Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-01-27
VOTE To REPEAL
MORTGAGE TAX.
House Proposes to Submit a Con-
stitutionaI Amendment to
The People,
DISCUSSED AT SOME LENGTH.
Law Said TO be Responsible for Most
Colossal System Of Tax
DOdging.

For some time yesterday afternoon
the house discussed house joint resolu-
ton No. /, by Kinney, fayorIng an
amendment TO the Constitution exempt
ing mortgages from taxation The res
olution was made the special order for
3 o'clock. and for nearly an hour there
after the matter occupied the attention
OF the state solons. Finally a vote was
taken and the resolution passed with
A. ayes, 1 nay and two absent one Of
the absentces was Mr.. Joseph who, at
the critical moment, left the room but
before doing so paired with Mr,Kuch-
Ter. The latter, however favored the
resolution, and as Mr. Joseph was OPP
posed he was 80 voted, but later the
pair" was declared off, ana the gentle
man from Salt Lake was announced
absent
McCrea opened the discussion by stat
Ing that while the resolution favored
the repeal OF the clause IN the Consti-
tuition providing for the taxation Of
mortgages, It was not drawn In the In
terest of the money lenders. The mort
gage tax, he commended was responsible
for the most colossal system of tax
lodging ever perpetrated I'm this state.
II favored the non-resldent money len
der at the expense Of widows and or
phans, who are lending money at home.
II also encouraged fraud, because 1t IN
duced Utah people to loan their money
In the names OF relatives living I'm 9TH
er states. II worked a hardship on
borrowers because the tax was fire.
auently added to the interest despite
the fact that IN most cases the tax was
never paid by the individual loaning the
money.
Mr.. Kinney, author OF the resolution.
stated that not more than 2 per cent
OF the mortgages In Salt Lake county
paid tho tax. The law, therefore, was
one Of the most inlquitous ON the stat
ute books, as It Disseminated against
the poor and left them no loop-hole Of
escape.
Joseph wanted TO know how much
revenue was derived from the tax on
mortgages as he did not desire to sup
mort "a measure that would tend to
weaken the state treasury. He said he
had been Informed by Mr.. Edward
that SO per cent of the property IN salt
Lake city was mortgaged II this was
so the repeal Of the law might serious
IS affect the revenues Of the state.
MIR Miller Ventured the assertion that
III Only = per cent W lllt lll'l Abhb'N We q
taxable, the assessors must be guilty OF
gross negligence Speaking for Weber
copnty, MIR, Kuchler said that the same
condition obtained IN that section He
said the tax was an injustice to WI
dows, orphans, business men and tax
payers. Pancake favored the resolu-
ton. as da also Austin Edward ana
many others.
When the vote was taken Kinney
moved that the resolution IN full ana
tho vote, be recorded In the Journal,
and Il was 30 ordered.
COMMITTEE STRENGTHENED.
Wilson, chairman OF the committee on
FISH and game asked that the COM
mittee be Increased from Ave members
TO seven, 30 as to make II the same
number as that OF the senate. Wootton
and Cromar were added to the commit
tee.
on motion OF Austin, house Joint
memorial No was transferred from
the committee ON public lands to the
committee on federal relations and
Joint memorials