The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1908-01-02
REPORT
Governor Harris Commission Has
Message For Legislature.
REVENUES ARE DISCUSSED
Representative Bense on Local Option
Proposition-candidstes for
State offiess.

COluW DuS. - tSpectdI correspond"
ence) The Tax Commission of Ohio
has completed its report to Governor
Harris, and the governor will transmit
1t to the legislature early in its ses-
sion.
One thing that stands out promi.
nently in the report is the recommen.
dation for the enactment Of an inherit
ance tax. Although the states reve-
nUes are more than enough now to pay
expenses, the governor is taking time
by the fore lock and wants to have
some tax scheme that will fill up a
hole if revenues derived from the Dow
tax are reduced because OF the pas
sage of county local option law.
1t was because of this situation that
the Tax Commission recommends the
enactment of an inheritance tax law.
Such law will not bring in money
enough to make up for the losses sus-
tanned by the passage OF a county local
option bill, but it will be starter.
The Tax Commission may recon-
mend the extension Of the Nichols law
to all corporations. Now only tele-
graph, telephone and express compa-
MES pay taxes under the Nichols law.
Its extension to all corporations of
course will raise a howl-for nobody
pays taxes without growl-and when
this charge of the state is raised there
is more than a growl. II the Nichols
law Is extended to all corporations it
will be in anticipation Of heavy de-
crease in tax revenues caused by the
enactment OF a county local option
law. The extension would include
manufacturing" and mercantile corpo.
rations as well as public service cor
porations; and of course these inter
ests will fight such proposition.
The friends of a county local option
bill are afraid of just this angle in the
situation; they are fearful that a dis
cussion Of state financeRhn connection
with the local option bill will initiate
against the success Of the latter, and
in this they are accredited with being
most sagaciou3. There is bat little
doubt that many manufacturers mer-
chants and public service corporations
would take an active stand against
the local option proposition il they
knew that the passage of such law
me-nt an increase of taxes. That ia
what the opponents Of the measure are
trying to show.
Whatever may be the attitude of the
| Anti-Saloon league or the brewery in
| terests on the revenue proposition, IL
/ is true that the Tax Commission has
considered the question and recon-
mend an inheritance tax and an ex
/ tension of the Nichols law in the event
that the states revenues are cut down
ia any other way.
Governor Harris is not overly mod
est right now about letting his Opin
ions be known as to the length of the
coming session of the general assem-
bly,. He favOrs short session. He Is
afraid that the big surplus in the state
treasury-now more than seven mil
lions-will tempt the Legislators to be
come extravagant and for that reason
he wants them to get away early
Intimation that bill decreeing OhiC
prohibition state and a second bill
forbidding the sale OF whisky withiI
the commonwealth but permitting the
vending of beer under the option o.
towns and districts as provided in the
Dow, Aiken, Beall and Jones laws. will
be introduced in the coming session o
the Ohio legislature, has been voicet
by Representative Howard W. Pear!
o. Lima, says the Toledo Blade.
Discussion of the first measure, it /!
said, has extended so far that pro
gram for submitting prohibition bill
with referendum clause whereby I
vote Of the state might be obtained
has been tentatively decided on.
OF the second bill it is argued tina
law barring whisky from the state
but permitting the sale Ct beer an
lighter liquors. would do away wit
the clamOr against strong drink ant
leave to the liberal element its beveI
ages.
The intimation that such bills wer
in process of preparation was COZ
| cot In tntapuioxxy In which Nj
Pears declared the passage of tn
Rose county option bill was not nearl
| SO assured as public utterances of lat
would indicate.
II have met q number of senators
= and members Of the lower house, too
who have been reported as supporter
OF Senator Roses bill, who tell IN
they are not pledged in any way ant
indeed, have not made up their mind
in the matter" said Mr.. Pears.
Mr. Pears went on to say that tn
financial consideration involved wi
> play a big part In the Legislature
pointing to the loss In revenue whic
> would follow the closing of many s.
3 looms, as would be the result under tn
I Rose bill, IL enacted into law
He then spoke Of the possibilit,
limiting that it was moro 'han a poss
bility, Of state prohibitioA and stat
whisky-barring bills being introduces
: He would not discuss the matter {
length, leaving it to question frol
what source the measures were to b
expected.
.,.s