The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-02-20
TO TAX FRANCHISES
COMMITTEE REPORTS FAv0RABLf
 ON MANER BILL.
Measure Proposes to Include Intangible Property of CorporatiOns--Insur" ance Agents Protest Agefngt
 Pending LeRisiafion.

Representative Maners bill for the taxation of the franchises. or 'intangi- ble property of corporations was act ed upon fayorably yesterday by the Committee on Ways and Means or tue House The measure proposes to put tax on those classes of property which have not heretofore been taxed.
 Two or three methods Of reaching these concerns, which it has been felt in the past were not paying their just proportion of the expenses or the government have been proposed.
 One of the general revenue bills sub mitted provides for 8 heavy license tax for such corporations, based upon their gross earnings or income. It was re- ported favorably by the committee a few days ago, but with q proviso that snch license tax would not be ettectiye in ease law were passed by the Legis- Iature such as the Maner bill. subject ing the franchises to taxation.
 The bill Is so drawn as to make tax able all invisible property of such con cerns as sleeping car companies, tank line companies. stock car lines, etc, as well as street car concerns.
 The Ways and Means Committee al so had before it, and agreed to a fav- orable recommendation, the measure to increase the tax on the premiums col lected by foreign insurance companies. All fire premiums are taxed under the present law at one per cent. At the ! same time, 1t Is the purpose to raise the | tax on life insurance premiums from 1 one and a half per cent to two and | half per cent.
 | The object of the bill. 1t is explain ! ed, is to force the insurance companies 1 to invest their surplus funds derived | from their Alabama patrons in Alabams | securities, there being provision that | the tax shall be remitted on such pro | portions of the premiums collected as | shall be shown to have been used IT l investments in this State.
 After the measure had been once act | ed upon, some local insurance agents asked to be heard on the measure anC another meeting was held yesterday af ternoon. At that meeting. 1t was rep
 resented that some of the companie
 were threateneing, under the increased rate of taxation, to withdraw from tn
 State, or to force the agents to pay thu
 premium tax It would be an unjus
 tax upon the agents, they represented and was not intended to be placed upol
 them. On the other hand. If the com
 panies should withdraw from the State 1t would be a severe blow to the agents l who would lose the business they ha'
 been building up for years.
 A number of the committee expresse'
 themselves as being willing to let tn l present rate of premium tax stand, bu
 no action was taken looking to a diff
 erent report upon the measure.
 Another measure acted upon favora
 bly by the committee yesterday was tn
 bill introduced by Speaker Mar
 tin to prohibit any shows o
 pictures that depicted the ga
 and festive life of the train rob
 Der. The committee seemed to take tn .i same view of it as the Speaker, tha
 such scenes were not in keeping wit
 the grave and solemn duties restini
 upon this generation for the trainin
 up of the next. and was far from tn
 direction in which the young ide
 should be taught to shoot.