Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1912-10-25
THE TAX AMENDMENTS.

opsis OF the proposed amendments
to the State Constitution in the or
der in which they will appear on
the ballot at next Tuesdays cleo
ton.
Amendment No. /, the first on
the ballot. is the main tax reform
amendment, the one known as the
segregation amendment and the
amendment that revolutionizes our
entire taxing system, and will force
the large corporations, such as the
Standard Oil Co., the Union Sui
phur Co., the rail roads, &C., to
pay their just proportion of taxa
ton and take the heavier burden
off the shoulders of the small prop
erty holders. Vote for it.
Amendment No. 2 is purely a
local option amendment, and would
be a fine advertisent for the various
parishes of this State among the
people of the West and Middle
West.
Amendment No. 3 proposes to
exempt from taxation for 20 years
corporations organized for the sole
purpose of lending money on coun-
try real estate at not more than 6
per cent interest net to the bor-
rover; the ratification of this amend
ment would mean cheaper money
to the farmer, if corporations take
advantage of the exemption.
Amendment No. A proposes to
exempt from taxation all money in
hand or on deposit. Under our pres
ent law, money is subject to taxa
ton just like any other property,
but it is almost, if not quite, inn
possible to find the money SO as to
tax it, and if determined effort
were made to tax it, the result
would be that the people with large
amounts of cash would send their
money out Of the State, instead of
keeping it at home. Taxation Of
money is a farce, SO why not do
away with it?
Amendment No. 5 gives the par
ishes the right, by vote of its own
people, to exempt homes actually
occupied by the owner, from taxa.
ton, up to a value of $1,000. The
parish, under this amendment
could by vote of the people make
the exemption, any amount up t.
the sum Of $1,000.
Amendment No. 6. This is pure
ly a local option measure, giving th,
parishes, by a vote of its people, th'
right to exempt any or all towns il
the parish from the payment o
parish taxes, making the towns. how
ever, pay their pro rata share Of th
criminal and other expenses of tn
parish. This amendment would, il
all probability only affect parishe
having large towns and cities i
them.
Amendment No. Z speaks for il
self, and if ratified will in all prob
ability mean the construction, i
Southwest Louisiana, of the great
est projects in the South--a larg
canal, to cost from II to Is millio
dollars, for irrigation and transpol
tation purposes, along whose bank
win be great electric power plant
to supply cheap power and light
the farmer and others in that sec
zion. We specially commend tn
amendment to the voters.
. Amendment No. 8 is simply il
tended TO put the Louisiana Lii
= Insurance Companies on an equ;
footing, regarding taxes, with for
eign companies. 1t is just and fai
and should appeal to voters.
Amendment No. 8 is to increas
the tax for Confederate Veteran
pensions. At present the State ca
not possibly pay pensions to all th
needy veterans in the State, and Ii
proposed amendment increases Ii
tax and consequently the pensio
fund; the amendment provides tn;
not more than $3.50, 900 shall
used for this purpose, and that 4
pension can be granted amountin
to more than $500 dollars pt
month, and that any surplus lie
in the pension fund shall go
the public school fund of the Stat,
We r,raaunaa that avarv vofar ,r;