduced wer,
the following:
By Mr.. Rogers of Establishing
q dispensary for the town Of Buena Wis
"a.
By Mr.. Howard of Dooly-Amending tn,
code so as to provide that wine for sacra
mental purposes, or alcohol sold for med
ical or mechanical purposes, shall not b.
sold in quantities less than one gallon.
By Mr.. Adams of Putnall-A bill to pro
vide text book commission of seven mem
hnr - 10 Hrra