The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-02-22
Franchise Tax Measure Favored
by Governor Dockery Sent to
Engrossment by Senate.
FILIBUsTERING FOR DELAY.
But Two Adverse Votes on Motion
to EngrOss-Will Probably
Be Passed This.
Week.
BY A STAFF CORRESPONDENT.

Bf \ STAFF Cpi.EESPONDl-NI.
jefferson City, Mo-. Feb. I.-Franchi>e
| taxation was discussed in the Senate ioi
| over five hours to-day. and the admins
tration franchise tax bill. drawn up by
Judge Williams of Boonvllle and indorsed
| by Governor Dockery. was sent to ensross-
| ment. with only two adverse votes-those
OF Clay and Walker.
| When Clerk Roach Of the Senate reacnen
the committee franchise-taX substitute bill
on the Senate calendar this morning. Sen
| ator Bradley offered as "A substitute 10 the
| committee bill the bill indorsed by the ad-
| ministration. Clay at once sent to the
clerk to be read n communication from SEN
| ator Martin. saying: Il am sick In ped.
| Please see that franchise taxation Is not
taken up to-day, as / want TO be hearu.
Senator Bradley insisted on his motion 10
substitute the administration bill for the
committee bill. Senator Walker for delay
moved that 10 copies OF the bill De or
dered printed. and Senator Clay notified
Senator Martin by telephone that he could
| not defer the consideration of the bill.
Soon after Senator Martin entered the
Senate chamber in his undershirt with
handkerchief round his neck and his coat
collar turned up. In this habit he sat dur
ing the morning consideration of the bill
The motion of Senator Walker for the
=
decisive vote and a recess was taken until
o'clock In the afternoon.
Measure ls Fully Debated.
At the afternoon session. from O'Clock
until long after the sun had set, the debate
on the bill proceeded Senators Clay. Mar
TN. Rubey and Walker led the fight against
the present consideration or any measure,
pleading for more time to consider the bill
Bradley. Dowell, Farris. Morton and Heath
and DAVIDSON (Rep1 scurried in and out
IN support OF the bill and in opposition to
the administration.
Those who favored the administration
bill argued against further delay on the
ground that the administration bill had
had been extensively Circulated in type,
written manifold. had been printed in the
papers and that all Senators had had ample
Tney advanced as objections to the COM
mittee measure that IL proposed to forfeit
the office OF the members of the State
Board of Equalization II they did not attend
to the assessment and taxation of franchises
as provided in the bill. They objected
further that the committee bill placed
the assessment OF the real property of cor
poratons I'm the hands of local boards of
assessors. while 1t placed the assessment of
all franchises in the hands of the State
Board of Equalization. The administration
bill proposes to place the assessment of all
the property. tangible and intangible. in the
hands of local authorities.
DavfssOn Opposes the Administration.
Senator Martin made a speech over an
hour in length. In which he adverted to the
extensive. earnest work done on the bill
by the committees and attracted attention
to the fact that all the Senators charged
with being under unworthy control favored
the administration bill. Davisson (RepD
also made what capital he could out of this
fact In opposition, not to the bill, but to the
administration
Senator Rubey submitted an amendment
to the administration bill consisting Of sew
eral sections Of the committee bill. provid-
ing for machinery for determining the value
of a franchise. This proposed amendment
was voted down by "a noes to Z ayes
Biggs. Clay, Costello, Martin, Rubey,
Walker and Whaley voting no.
The administration bill was then adopted
as substitute for the committee bill by
the following vote:
For: Biggs, Bradley. Clarke, Collins. Cos
telllo. Davisson, Dowell. Drabelle, Farris,
Fields, Haynes, Heather, Jewell, Marshall,
Matthews. Morton, Orchard, Ramp, Roll
Inns, Schoenlaub. Smith. Stubbs, Sullivan,
Tandy. Thomas and Zevely-26
Against: Clay. Martin. Rubey. Walker
and Whaley-5.
On sending the bill to engrossment, there |
were but two adverse votes-Clay and |
Walker. Martin. Rubey and Whaley voted |
in favor of engrossment.
The administration bill, in spirit, is like
the committee bill. 1t is not a blanket bill. |
II differs from the committee measure es-
only in the fact that IL does not |
provide elaborate machinery for the assess |
ment of franchises. The administration |
measure will probably pass the Senate be- |
fore the end Of this week.
JOHN c. LEBENS.