The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1909-08-06
News Of The LEGISLATURE.

the provisions introduced by members
It soon VII be nearly as hard to get
drink Of soda water in the state
as It Is now to get a drink Of whis-
key. Face to face with deficit and
/ with salaries and bills unpaid, the
solons are grubbing desperately to
find revenue producers. Since the
advent of prohibition, the soft drink
industry has become the biggest thing
in the state Hence It ofrered the
easiest. solution of the problem. Here
are some Of the tax clauses already
passed by the house: Five dollars. a
year upon each faucet of soda wa
ter fountain; Ave hundred dollars
per year for each manufacturer
of carbonated water; $25 per year
upon each bott1ing machine in the
state; revenue stamp costing 5
cents each for a gallon of syrup or
tincture or extract manufactured or
sold. All of these taxes are in addi.
tion to the tax levied by the cities.
towns and villages in which the deal
er resides. and these towns have not
overlooked the soft drink dealers in.
their plans for raising revenue These
specific taxes which have been direct
ed against certain big manufacturers
OF we'll known bottled drinks. Sew
eral ambitious members say they
have measures being drawn which
will help to increase the funds. Con-
sentative members are alarmed, and
declare that unless the assembly
goes slow, 1t will cut OF nearly all
rfo t nfc nf IN
creasing it.
One of the first general bills Of
interest and Importance enacted by
the general assembly at this session
to be signed by Governor Brown is
that prohibiting the issuance of trad
ing stamps redeemable by a third
party, to which the governor has just
affixed his signature This bill was
especially championed by the seiia-
tor and representatives from Rich
mond county. 1t does not prohibit a
retail merchant from issuing trading
stamps and rebate checks, redeema-
BILE in trade in his own store, but it.
makes it unlawful for any merchant
to issue trading stamps for redenp-
ton by third party.
The Alexander prohibition bill
adopted as an amendment to Section
OF the general tax act in the house
Of representatives increases the IL,
cense tax on manufacturers and
wholesale dealers lin near beer; to ST.
600 and the tax on retail dealers to
$500, payable quarterly. It further
places many additional restrictions
upon holders of such licenses
Every dog has his day, but the
Georgia dog has had two days before
the general assembly. At the end
OF it, the dog comes out with tax
Of 81 year on his head, so far. as
the house has say about the matter.
CANNES, coca cola and automobiles
strike the house as being particular
ly good subjects to bear special tax
es. There were few to say a good
word in behalf of the dog. 1t is es-
timated that this tax will yield the
state nearly $4,000 in revenue, or
result in the wholesale destruction
of dogs. Under the amendment to
the tax act, as adopted by the house,
every dog must be given in for tax
alton, and where this is not done and
the dog is sold for taxes, If the amount
bid does not equal the tax and fees,
the unlucky dog is to be killed. 1t
was first decided to make the delin-
quent owner guilty of misdemeanor,
but this was stricken.
BY vote Of 90 to Is the senate
voted to remove from Office Chairman
S. G. McLendon of the railroad COM
mission
By an amendment to the general
tax act the house of representatives
placed a tax of 10 cents per gallon
upon coca cola and other syrups used
in the manufacture and sale of soft.
drinks in the state of Georgia.
The increase in the tax on corpora
tions and practically every other spe-
cial tax increase recommended by the
ways and means committee, was
stricken by the house of representa-
tives and the figures In the old act
restored. The corporation tax was
reduced, the maximum tax upon ST.
100000 corporations being made $10O;
the tax on social clubs was reduced
from $1,000 to $500, as in the old
law; the tax on loan agents was re-
duced from $50 to $40, and the tax
on cigarette dealers reduced from $50
to $25. The increased tax on cigars
and tobacco dealers was also stricken,
as was the increased tax ON sewing
machine agents. But the house soak
ed gypsy camps. In considering the
measure taxing itinerant dealers in
horses, mules and other live stock, it
provides that each individual meme
Der of camp of gypsies coming into
tho state should pay a tax of $500,
The effort of DIR. Hartman ofSJack-
SON IN have tho house racOnsider tho
vote by which it had killed his auto
mobile tax bill was unsuccessful
In support Of an amendment to re-
duce the tax on sewing machine com
panies from $500 to $500. the same