The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-26
GEORGlA'S SoLoNS GATHER.
GOVERNORS MESSAGE AND NEW
TAX BILL SUBMITTED.

AIse an Income Tax--An Anti-Trust
min Observation-Disclosures New Meas
ures Introduced.
Atlanta, Oct 25.-The State Legislature
convened at the capital at 10 O'Clock this
morning.
The Governors message was read. and
as forecasted hast night, the tax bin was
reported, and with II a minority report
signed by Messrs. Freeman, Johnson,
Foucho and A. O. Blalock. The minority
approved the bin In most OF IT'S features.
but differed with The majority in that tho
bill proposes to tax for state purposes only
the intangible property of railroads, tese-
graph. sleeping car, express. telephone
companies and other corporations.
The minority report further says that
the standard OF value adopted in the bill
is the time and fun cash value of all prop-
erty Of every kind. both Tangible and In
tangible, and what II would sell for when
sold as such property is sold.
when this value is found and deter
mined by the board of assessors. we can
see no reason why. in the cases of corpora
tlons referred to, the intangible values so
found should be exempt from adjustments
and fair proportion of the burdens of
county and municipal taxation, and we in
slst that the same should be taxed as the
property OF individuals is taxed"
The report OF the committee was atten-
lively listened to, as was the bill submit
ted. The bin proposes many radical changes
the foundation Of which is the creation of
system of taxation by assessment.
state and County Bonrds.
The committee says the taxpayer should
not be his own assessor, and as outlined
in these dispatches. they have proposed in
the bin the creation of a state board OF
assessors and also county boards. The
state board Is given fun judicial power
over, the tax law. and has the appointments
OF the county board from six names sub
jury. The office of tax re-
ceiver Is not abolished. but the in
cumbent Is subject 20 a $25 fine for every
failure 10 PROFOUND the oath and inter-
rogatories contained In the bill II pro-
vides for land map of each county ana
the payment OF taxes by lots and sub
division upon a land book. 1t proposes TO
tax the tangible property OF every cor
poration exactly as the tangible property
of every individual Is taxed, and along this
line the report says:
The plan of taxing a corporation upon
the market value OF It's shares Of stock
worked manifest injustice as IL permit
ted the corporation TO pay taxes upon Its
net worth, while the individual paid upon
his gross or entire worth. The corpora
ton had its debts deducted; In other
words, and paid on the balance while
thousands of individuals paid on theIr
property, no matter how much they owed.
This provision. however, cannot be ap-
piled 10 chartered banks. The terms OF
the federal act providing how nationlI
banks may be taxed, limits taxation 10 the
shares of stock and real estate; and any
law which would impose different meth
cd uopn state banks would be a most ua-
wise discrimination.
Some of the Provisions.
I'm the bill reported we have declared
all franchises granted by this state, or used
or enjoyed IN this state, TO be personal
property, and to be taxable as such
state purposes: and have defined value OF
such franchises 10 be the difference be-
tween the value of the tangible property
of a corporation and its entire property
"We believe that this enactment VIII
compel vast amount of values hitherto
entirely untaxed by law to bear their part
of she burden of government.
"We provide for the assessment OF rail-
road, telegraph, telephone the Pullman
and refrigerator car companies and all
those corporations now making returns 10
the Controller General, by the State Board
of Tax Assessors, whose assessments shall
be final.
I'VE have considered the question re-
ferred to us of the taxation of direct and
collateral inherltances. We have concluded
to propose tax upon such collateral In
heritances as descend by devise of will diff
ferently from the rule of inhertances pro-
vided by law.
-
when mans family most needs the fruit
of his economy aud industry, II should
be diminished by an additional tribute to
the state, unless 1t be that Inheritance
which is Unexpectedly bestowed upon coll
lateral or other terms NOT In the line of
inheritance under the wisdom of the law.
In the justice OF things, unexpected
gratuity, but not the accumulation OF the
ancestor boarded TO save the legal heir
from want, should yield It's proportion to
the tax gatherer."
After All Property.
In order to reach notes, accounts ana
money the board is clothed with plenary
power TO arbitrarily set the assessment
on what they consider fair return; even
as against the taxpayers affirmation, that
he has taken the aggregate of them and
given II in his return, the taxpayer hav-
ing the opportunity 70 relieve himself OF
any threatened assessment by the exhi-
bition of q detailed, full and itemtzed list.
There Is an Inheritance tax provision In
the bill also and while an income tax
was not incorporated in the tax pro-
posed by the commission It was agreed
upon, but was submitted in a separate bill
introduced later on by Representative Ell
lis Of Bibb, and has the Endorsement of
the commission The adoption of con-
stitutonal amendment limiting the rate
OF taxation to a maximum rate Of five
mills was also recommended.
ID Is also recommended that the general
terms Of the general license act proposed
by The assembly, continue in force until
modified or repealed by an act introduced
especially for that purpose.
An Antitrust Bill.
Besides the tax bill there were several
other important measures introduced, no.
tabiy an antitrust bill by Mr.. Swift OF
Elbert. and the ballot reform bill by Mr..
Hardwick Of Washington. Mr.. Swift In
his bill, seeks TO prohibit the forming OF
pools trusts. monopolies and combines