The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-06-27
KEEP TAXES DOWN
THAT is WHAT TIGNER SEEKS TO
MAKE SURE.
FIvE-TENTHS OF I PER CENT.
LIMIT FINED BY A BILL THAT
PASSED THE HOUSE.

This Demands a Chnnce in the Com
st1tutiOn-The Senate Will Doubt
less Pass the Bill-The People Will
Then Have to Vote Upon 1t Mt the
Next ElCctiOn-State Board of Tax
commissioners the object of
New Bill in the HOuse-Cnnn Seeks
More Pay for Savannah JaiIOrs.
Atlanta, June 26.-The third day OF
the session of the House was marked by
the passage OF a bill which will no
doubt meet with the general approval
OF the People G: the state. 1t is meas
vi" OF Which Mr.. Tigner of Muscogee is
tae author, witch proposes to linri. the
ptwer OF the Legislature to lnyy ana
collect taxes to five-tenths of per cent
The bill, CO course, provides for an
amendment to the Constitution in Par
agraph l, Section l, Article Z, and was
passed by vote of 1873 to Z, or a good
deal more than the required two thirds
constitutional majority.
There was brief debate on the bill,
it being strongly urged by Messrs Tig-
ner, Hall of Bibb and Bower of Deca-
tur while Mr.. West of Lowndes OPP
posed it on the ground that it might
involve reputation of public debt. Spe-
officially, the bill proposes to add this
proVisor to the paragraph of the con-
stitution cited: PROVIDED, however,
that the General Assembly shall have
no power to levy or assess taxes for
any purpose whatsoever, exceeding in
the aggregate nVe-tenths OF l per cent,
after the first day of January, 1905, eX-
cept for the purpose of suppressing in
surrection, repelling invasion and de-
Tending the state in time of war"
Similar measures had once been pass
ed by both Houses, but at different ses-
sions, and there is practically no doubt
that this bill will receive an almost
unanimous vote in the Senate, and be
submitted to the people for ratification
at the next election.
state Tax tCOmmissiOners.
In line with the recommendation of
Gov Terrell Mr.. Gambler of DeKalb
to-day introduced a bill providing for
reforms in the tax laws. Mr.. Cand-
ler's bill proposes to establish d state
board of tax commissioners, and
boards of assessors and equalizers in
each county in the state An impor-
tant feature of the measure is that it
proposes that all corporation returns
now made to the Controller General
shall be made to this state board, of
which the Controller General shall be
the chief presiding officer, and from
the decision of this board there shall
be no appeal. Appeals may be taken,
however, from the county boards to
the state board, but the latter's action
is final
The measure, if passed, will do away
entirely with the arbitration of cor
poration tax returns, such as now ex-
list.
Autos Are Too Fast.
Mr.. Calvin of Richmond introduced
a bill to limit the speed of automo-
biles in cities and incorporated towns
to eight miles an hour, and on coun-
try roads to fifteen miles an hour. He
proposes that no such vehicle snail
be allowed to run faster than this any
where in the state.
To Tax Divorces.
Mr.. Granades of Wilkes wants to
supplement the state school fund by
putting a tax on divorces. He intro
duced a bill to-day which puts a tax
of $40 on each person to whom a d.
Vorce is granted, and a tax of $40 on
edCn PERSON HING d Dlll LOI OiNOI &C.
The bill excerpts all cases where the
established ground is infideity.
Better Pay for Chatham JaiIOrs.
Mr. Cam of Chatham introduced to-
day the first local bill from Chatham
county 1t provides for an amendment
to Section 3 of an act approved Sept.
20, 1881, so as to provide greater COM
pensation for the jailer of Chatham
county and his deputies. 1t provides
that in lieu of fees, the jailor shall be
paid 81, 900 a year for feeding and re-
ceiving prisoners. The deputy jailor
shall receive 5000 annually and the as
sisstant deputy jailors or Jail guards
shall be paid $50 a month.
For the Trip to Griffin.
On motion of Mr.. Stovall of Chatham
the House adjourned to meet Monday
morning at 10 o'clock, skipping Satur-
day so as to give the Legislature OPP
portunity to visit the state encamp-
ment at Griffin.
Senate Session Brief.
The Senate held a very short session
to-day. 1t passed the bill by Mr.. Hous-
ton of Fulton, allowing boys under 16
wears of age to be sent to county re-
formatories. and confirmed the appoint
ments which were sent in yesterday
nv Gov. Terrell. Several new bills
were introduced, but none of material
importance.