Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1909-08-03
MUST SPEND LESS, OR
MUST RAISE MORE
Mr.. Reid Gives Clear Dis
CuSSiOn of Finances
No Chance To Come
Out Even AS Things
Now Are

Atlanta, Ga, Aug 2.-"We must
either spend less money, contrive to
raise more money, or the state of
Georgia must inevitably go into
bankruptcy" said Mr.. Reid, of Camp
bell, chairman of the ways and means
committee in an earnest address be-
fore the House of Representatives
on the pending general tax act report
ed by his committee.
He said that the state of Georgia
had been running behind from $780,
600 to $250,000 a year in the mat
ter of the excess of appropriations
over receipts from taxes. The con-
sequences of such policy were for
chilly pointed out by him.
He further impressed upon the
members of the house that this was
a legislative problem; that upon the
legislature devolyed the task of rails
ing the revenue to support the state
| government; that whatever was good
or bad in the tax laws was charge
| able or creditable to the legislative
branch solely and that the governor
had nothing in the world to do with it.
The States Finances.
Coming to a detailed discussion OF
The states finances, Mr.. Reid said on
January /, 1909, there was. cash on
hand in the state treasury of $6SS, 900
He said there was due on the bubble
debt tie su moi $25O,000. Due ON the
public school fund to teachers Who
had already earned the amount bf
their salaries 1891 900, making a total
OF !! ,l&1000, leaving a balance due by
the state on it's contract debts of
$5430
The income Of 'se state this yea
would be no more than last year. he
thought. On information received
from the chairman of the appropria-
tons committee, he denied the report
that the appropriation bill carried this
year 100000 less than last. He
thought it would not be possible to re-
duce the maintenance fund of the va
rious state institutions, although some
slight reductions might be made in
special appropriations.
This being true, he emphasized the
great need for a scientific tax bill that
would furnish the revenue needed by
the state. Despite the income of
$4,000 from near beer, he thought
there would be a large decrease in re-
ceipts this year as compared with last
unless the receipts from special
sources showed an extraordinary and
unlocked for increase.
Need of Special Taxes.
This is your bill, not mine. Do
what you want to with it," said Mr..
Reir, in discussing the efforts of the
committee to devise special taxes that
would raise revenue and yet not bear
oppressively upon business. He said
he had gotten up a list of 60 or Is
articles not now taxed which might
inserted in the tax bill, but he was re-
luctant to do so. The committee in it's
arduous labors had been unwilling
he insisted, to impose any increased
burdens upon the people of Georgia.
Adverting to the tax of $25 origin
ally placed on automobiles and later
killed by a committee amendment, he
said the committee thought it a small
enough tax to place upon an expensive
luxury that the owners could easily
pay.
AS to the proposed retaliatory tax
on foreign insurance companies he
said $14,500,00O in insurance premiums
were paid annually by the people of
Georgia, and that only about one-half
of the amount ever found it's way back
into the State
He said the foreign corporations
owned practically no property in the
State and were relieved from this pro-
perry tax which the Georgia companies
were compelled to pay. He could not
see the reason for complaint that a
$1,000 tax on corporation chartered
in New Jersey was an outrageous tax,
and that tax of $1,000 a year on the
business of Georgia soft drink com
pany, meaning the Coca Cola company
was a reasonable tax.
He thought the one bright spot in the
situation was the marvellous produ- !
tive power of Georgia that she could
send from $7,000,000 to $10,OOO,O0O out !
of the State annually in insurance
premiums; contribute her quota to the
support of the national government,
pract cally none of which came back
from either source, otherwise shell
conld not hold M under the strain.
Makes it Unanimous.
(St. Louis Post-Dispatch.)