Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-08-03
DOUBLED TAXES
ON NEAR-BEER
House Adopted Stringent substi-
tute to Near-Beer Section Of
General Tax Act.

o'clock.
Sections of the bill providing for the
manner OF returning properties for taxa
ton were adopted, as well as for the
imposing Of the customary fines and PEN
alties in the case of noncompliance with
the Jaw.
All foreign and home insurance COM
panies doing business in. this state will
be required to pay, as formerly, per
centum on all premiums.
NEAR-BEER UP AGAIN.
The near-beer section was read and ar
gument begun.
Mr.. Reid of Campbell chairman of ways
and means committee, moved to amend
by striking the whole near-beer section
from the general tax act. He felt that
the constitutionality of the near-beer tax
might be questioned unless II was taken
out of the general tax act and passed
as a separate bill. The near-beer tax
was originally instituted at a special ses-
sion for the special purpose Of raising
money TO take care of the conVicts.
There is no longer need of the money for
that purpose and he doubted II the house
had the authority to continue this tax for
general purposes without passing a spe-
cial separate bill to that effect.
AMENDMENTS ARE READ.
A number of amendments were sent to
Among them was a substitute for the
entire section, offered by Mr.. Alexander
of DeKalb. The substitute was six
typewriter pages long and its purpose
was to double the near-beer tax rates as
they now exist and to fix the law so
that no man holding a near-beer license
can make II a cloak for violation OF the
law.
Under the Alexander resolution manu-
facturers would pay $3.50 each quarter.
The retailers would pay $125 per quar-
ter.
Under the present law the manufactu-
rers pay $500 a year and the retailers pay
500 a year.
BOUGHT PABsTs BEER.
Mr.. Alexander rose to explain his sub
stitute, and declared he was acting to
regulate the abuses of the liquor traffic.
and appealed for the vote of every MEM
Der Of the house who favored the en-
forcement of the prohibition law. Though
a prohibitionist, he spoke not as a pro-
hibitionist, but as a citizen pleading for
the enforcement of an existing law, for
the carrying out of the wishes expressed
by the people of the state The prohibi-
ton law was being violated in the shadow
of the capitol. To prove it, he had caused
Babst's blue ribbon beer to be bought
places in Atlanta, and the messenger
whom he had sent to buy Budweiser could
have bought this latter brand, to be
drunk on the premises. but couldn't take
1t away with him In the bottle. Mr..
Alexander gave a brief and running his
tory of the movement which began many
years ago and finally led up to the pass
age of the prohibition law in Georgia.
law which was being widely violated,
and which his substitute was intended
to enforce.
Mr.. Alexander submitted In evidence
the two bottles of Pabst's blue ribbon
beer, which he declared had been bought
within the shadow OF the capitol"
The proposed substitute, he explained.
provided that all near-beer places should
be always open to the sheriffs inspec-
tions and that every near-beer dealer
be compelled to take oath that he would
sell no beverage in violation of the pro-
hibition law. The substitute is full of sim
liar safeguards for strict enforcement of
prohibition.
CITED TRAGIC INCIDENTS.
He cited a number Of notorious exam
Piles of violation OF the law, and of trag-
cdies which had resulted during the past
year from strong drink purchased in
alleged near-beer saloons.
T. A
m. and at 1870 p. m. it was his evil
dent intention to continue until the
o'clock adjournment. In answer to a
question II he were simply filibustering
with the intention of preventing the mat
ter from coming to a vote. he replied
.ssno." but said he felt 1t his duty to
treat the subject exhaustively.
At 1890 D. m. Mr.. Sheppard of Sumter
moved to postpone debate on this substt-
tute until Monday at 10 a. m, but on
a vote Il was decided to return to the
amendments for final vote.
An amendment by Mr.. Hall of Bibb pro-
hibiting the issuance of licenses for
places outside the corporate limits of
cities and villages was read, and Mr.. Hall
was given the floor. II what Mr.. Alex
ander said was true, declared Mr.. Hall,
the whole evil should be crushed out.
The house could not afford to license a
business which, as Mr.. Alexander said.
was running the state 7is amehuLhehI
was adopted
An amendment by Mr.. Hill of Monroe
was passed to put a tax of $500 year
on warehouses.
A number OF other amendments were
killed.
An amendment of the Alexander sub
stitute by Mr.. Boyd Of Spalding to permit
| housewives 10 IldnuldSNuAC ASA W.
nestle and medicinal purposes was adopt
ed by Il to Sc votes.
! At 1850 D. m. Mr.. Alexander's substi-
tute was brought up for a final aye and
| nay vote.
! 1t was adopted by a vote of Sc to 7S
| the roll call being finished at $50 p. m.
Mr.. Anderson of Chatham, and others
| explained their negative votes by saying
/ the substitute would kill revenue and thai
the general tax act was for revenue rails
ing and not for prohibitory purposes.
Many others voted nay because they
were opposed to the amendment permit
ting housewives to make domestic wine
They thought It was letting down thu
bars and tampering with the prohibition
! law.
Messrs Wright Of Floyd and Sheppard
of Sumter voted aye because they sale
they noticed the men who had been reg
ularly opposed to prohibition were voting
| mo"
ADJOURNS TO SATURDAY.
| At D. m Friday. Immediately after thu
convocation Of the house for Afternoon
| session. II was announced that the stat
sanitarium committee and the state peni
Tertiary committee intended leaving At
lanta the same afternoon to visit thos'
two institutions. Members of these TIVE
committees requested, therefore, that al
general tax matters be deferred until
! Monday morning at 10 o'clock. The TO
quest was unanimously granted. This &C
ton was followed by a motion to adjourn