The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-18
CERTIFICATES ARE REVOKED.
NEW TAX ACT HARD ON CoNFED-
ERATE VETERANS.

Limits Occupations in Which They
May Engage without the Payment
of Any License. state, County or
Municipal to "A Small Number of an
Unattractive CIasS-ControIIer
General Wrights Reply TO Judge
FerriIIs Query on the Subject.
over 200 Certificates Have Been
Issued by the Ordinary Under the
Acts of 1897.
The large number of Confederate vet
Grams now doing business in this city IN
der certificates from the Ordinary's Of
flee, which exempts them from the pay
ment of all license, municipal and other
wise, are likely to be seriously interfered
with as the result of the recent tax act,
which appears to repeal previous acts on
the subject.
The fact that Judge Hampton L. Fer
rill of the Ordinary's court was in doubt
as to the effect of the law upon Confeder-
ate veterans doing business under certifi-
Gates was published in the Morning News
recently. Judge Ferrill has since writ
ten the controller general concerning the
matter, and yesterday received a reply,
which seems to set the matter at rest I'M
favorably to the Confederate veterans. In
replying to Judge Ferrills inquiry Con-
troller General Wright says:
Replying to yours of the 18th inst,
beg to say that Confederate soldiers are
allowed TO peddle in this state any article
OF merchandise except lightning rods, sew
ing machines and whisky. They are also
allowed to carry on any business taxed in
paragraphs 6, Z, s, and II of section of the
tax act of 1898 without license"
The paragraphs referred TO by the con-
troller general include the keeping of ia
bles, stands or places for the performance
of any game or play and the keeping of
flying horses keeping of ten-pin alleys
and shooting galleries; travelling vendors
Of patent or proprietary medicines, special
nostrums, jewelry, paper, soap and other
merchandise travelling vendors using
boats for the purpose of selling goods on
the rivers or waters within the limits of
the state.
The printed instructions sent out to tax
collectors and ordinaries by the controller
general, together with the new tax act,
include the following paragraph; "The
tax act which was recently approved and
federate soldiers to the special business
mentioned in said act. All other business
callings taxed cannot be carried on by
Confederate soldiers without paying the
tax prescribed. This new law repeats
all former acts on this subject where there
is any conflict"
The letter from the controller general,
taken in connection with the paragraphs
of the tax act mentioned and the extract
from the controller generals report just
quoted appear to be pretty conclusive
and their purport is decidedly against the
Confederate veterans who are now engag-
ing miscellaneous lines of business with
out the payment of the taxes required of
Others engaged III the same lines. Under
the acts of the legislature approved Dec
8, 1897, and Dec. 20. 1897, about 200 certifi-
Gates have been granted by the Ordinary
of Chatham county to applicants. The
majority of these have engaged In the
green grocery business, but nearly every
line of business is included.
The act approved Dec. 9, 1897, is an
amendment to section 1912 of the code.
and is unequlvocal in it's terms. 1t gives
to INDECENT or disabled Confederate SOL
diers, residents of this state, and also to
soldiers of the Seminole, Creek and Mex
lean wars, the right to peddle or conduct
business in any town, city or county in
the state without the payment of license
for the privilege of so doing, and making
certificates from the Ordinary of any
county in the state, stating the fact of the
applicant being such disabled or INDECENT
soldier. sufficient proof of his right to ex-
empton.
The act of Dec. 90 1897, amends section
1913 of the code by authorizing Confederate
soldiers to conduct business as travelling
and soliciting life and fire insurance
agents without obtaining license from the
state or from any county or municipality.
Judging from Controller General Wrights
letter and his instructions to the tax col
lectors these acts are repealed by the re-
cent tax act, and the INDECENT and dis
abled Confederate soldiers are now only
entitled to exemptions when engaging in
occupations mentioned in sections 6, 7, 8,
and II of the new tax act, which are of
very small Importance. Judge Ferrill
has so decided and will so inform all par
ties who apply to him for certificates
hereafter. The effect of the act is, of
course, to revoke all certificates now out
standing except such as may come under
the sections alluded to.