The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-01-17
Third Annual Meeting of the Organization
Is in Session at Fort Worth.
GOV. SAVERS DEFENDED THE TAX Bill,
Pointed Out Reasons Why the Measure Should Be-
come Part OF the Law of the State-Rng
Advocated Local Option in Taxation.

ror, worth Texas, January 1.-THE
,b,rd apruial convention of the Texas Real
estate association began it's sessions this
morning. Mayor Paddock welcomed the
delegates and was responded to by Hon.
" L. Brooks OF sweetwater.
H. II. Hargrove of New Orleans ad-
dressed the convention on the importance
~ cotton mills and other industries in
Texas. His discussion was an exhaustive
one on the needs OF factories in this State.
T. W. Riggirs OF Waco was elected pres-
dent OF the association
Probably the most interesting address
occasion to reply to some attacks that
have been made recently on the state tax
commission report. The recommendation,
Of this commission had been criticised
during the forenoon session by Hon. II. f.
Ring Of Houston, who read lengthy pa
per upon taxation, and declared that the
method Of taxing notes and mortgages and
the Increasing of taxes upon pubic i'm
provements as advocated by this commits
sion would prove a great detriment to tn :
State should the measures be adopted.
Mr. Ring argued in favor of increased
taxation upon bords and unimprovei
property
Governor Sayers was wholly ignorant Of
the address that had been made during the
forenoon but his talk proved an admir-
able rejolner
II was an able deferse of the report OF
the tax commission and discussed the
salient features of that document. He
showed that two-thirds of it was almost
identical with laws now on the statute
books; that some people were even criti-
cising that part of the report, believing
they had found something new and ter
riby oppressive. The governor pointed
TO the fact that under our present system
Of taxation land values furnished Is per
cent Of all the ad valorem taxes in tle
Safe. The burden of the taxation was
row Oh real estate, on the homes Of the
psople and it was time for a change to
be made. The taxes on real estate In the
Texas cities State. county and municipal,
almost as much as the revenue derive /
from United States nom taXable bend.
lie was in favor OF requiring every char
acter Of property, no matter by who n
owned, to pay its just share toward the
maintenance of the government There had
been no Increase in the taxes on money,
bonds and notes and this form OF properly
had eyadsd taxation to A great extent,
There was not ion acres of land In Texas
on which taxation could be avoided. Every
little plot of ground was found by the
tax collector. The legislature had ex-
hausted Its ingenuity in deriving ways by
which TO enforce the collection o; taxes
on real estate, On the other hand. the
money, bonds and stocks in the State could
escape taxation; there were S4S, 100000 in
'he banks of the State, but the tax rolls
showed only $4,000 900 rendered. The
governor argued at length on this line,
SHOWING how the tax commission had at
tempted 10 equalize taxation ard benefit
ahe state He Indignantly denied that
there was anything in the proposed meas
Nres 10 drive investors from the state anil
made An able defense of Texas and hcr
avs in general. showing that Texas was
lsr more liberal in It's treatment Of legili
mate corporations than many Of the
northern and Eastern States.
lion. F, Ring of Houston read an
slaoofate paper entitled Home Rule in
msliers Of Taxation" ana in discussing
ihe benefits which he said would accrue to
lnoss municipalities that We're permitted
2 pursue home rule policies, referred to
we case OF the Southern Pacific railway
mnen some years ago IL moved It's shops 10
houston At hrst tic officials of that sys-
,em OF railways preferred to concentrate
peir mechanical department at New Or
rsus out when the city Of Houston held
pp' Inducements to them in the way Of
W'nlsed exemption from excessive local
aAf,lon. Houston was selected as the site
w oe shops. Judge Ring dwelt at length
vpon some Of the defects in the proposed
Mrasnte which will he submitted as the
recommendation Of the tax commission at
w romlns special session OF the legisla-
estimating the present quantity of
avalon a $50 on each $1,000 nj personal
" real estate property Mr. Ring said that
sn ns provisions of the bill would necessarily
ue capital out OF the state, because.
iu ne n In November a man were to
,pdn slouV TO a merchant who purchased
u,elehandise with IT, the tax collector on
January would collect from each what
Nc oehomlnated a fine of $50. Again, II
,n' not lair to discriminate In favor of
M, uhimproved city lot, whose only en-
easements were rusty tin cans dead
~ ano onal, and against the lot owned
i, tne man whose energy. brains and capt
- nau adorned with a magnificent struc-
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