The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-02-11

this there can be no appeal.
Mr.. Moses bill to require the pay
ment OF annual license fees of corpor-
atoms conducting business in the
State. and To require them to report
to the secretary Of State. is the one
which is expected 80 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
company. water works company. pow
cr company, light company. telegraph
company, parlor, dining and sleeping
Car company.
Taxation in the House.
Ey vote OF 80 to IS the house
Thursday night passed the first OF the
revenue bills submitted by the tax
commission appointed by the legisla-
ture last year to find some measures to
relieve the State from its financial
stringencies which have become an
noying of late years. The bill referred
to is the franchise tax measure intro
discussion was evident from the begin
ming, but regardless OF the overwhelm-
ing majority in opposition to him, Mr..
Bomar made strong fight against the
bill. His argument on the constitutional
ton mills. fertilizer plants, etc. the
franchise will be one half Of one mill.
In Mr.. jeremiah Smiths bill the fee
is $40 per annum for each concern.
Another revenue bill not named
above IS the measure to license the
catching of oysters, clans, terrapins
and other sea products.
phase was very clear. The presenta-
ton of the case by Mr.. Moses. and
later by ". J. johnson was very con-
yincing that the pace has been set by
other States, and that the revenue to
be obtained by South Carolina will be
in excess OF the annual deficit Of the
last three or four years.
The bill 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
company, water works company, pow
er company, light company, telephone
Or telegraph company, parlor. dining
and sleeping car company.
Upon companies which are not pub
lie utilities-such as cotton mill, banks,
oil mills, and such institutions char
tered by the State-the tax is to be
one-half of one million the capital
stock With the other concerns the as
sessment is on the gross receipts. With
the companies not public utilities the
payment of the franchise tax must be
made before the first day of April,
and with the public utilities the tax
of three mills on the gross receipts OF
the preceding year is to be paid before
the first of June, the time OF year
when the State is most in need OF
ready CASH
The work of tie house Friday was
varied in its nature, and bills OF many
kinds were rejected and were passed.
The bicycle and automobile bill was
sent to the senate; the Charleston
Medical college bill was passed; the
bill to give exclusive jurisdiction to the
United States upon certain landed ac-
quisitions was accepted in the original;
and the bill to establish breweries and
beer dispensaries was killed.
An effort was made to recommit the
bill relating to the riding Of bicycles
and automobiles before it got to the
senate but the house refused to stop
the bill in its passage. pre1erring TO
have any necessary amendments made
in the senate. Mr.. Moses called atten-
ton to the fact that while the bill per-
mits a bicycle rider to get permission
to pass a conveyance. the driver Of an
automobile must get down and stand
beside his machine. And MIR. Cooper
directed attention to the fact that
while the bill prescribes punishment
for the FIRST offence" it makes no pro-
vision for other offences. The house
thought that recommittal would be
tantamount to killing the bill and the
motion was voted down.
The following bills passed third read
ing: Mr.. Richards to- increase the
scholarships at Winthrop from Sf4 to
800 each; Mr.. Kibler's to provide for
in insurance commissioner; Mr.. Maui
din's providing for the investigation
into the causes Of fires and to provide
for the prevention Of excessive fire in
.:irance rates: and the tax commits
SONS bill to require the payment OF
franchise tax by corporations. Mir.
Mauldin's bill was not thoroughly ac-
ceptable to the insurance companies,
as has been reported. nor can it be
called an insurance company bill. for
while they accept the bill as whole,
the companies were not pleased with
the provisions which permit the COM
missioner to investigate complaints
that the rates are too high and TO
make the companies give rates on the
same basis as in other States.
There was somewhat of disposition
tc have a great many bills made spe-
cial orders and TO give the general
orders a chance. Mr.. Williams moved
that all the special orders be discharg-
ed for the day and that the house pro-
ceed regularly with the calendar. This
was agreed to and quite number OF
bills were gotten off the calendar where
they might have remained for some
time as there are special orders enough
to keep the house busy for several