The log cabin Democrat., 1911-09-02
II BILL NOW IN
CHANCERY court
ATTY.-GEN. NORWOOD SIDES
AGAINST TAX COMMISSION
IN CONTROVERSY.

Little Rock, Sept. 2.-The tax COM
sion insists that it is not attempting
to make political issue of the Tur-
ner-Jacobson revenue bill, which is
just now attracting more attention
than anything else in the state. The
issue was Joined today, when Attor-
neys Reid & Mehaffy, for the tax COM
mission, brought suit in Pulaski chan
Gerry court, asking that County Asses
sor Moore be restrained from certify |
ing out the assessments he has made |
of the Pulaski Gas Light Co., the Ar
kansas Water Company and the Little
Rock Railway and Electric Company,
and that he be required instead to GER
tify the assessments made by the tax
commission, under the terms of the
revenue BILL
No greater confusion has ever aris-
en- over any measure passed by the
Arkansas legislature, not excepting
the antitrust act. and no one can
predict where it will end. Attorney
General Norwood, who has openly ex-
pressed his dsapproval of the bill, is
opposing the tax commission. He
says he does not think "there is any
necessity at this time or any other
time, for the measure" contending
that sour present laws regarding the
assessment and collection of taxes are
not responsible for the present condi-
ton" He today filed in chancery
court demurrer to the suit of the
tax commission, asking that the in
junction be not issued, on the ground
that the act is not law; that if the
tax assessor be enjoined as contem-
plated, he cannot perform the duties
| required of him by law; that the Tur-
ner-J Jacobson bill is not in effect, the
80 days allowed by the initiative and
referendum after the governors sig
nature not expiring until September
| 8; that the governors action in sign
ing the enabling act first has no bear
ing upon the situation, as the amend
ment is self-executing, and requires
no enabling act.
The business interests of the state
have been very active in securing sig
natures to the petition for the refer
ence of the act to the bill, and it is
stated by the board of trade of Little
Rock that about 10000 names have
been secured all over the state, where
as only about 5000 are required.
There are many wise men discuss
ing the Turner-J Jacobson BILL" said
Governor Donaghey. "They admit
that it is no fault of the present law
that the state is in bad way finan-
cially. Now would ask these gentle
men to tell US what the reason is.
There can be no charge of extrava
gance against the state officials, for
during the last two years the chief
executive has vetoed over a million
dollars of appropriations. If there is
no necessity for more complete reve-
nue. law, then why not? If equaliza-
ton is of any benefit to the small tax
payer, why should there be objections
to its application to the large tax
payer And why do not the large
property holder sspeak of the equal
ization feature while discussing the
faults they choose to find with the
act? Again, / did not know that ev-
cry man who favored the initiative
and referendum was required to favor
the reference of every act that comes
up. 1t took two-thrds of the voters
to adept the initiative and referendum
amendment, but five per cent can
cause an act to be referred. Accord
ing to their reasoning, then, there is
81 per cent of the voters who may be
classed as inconsistent"
While Governor Donaghey is de-
Tending the bill and opposing it's ref
erence, Attorney General Norwood
and Congressman Robinson, candi-
dates for governor, find themselves on
common ground in opposing the law
as unnecessary, inexpedient and i'm
practicable