The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-03-10

the special order was called and tn.
Revenue bill was taken up.
THE REVENUE BILL.
The Senate, after its joyous outbreak
over the happiness Of Senator Milton
went to work in Committee OF the Whole
on section so. the rates of tax on ex
press companies. Senator Travis spoke
against the tax OF 200 a mile on its
| lines and urged that it should be s1.0o
Senator Justice said that the remarks
of the Senator from Halifax were
forcible and ingenious. On inquiry he
| failed to find from him the capital OF
| the Southern Express Company. and said
that the information as to the gross in
come, said to be sos 900. was certainly
incorrect, as in this only business done
strictly inside the State was considered
and no money for outside shipments was
considered. He urged that the $40
stand.
Senator Webb stated that he was in
fiuenced in his desire to have a tax Of
200 a mile imposed by the fact that
in Virginia this was about the rate on
the express companies. No effort had
been able to obtain the amount of the
capital OF the Southern Express Com
pany.
Senator Travis stated that from the re-
ports of the Corporation Commission
that s1OS,0 900 was the gross income in
North Carolina and that In Virginia the
Southern Express Company had about
9, 400 miles. He contended with Senator
Justice that his was right, though Sena-
tor Justice stated that this gross income
was not correct; that he understood the
mileage in Virginia to be about 500, and
stated that he considered the company
q tax dodger.
Senator Mann urged that a low rate be
made SO that people in his section might
get express over steamboat lines.
Senator Aaron said that perhaps IS per
cent. of all the express came from East
ern North Carolina, the trucking section,
and that because Of the relations he
urged conservative measures.
There was much debate and many
amendments We're offered. Against the
$500 rate Senators Travis, Lamb,
Marshall and others spoke. while Sena-
tors Justice, Webb, London, Brown and
others stood for the tax.
In speaking of the gross income OF the
company Senator Webb said he had
learned from reliable sources that in
Charlotte alone in one year the receipts
were $85, 900. In reply it was stated that
in the gross income reported to the
Corporation Commission only intra-State
express was named.
Then these amendments were lost:
Senator Durham. to reduce to $3.50 a
mile; Senator Travis, to $1.00 a mile;
Senator Mann, to $40 0 on the main line,
LOO IN branch lines, so cents on steam
boat lines; Senator Marshall, to $1.5O
a mile. The following carried: Senator
Mann, to exempt EXPRESS;
Senator Henderson, to put "city or
town" in place of corporation" Senator
Brown ''provided that this section"
shall not allow any county, city or town
to impose any other tax except the. ad
ValOrem.
In section 80 Senator Spence tried to
provide for a franchise tax by county,
city or town. This was lost. Senator
Gilliam's amendment to the same end
was lost. An amendment by Senator
Henderson carried, this being to with
draw permission from any foreign cor
p~oration to do business in this State
if they failed to pay the tax.
There was some humor when the mar
riage license tax was taken up. This
was made $1.0O for the State to be paid
the Register of Deeds, the counties be-
ing given the right to levy the same
tax.
The other sections were all adopted
till the last was reached.
Section 81, reading as follows: "All
laws imposing taxes, the subjects of
which are revised in this act, are hereby
repealed: Provided, that this repeal shall
not extend to the provisions of any law,
SO far as they relate to the taxes listed,
or which ought to OR would have been
listed, or which may be due previous to
the ratification of this act" was amend
ed by adding to it, "Provided further,
that this section shall not be construed
to repeal any law otherwise empowering
towns and cities to impose taxes, nor
shall it affect unexpired licenses which
| have been issued"
Section 4 was reverted to and the cor
porations therein named were further
identified by using concerning them
these words, (which now or may here
after be required by law" to make re-
ports.
Senator Webb asked to allow Senator
Burton to offer an amendment to section
GA, concerning the application Of the
State Liquor tax in certain cases to
graded schools, but the Senate declined.
The committee rose and reported the
bill ready. 1t was read the second time,
| passed, and it's fna1 reading comes to-
| day, after which 1t will go to the House
1 for concurrence in the amendments.
The Joint Committee on Appropria-
tons submitted the bill carrying appro-
p~riation for State institutions. These
will be found on page tour of this paper.
"Under the Dome" The bill also con-
tains the following:
In the A. and NJ. College the scholar
ships are hereafter to be limited to one
to each member of the House of Repre-
SentativeS and no more.
None except INDECENT insane persons
and INDECENT deaf, dumb and blind are
to be received in any State Hospital or
any institution for deaf, dumb and blind
unless maintenance is paid for.
No greater sum is to be expended
than is appropriated to any institution,
and only for purposes named. Nc debt
80 ~"