The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-08-09
GEORGIA LOSES
 CHANCE ID LEAD Alabama Is First In Acting
 Upon Income Tax RESOLUTION MAY FAIL Georgia Legislators Think State Ought to Have Its Own Income Tax Law. Senate May Increase Amount
 of Appropriations
RESOLUTION MAY FAII


 has lost her chance to take the lead ir | ratifying the income tax amendment to the federal constitution. which was the hope of Senator H. H. Perry of the Thir- ty-third, as well as Senator J. B. Jack son of the Twenty-f1rst, who is the au- thor of the ratification resolution pend ing in the senate.
 Alabama, the first state on the alpha betical list, appears to have led all the rest in this respect.
 But even had the resolution been gotten up for action in the Georgia assembly, there Is serious doubt of its passage, not withstanding the national democratic platform demand for an income tax. This doubt Is becoming more and more appar- ent every day.
 In the preliminary slkirmishes which have taken place over the ratification resolution in the senate, 1t has been shown that a fight will be made to defeat it on the ground that if there is to be any income tax, the state and not the na- tional government should get it. And this ground Is taken and persisted in, despite tho fact that every time the in- come tax proposition has made its ap- pearance in the Georgia legislature 1t has been voted down.
 The charge is made by those favoring the national amendment that the argu- ment Of the states interest is one which Is being used for all 1t is worth by lobbyists against the ratification of the amendment
 a sition to the resolution is a decidedly respectable one When the senate had before 1t the proposal of Senator Perry to make It the special order for imme- diate consideration it was voted down by 32 to :.
 This does not mean that there are 32 votes in the senate against ratification; possibly many of these will favor the resolution, but simply thought there was no hurry about it, and that there was other legislation which should receive prior consideration
 Nevertheless 1t Is indication of fight whenever the ratification proposal comes to the front-a fight which will prob ably be led by Senator Burwell of the Twentieth, the same who led the fight for the removal from office of Chairman s. G. McLendon of the railroad commits sion.
 Senator Burwen bases his opposition wholly upon the view that if there is anything in this income tax business for anybody he wants to see the state get 1t rather than the federal government. It is known that large number of senators share this view, and the vote is expected to be close.
 Senator Perry contends that Georgia a.t.. ffa1 tx. come tax, even if 1t were favored by the legislature of the state, on account of the fact that United States supreme court decisions have held that no state can levy tax upon the income ot any corporation engaged in interstate traf- fc 1t making no difference whether such corporation Is operated under Georgia charter or one from some other state. How the house stands on the subject there is no telling. That body has been too busy with other matters to give 1t even momentary consideration. It re- | ferred the resolution to its general judi l ciary committee and there, at present, it | rests.
 Present indications are that 1t will not | be acted upon by the Georgia leglsla- | ture at this session.
 General Tax Bill. The senate will not reach final disposi- tion either of the general tax bill or the general appropriations measure until the closing days of the session next week.
 The present session of the general as- sembly comes to an end Wednesday night time that will, no doubt. see confer ence committees busy upon both of those measures
 | It is the general belief that approprla- | tions which were materially cut by the house, particularly those to the states higher educational institutions, will be | considerably increased in the senate. ] The house especially whacked down the | appropriations to the university and Its | branches, in some instances cutting even l below the appropriations of last year. The | state normal school, where the teachers | for the common schools of the state are | trained, is a case in point. Last yeai this institution had $S7,000. This year ii asked for an increase to s42,0OO. on the l ground that it will be impossible for il l to take care of all the applicants on a smaller maintenance fund. Yet upon the | ground that the $7000 was an appropria. | ton made for a specific purpose, the l house cut that off as well as the increase and left the total fund for this institution only $30,000 a year for the next two years There is little doubt that the senate following the recommendation of its ap |
 crease the appropriation to the state nor nal school, and then will come the con test between the conference committees of the two houses over this and numerous | other propositions. upon some of whicf
 they are likely to lock horns hard. l It Is probable that other appropria- l tions will be increased by the senate | though there Is disposition in tha
 body to stick closely to income. ana un-
 less there are some material increases
 in the general tax bill, promising addi.
 tional sources of income, the increasei
 in appropriations will be closet, l watched.
 Neither body is inclined this year tc
 do much with special appropriations
 Those which have passed the house
 including $22.o00 for the agriculture
 schools and $10,000 to fight black roo
 in cotton aggregate all told consid
 erably less than $100,000, whereas those
 passed by the last legislature were
 $300000 or hore.
 One additional appropriation which
 stands a pretty good chance of enact
 ment, alth ough the house cut 1t out