The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-02-04
Committee Will Recommend that II Pass as
.s Now Amended.
1t Was Taken Up Chapter by Chapter and Amend
ments Adopted-Members Reserve the Right
to Offer Amendments to the Revised
Measure In the House.
Au,,in. rerss. February ).


FOR A WHILE TODAY it looked as II the
COMMITTEES on revenue and taxation would
carry the tax bill over into next week. From
morn TIL night It's members tugged and
talked. trying hard TO reach a common
ground on the work before them and nearly
succeeded: but when the subject Of railroad
taxation was approached II soon became APP
parent that tho point had been come TO
whore there was no chance for mutual un-
derstanding. The commissions bill pro-
poses a number OF radical changes In the
method OF taxing railroad property. such as
basins valuations on the aggregate OF stock
snd bonds. including sidetracks in the mile
age subject to taxation. imposing a tax upon
gross freight earnings and providing for the
pro-rating Of tho assessment OF depots, ma
chine shops. etc, irrespective Of their loca-
ton. on none OF these different propositions
was there unity of opinion except as 10 the
tax on gross freight earnings, which was,
by amendment, knocked out. The point was
raised that Il the commissions many ways
Of taxing railroads were adopted It might
lead to placing value on their property
that would justify them In demanding an
increase in freight rates 10 enable them to
earn a reasonable return on said value.
Ftrthsrmore 1t was advanced that esti-
mated by the stock and bond standard, rail-
road property would be subjected to a
higher assessment than other property. with
out saying anything Of the aide issue taxa
ton proposed,
THE QUESTION Of assessing other corporate
4pv In
premises, e. was decided to send a member
Of the committee to confer with Mr.. Col
1uitt with A view Of ascertsiniug whether
tho tax commission would not agree to soma
modification OF It's bill in this particular, Tho
conference proved truitlcsB and the appoint
ment Of a subcommittee to formulate amend
nents was suggested Discussion OF this
suggestion finally led to tho conclusion that
It was useless for tho committee to attempt
10 amend the railroad tax chapter, as a
satisfactory basis could never be reached so
that at B:t5 p m. It waa decided TO report
tho bill back TO tho house with recon-
mendauon that It 90 pass as amended and
with the understanding that tho right had
besn reserved by each member Of the com
mittes to oTer such amendments as he
might eet NJ On lOt uNoE OF Una huuNNs
IN ITS DELIBERATIONS the committee wac
unanimous on hut two points. 1t approved
tho chapter relating 10 the taxation OF mort
gages without discussion and without
division agreed to raise the tax on tho gross
earnings Of sleeping car companies from
2k to per cent. The provision that II
computing the proportion Of tho capltn
stock OF thase companies to be assessoG II
tho State deductions shan be made foi
their Investments ia reul estate mauufac
turing plants, etc. was also eliminated
Next to tho change IN the sleepiug car ia,
the most important amendment adopted wa,
one 20 the yorbisgs OF tho oath to be ad
mnistered by tax assessors. said amendmcn
strikes out that portion OF the oath ohl
eating the taxpayer to value his propert,
at its fun aud true value. meaning tn,
price that could no obtained therefor a
privAte sale and further obligatinE said tax
payer not TO place valuation on his prop
erty loss than the total amount OF insuranc,
carried thereon,