The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-11-15
WITH THE LAWMAKERS.
HOUSE KILLS INHERITANCE TAN
BILL of MIR. HITCH.


Measure Designed to Relieve the
Treasury of overexpenditure-Se
eraI Amendments offered and
Adopted-PrOceedin in the Sem
ate.
Atlanta, Nov. 14.-By a vote of II to
So the House to-day killed the inner
itance tax bill by Mr.. Hitch of Chat
ham. the bill lacking eleven votes of
having the required constitutional ma
jority.
The bill came up as the special order
at 10 o'clock this morning, and was
practically the only matter of interest
before the House during the day The
vote indicates many members Of the
House favor the measure, and decid-
ed interest was taken in the statement
of the meaning and effect of the meas
ure by the author, Mr.. Hitch. The
debate was listened to closely through
out.
Mr.. Hitch's bill provided a graduated
tax upon inheritances, legacies and
gifts varying from one to six per cent,
according to the degree of consanguini-
ty of the beneficiary. The author had
made some careful calculations in con-
nection with the measure, and stated
in his opinion, it would bring into the
treasury of the state from $35O.000 to
$500 900. A number of amendments
were offered to the bill, and most of
them were adopted.
One of them, by Mr.. Webster of
fax Gh0nld
be placed upon legacies or gifts for
charitable purposes or to charitable
and religious institutions, and that 10
tax should be imposed upon bequest
TO a widow, unless it was more than
$4,000, nor upon a bequest to a minor
child, unless it was more than $4,000.
Another amendment provided that
there should be no taxation whatever
on requests TO the widow or children,
thus putting the tax only upon collat-
eral inheritance. This amendment was
also adopted but it had the effect of
displacing the former amendment so
far as it related to the widow and
minor children
The bill had been favorably reported
by the Committee on Ways and Means.
Mr. Hitch opened his argument in
favor of the bill by referring 20 the
deficit in the state treasury He said
he was convinced that his measure
would not only wipe out that deficit,
but would produce an income sufficient
to enable the Legislature to reduce tax
alton. Mr. Hitch told of the laws in
twenty-t three states of the Union which
tax inheritances, and discussed at
length the merits of the bill. He ac-
cepted the amendments exempting
charitable and religious requests from
the provisions of the measure. When
the amendment exempting requests to
widows and minor children was adopt
ed, he said the measure then applied
TO nothing but collateral requests and
removed the only objection of any con-
sequence that could be raised by its
enemies.
Mr. Slaton of Fulton opposed the
measure on the ground that II would
be violative of the constitutional pro-
vision which declares that all taxation
shall be uniform on the same class of
property. He said that it failed to ex-
empt land as did the federal war tax
act, and that it also made no provision
for exempting mortgaged property, 70
tax which would be a hardship.
The previous question was called, and
Mr.. Hitch briefly concluded the debate.
The vote was taken after the joint ses-
sion which convened to hear Mrs. Fell
ton speak. The result was n for the
BILL and SO against it.
Mr. Hitch gave notice of a motion
TO reconsider. and the House adjourn
ed
Representative Harvie Jordan of
Jasper county, will introduce an i'm
portant bill in the House within the
next few days which seeks the crea-
ton of an agricultural high school for
the education for the farmers boys
OF the state in the sciences of agri-
culture. The bill, if passed, will To-
cate the school at Griffin. near the
State Experimental Station.
In the Senate.
In the Senate to-day the action
making the Wright dispensary bill the
special order, was reconsidered. the
vote being 10 to 49, and President How
ell voting for reconsideration. The
matter was brought up by Senator
Chappell, who objected to the two
hours limitation that had been put
upon the debate, and who wanted full
time for a consideration of the matter
Other senators wanted more time to
look into the terms of the bill, and
on this account ii was reconsidered
II VIII come up as the special order
Wednesday at 10 o'clock. and the SEN
ate will dispose of it then.
Chairman Boynton made a report
containing the committees unanimous
adverse action on the How
ard franchise tax bill, ii is
is believed this finally kills
the measure though other efforts will
be made to bring it up in the Senate
and 10 disagree to the committees ad-
verse report.
The Senate passed to-day the Ellis
bill requiring a diploma from a school
with two years law course for admis-
sion to the bar in Georgia A hard
tight will be made on this measure il,
the House. Friends of Mercer College
are opposing it because it will serious
~ hurt that institution which has only
one-year course.
The bill Of Senator Hardaway of the
Goth making emasculation a punish.
ment for attempted criminal assault.
was passed a second time after being
amended.