The Natchitoches enterprise. (Natchitoches, La.) 1888-1965, 1912-10-24

elections held in this State the first Tues
day after the first Monday in November
| sional election held just prior to the ex-
| piration Of their respective terms.
| 3. The Commission shall maintain an
| office and have it's domicile at Baton
| Rouge, and the members shall reside in
Baton Rouge and devote their time ex-
| clusively to the discharge of their du-
| ties.
4. They shall each receive salary of
| Five Thousand Dollars per annum, be-
ginning January /, 1914, and their trav-
cling expenses, not exceeding maximum
amount to be fixed from time to time by
| the General Assembly. an itemized ac-
count of which shall be rendered in an
annual report.
| 5. The chairman Of the first Commits
SION shall be named by the appointing
Board and serve until the expiration of
Commission shall select its own chair
man.
g. The Commission and the individual
members thereof shall perform such du-
| ueS IN respect to assessment and taxa
ton as are herein prescribed. and such
other and further duties as the General
Assembly may from time to time pre-
scribe.
Z. The General Assembly shall pro-
vide said Commission with an adequate
clerical force.
s. The Commission shall have power TO
adopt and enforce such reasonable rules,
regulations and modes of procedure, not
inconsistent with law as It may deem
proper for the discharge of its duties, and
to hear and determine complaints that
may be made against assessments, and
other of its acts required or authorized
by law.
Q. The Commission shall have power
to summon and compel the attendance
of witnesses, to swear witnesses, and to
compel the production of books and pa
pers, to take testimony under commits
sion. and to punish for contempt, as fully
nrnJvf1n1 Iyy 1oT fAr 10 or TOT
courts. The General Assembly may pro-
vide other penalties for violating the or
ders of the Commission.
10. If any person, firm, association or
corporation shall be dissatisfied with the
assessment made or action taken by the
Commission, such party may file petit
ton setting forth the cause of objec-
ton to such assessment or action Of the
Commission or to either or both in a
court or competent jurisdiction, at the
domicfle of the Commission, against said
Commission as defendant. Either party
may appeal to the Supreme Court Of the
State without regard to the amount in
volved; such appeals to be returnabe
within ten days after the date that the
decision of the lower court becomes final
All such cases, both in the trial and ap-
RELATE court, shall be tried summa rily,
and by preference over all other cases
Such cases may be tried in the court Of
the first instance either in chambers or
at term time
II. No bond shall be required of said
Commission in any case in any court.
nor shall advance costs, or security for
COSTS be required Of 1t.
II. 1t shall he the duty OF the Attorney
General, and the various district attor-
news, on proper request or direction by
the Commission of the Governor, to aid
the said Commission in all legal matters,
and to prosecute and defend all cases In
accordance with such requests and direc-
tions. a failure on the part Of such law
officers. when so requested or directed to
perform the duties here imposed upon
them, shall constitute misfeasance in
office
Article vi.
]. After January 1st, 1914, all assess
ments for all State purposes, except as
hereinafter provided, shall be completed
on or before April 1st in each year and
the taxes shall become due and payable
on the first Monday in June of each year.
and shall become delinquent on the first
Monday in September in each year. Each
parish and municipality shall. have the
right to fix the date for the completion
of it's local assessments, and the payment
of its local taxes and licenses. general
and special, until otherwise prescribed by
the General Assembly. Until otherwise
provided. existing laws on these subjects
shall be operative. Levee district taxes
and forced contributions, exclusive of
produce taxes, shall be assessed and be-
come delinquent coincidentally with par
ish taxes.
2. Public service corporations shall be
on their franchises separately, but the
General Assembly shall have power to d.
rect the Tax Commission to assess the
property of such corporations at a valua-
ton including both physical property and
franchises, to be determined by gross re-
ceiPts, or by dividends en- stocks and in
1erest na!d On hcndedsA,sgsEa OF b. ~
other available method
8. Incorporated banks shall be assessed
by assessing the stockholders in the book
Vaiue OF the stock. l. e., capital stock,
surplus and undivided profits less the as
sessed value of real estate locally as
sessed and taxed, and less such further
deductions of not less than five per cent
on their loans and discounts to cover had
eral Assembly may prescribe, which de-
auction shall be made only from their
surplus and undivided profits; all taxes
to be paid by the banks and charged to
the stockholders.
4. Individual bankers, banking firms
and unincorporated banking associations
domiciled in this State shall be assessed
on the amount OF capital, surplus and
undivided profits actually employed in
their business, less the assessed value Of
real estate locally assessed and taxed,
actually and exclusively used and en-
ployed in their business and less such
further deductions not less than five per
cent on their loans and discounts to
cover bad debts and unearned interest as
the General Assembly may prescribe,
which deduction shall be made only from
their surplus and undivided profits
s. Foreign banks and individual bank
ers, banking firms and unincorporated
banking associations. domicfIed out of the
State but doing business in this State
shall be assessed on such proportion of
their capital, surplus and undivided
profits as is actually employed in this
State. less the assessed value of real es-
tate locally assessed and taxed, actually
and exclusively used and employed in
their business in this State and less
such further deductions. not less than
five per cent on their loans and dis
counts to cover bad debts and unearn-
ed interest as the General Assembly
may prescribe. which deductions shall
be made only from their surplus and UNI
divided profits.
6. Insurance, bonding and Surety COM
panies, and persons, firms and associa-
tions engaged in the insurance, bonding
and surety business, excluding however,
fraternal Insurance companies and assoc
shall be taxed on a percentage
of their gross premiums received upon
their business done in this State. less
return premiums and reinsurance in COM
business in this State. The percentage
shall not exceed three per cent
for all branches of insurance, bonding
and surety business, except life and
coed two per cent for life and Industrial |
insurance. The special taxes to SUPPORT |
the Office of fire marshal and fire pre- |
vention bureaus shall not be deducted |
from the premiums hereby authorized to |
be taxed. When by the laws of any other |
State or country any taxes, fines, pen |
alties, licenses. fees, deposits of money |
DR. of securities, or other obligations or
prohibitions are imposed on insurance. |
bonding or surety companies Of this State |
doing business in such other State or |
or upon their agents therein in |
excess of such taxes, penalties, fees IL !
censes, deposits of money, or of securi- |
ties. or other obligations or prohibitions |
imposed upon such insurance, bonding |
pr surety companies of such other State |
Or country, so long as such laws continue |
N force the same obligations and prohi- |
0itions of whatsoever kind may be i'm |
posed by the General Assembly of this |
State upon insurance. bonding or surety |
of such other State or country |
doing business in this State.