The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-12-07
OUTSIDERS TO PAY
HOUSE DEMANDS A TAX OF FOR
EIGN CORPORATIONS.
TO DO BUSINESS IN GEORGIA
WILL COST THEM A PROPORTION
OF THEIR CAPITAL STOCK.

Hard Fight ON This Occupation Tax
ms Feature of the General Tax
Bill Was Put Up by Its Opponents.
Some Declare They VIII Not Vote
for the Bill With This Item in 1t
and This May Mean an Extra Ses-
sion-Halps Proposed Increase In
Tax Rate Turned Down.
Atlanta, Dec. 6.-The House had all
sorts of a time to-day. completing its
work on the general tax bill. One of
the hardest fights of the session was
made against the amendment seeking
to tax foreign corporations doing bust
ness in the state, but 1t was finally in
corporated in the bill by vote of IA
TO &C.
This section proposes to put an oc-
cupation tax on all foreign corpora
lions having offices, warehouses. or
salesrooms in the state. This tax is to
be graduated and in proportion to the
amount of the capital stock of the COM
pany in question. The lowest tax is $25
on all corporations whose capital stock
is $4,000, or under, and the highest tax
is $1,000. on corporations having a tax
of 900 or more. The Carnegie
Steel Company, for instance. having
an agent in Atlanta, must pay $1,000
under this section of the bill for the
privilege of doing business here.
This was one of the illustrations
used in opposition to the tax. it be-
ing stated that this agent had only
an office ana a stenographer. Such a
tax, it was stated. would cause this
agent to leave the state for neigh
boring state. in which the tax would
not be required. Both Mr.. StovaIl and
Mr.. Cam OF Chatham took part in
the debate, opposing the section on the
ground that it would seriously inter-
fere with the industrial development Of
the state.
Would Drive Business Away.
1t was argued that such a system of
taxation would act as an embargo, and
would drive thousands of people now
| living here out of the state. Many of
these corporations now pay taxes on
personally and realty, and it was ar
| gued that IL was unfair to put this
| tax on agents for the privilege of lN-
| ing in the state. Others claimed the
| tax could be easily borne and that in
effect, the state needed the money.
| 1t is possible that the adoption of
this section by the House unless ii
should be reconsidered or killed in the
| Senate, may cause an extra session of
| the General Assembly. Its opponents
have threatened to vote against the
tax bill unless it is taken out, and the
| defeat of that measure would necessi-
tate an extra session.
There was a great deal of filibuster-
ing in the House just before the adj
journment of the morning session over
this measure. Opponents of the cor
poration tax tried to have the bill
tabled until Monday so that they could
move for a reconsideration before a
full house, and they finally succeeded
in this effort just as the previous
question had been called and the
whole bill was about to go to a vote.
The House was in the worst confusion
1t has known since the days of the de-
pot bill, and brought forth the cry
from Mr.. Hall of Bib: why all this
flibustering? The depot bill is not up"
Motions were made to adjourn, and
it was with difficulty the tangel was
Strengthened out and the members were
satisfied with the situation.
Against Higher Tax Rate.
amendment by Mr.. Hall of Bibb, in
creasing the general tax rate to 5.22
for all purposes, including the sinking
fund, and left II at 5.23 mills, as fixed
by the committee. Mr.. Reid of Camp
bell, chairman of the Ways and Means
Committee, said he appeared on the
floor as the champion of the people
who bear the greatest burden of taxa
ton, and he would fight to the last
a nf fn lxa 70
rate greater than five mills, exclusive
of the sinking fund. The House de-
feated Mr.. Halls amendment by Ill to
4. The four members who voted for
the increase were Hall of Bibb Gaul-
den Of Brooks, Hixon of Sumter ana
Crumbly of Stewart. The committee
section, making it five mills, was
final action Monday.
An amendment was also added to-day
making it operative for two years.
Chatham Bills Passed.
The House held an afternoon session
solely for the purpose of passing local
bills and reading bills first and sec
ond time. Among the bills passed
was one by Mr. Stovall of Chatham to
cede to the United States Jurisdiction
over certain land In Savannah for the
purpose of building a marine hospital.
IL Will De nara WOrk TO get the Dill
through the Senate, but Mr.. StovalI is
satisfied he will accomplish this re-
suit.
The bill by the Chatham represent
tatives, changing the time of election
of city officials to the first Monday aft
er the qualification of the Mayor and
Aldermen, was read the second time
in the House to-day and stands good
chance Of getting through without
difficulty.
The legislative session ends on next
Friday, unless tomorrow is declared a
dies non, as 1t is now proposed to do,
in which event adjournment sine die