Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1904-02-10
SENATE And HOUSE
Proceedings Of the Two Branches Of
the General Assembly
MANY MATTERS OF INTEREST
What Our Lawmakers Arc Doing
Day BY Day-Bills That Have
Become Acts,
HOUSE.

Of the lawmakers in siich way as to
! make them solicitods as to the future.
The annual expenditures were in ex-
cess OF the annual revenue. The al,-
preparations were kept as low as pos
sible without Gripping any depart.
men. and commission was-appoint.
ed to investigate the situation and re.
port ways and means Of increasing
| the revenue.
The commission consisted of Sen
atorS Mower. Of Newberry and Man
ming. Of Sumpter. Thomas OF Richland
and Tatum OF 0rangGburg. Their re-
port has been published already in
The State. In accordance with their
finding. Mr.. Moses. who is chairman
Of the ways and means committee
| of the house, which introduces all
revenue bills. has presented four
measures to increase the receipts OF
the State treasury. In addition thereto
Mr.. jeremiah Slfith has a bill tc
change the entire system Of tax pay
ing. but his bill merely regulates the
manner or assessment and payment.
Mr.. w. j. johnson has a bill to pro-
vide for franchise tax of one mill
on the capitalization of every corpora
ton conducting business In the State.
Mr.. Johnson also has bill to provide
for an excise tax or The gross re-
ceipts Of all corporati> as Except tex
| tile mills and oil lnills) conducting
business within the State
But the. bills to which particular
attention will be given on account Of
the semi-oificial manner Of their pre-
! Sentatibn are the several measures
coming from Mr. Moses of the tax
commission. one of the most expert
anced. conservative anu thoughtful
legislators in the State The bills
which he has introduced are:
4 bill to require the payment of
annual license fees of corporations
doing business in the State. and to re.
quir4 them to report to the secretary
OF State.
A bill to amend he law as to the
graduated tax on incomes.
a bill to impose a tax on gifts. IN
heritances. devises, bequests and le-
| Ill Ctl CdSGS.
A bill to provide additional meas.
ures and remedies for collection on
past and unpaid taxes upon certain
property. which has escaped taxation.
a bill to amend the code Of laws
of South Carolina. 1909, In reference
to the State board of assessors and
It's duties.
| A bill in reference to the duties Of
chairman of local boards of assessors
and their compensation.
WHAT THE BILLS MEAN.
The bill last named provides that
under the direction of the countyza..
ditor the chairman q saehSfSo7wnship
board of assessoySSsn Shall make a can
vass at aeemuneratlon of $500 per
day aAa~shall add such property to
taetaX books as has escaped taxation.
= The bill in reference to the State
board of assessors would do away
with the board OF equalization of one
member for each county. and would
!; have one from each judicial circuit in
stead The board would also assess
hanks and railroad property as well as
textile industries.
The law as the income. TAX provides
that $500 is the minimum income
taxable. Mr.. Moses bill brings the
minimum income to $1,000 and pro-
vides that on all incomes over that
amount shall be tax of
cne halft of one per cent.
The income tax law as it
now stands is farce. The amended
law might he Of benefit.
The Inheritance tax bill provides
for an assessment Of / per cent. on
every Inheritance, gift, legacy or be-
Gtest when the same Is $4,000 or
more This Includes transfers by will
OF deceased persons. whether they
lived in the State or were non-resi-
dents. Also when the transfer is Of
property made by resident or by
nonresident when such non-resident's
property is within the, State, by deed,
grant, bargain. sale or gift made in
contemplation of the death of the
grantor, vendor. or donor, or intend
ing to take effect in possession or ell
ioyment at or after such DEATH"
TO TAX CERTAIN ROLLING
STOCK.
The bill to provide additional
measures and remedies for the collec-
tion on past due and unpaid taxes
upon certain property which has es.
capped taxation" is in the line of the
policy of the secretary Of State acting
rs agent for the sinking fund COM
mission The title Is little mislead-
ing. for 1t does not apply to all classes
Of property. but to the rolling stock Of
shippers Of meals. oils. cattle etc. who
use their own rolling stock 1t is
claimed that such cars have escap.
ed taxation, whereas Pullman cars
have been taxed just as railroad prop
ertv.
The bill contains the following def.
nition
THAT. the cars rolling stock, struc-
lures. works and appliances, of any
nature or character whatsoever pro-
vided the same be used in. about.
upon or In connection with any rail-
road. shall be deemed railroad proper
". and shall be liable to assessment
as railroad property for any years
that the said cars, rolling stock. struc-
tures or works shall have escaped
taxation from any cause"
The secretary of State is authorized
to collect past due taxes on such con-
Germs and to proceed to collect this
tax levy every year by notifying the
companies to submit a statement of
their business within the State. In
case of refusal to comply, the secretary
of State is authorized to fix valua-
ION which he deems fair, and from
his there can be no appeal.
Mr.. Moses bill to require the pay
nent of annual license fees of corpor
.tions conducting business in the
State. and to require them to report
20 the secretary Of State, is the one
which is expected to be productive of
revenue. 1t provides for tax OF three
mills on the gross receipts Of the fol-
lowing corporations to be paid before
the first of June Of each year: Any
railroad company. express company,
street railway company. navigation