The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-02-22
INCREASES THE INCOME
Tax on Standard Oil Company
 Fixed at $10,000.
From Early Morning Until Nightfall Lawmakers Considered the Bill in Committee of Whole.
 Sharp Discussion Over
 Aeged Gag Rule"

In continuous session lasting from o'clock in the morning until 5:30 o'clock in the evening the House of Representa- tives yesterday completed the considera- ton ofpassed and sent to the Senate with out engrossment, the general revenue bill. The bill had been before the House a full month and it was stated on the floor of the House that Governor Jelks was hold Ing up all appropriation bills until the revenue bill had become a law.
 The Senate has four days in which to consider and pass the bill before the recess.
 From its introduction in January until Its passage yesterday the general revenue Dill has had a checkered career. A Board of State officials composed of the Gov ernor, the Auditor ana the Attorney Gen era, in compliance with a provision of the constitution prepared and submitted to the legislature revenue bill. This bill was referred to a joint committee composed of the Ways and Means Com mittee of the House and the Finance and Taxation Committee of the Senate. It was before this committee three weeks and the committee reported back to the House a substitute for the original bill. a substitute which was based more on the revenue code than on the bill sum mitted by the State officials. although it embodied most of the suggestions made by the officials.
 The House five or six times has resolv ed itself into the Committee of the Who'll to consider the bill, but it never until yesterday made rapid progress with the measure.
 Started Work Early.
 The House met yesterday with the full determination to see the end of the con sdration of the revenue bill. It met at g o'clock to take an early start and no attention was paid to the dinner hour. Hour after hour passed and the law makers sat doggedly at their task. They started out bright and full of talk but before the end was reached the members did not want to talk and they did not care to hear anybody else talk Towards nightfan as the shadows heightened the ordinary courtesies between members were absent and the passage at arms between members became acrimonious. The bill was finally disposed of. how ever. and the members drew sigh of relief.
 As it goes to the Senate the revenue bill contains section aimed at the great Standard oil Trust It provides that any  ing oil shall pay a State license of $10000, a license fin each county in which it does business of 500 and in each incorporated town or city of $50.
 The House also incorporated into the bill stamp tax on mortgages in lieu of all other taxes. The stamp tax feature was incorporated into the bill by Repre- sentative Maner of Montgomery It pro- vides that the stamp tax shall be To cents on the hundred dollars.
 MT. London of Jefferson made deter mined, but unsuccessful. attempt to have the State Back Tax Commissioner othce abolished, but he could not summon corporars guard to his aid.
 The days proceedings were further en- livened by the charge that an attempt was being made to gag the House and railroad the bill through. The debate on that charge was hot and spirited.
 Standard Oil Company Provision. The attack on the Standard oil Com- many came late in the afternoon, a short while before the work was finished. The section aimed at the Standard oil Com many was proposed by Speaker Tunstall. its important feature was the paragraph renuiring firms or corporations selling Illuminating and lubcicating oils to pay a tax of s10,O0O to the State
 In offering the amendment Speaker TunStall said:
 Ny sole purpose in desiring to have this section incorporated into the bill is to increase the revenues of the state or Alabama by making a great corporation doing an enormous business pay its fair share of the Governments expenses.
 Members Were Afraid.
 The members of the House were at first @ little afraid of the amendment. They feared that the Standard oil Company in Tl-A ,.F oil to an exorbitant figure or withdraw from the State and refuse to supply the peo- pie of Alabama with oil.
 When the amendment was proposed Maner asked the Speaker:
 ''Wouldn't this bill practically put monopoly in the hands of the Standard oil Company, which would put up the price of oi?"
 "It would make the company bear its just share of the burdens of the govern ment." responded the Speaker
 Mir. Blackburn, of Jefferson, asked what condition 1t would leave the State In if the company decided to entirely withdraw from Alabama
 .I know" said Mir Blackburn. that a great corporation. the Birmingham Roll ing Mil Company, objected to a license nut on 1t hy the city of Birmingham and on the threat of moving it's plant. 1t whipped the city into line and had the license tax remove
 Mr TunstalI responded that he did not beItcve that the Legislature of Alabama could be deterred from doing its duty by any such threat
 Opposed by Judge Walker.
 MT. Walker. of Madison. thought the amendment unwise.
 This provision" he said will hand the state of Alabama over to the Stand ard oil Company because no other com pany could do business under such a i,corse With one hand John n. Rocke- Teller would collect a fortune from the neople of the State In increased prices for oil and with the other he would es- +ahIjsh another university
 MT. Hoffman. of Mobile, favored the amendment. declaring that 1t would in- grease the revenues and that the Lexis