The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1912-11-02
PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL
CHANGES.
CONTINUED from first pageJ

Louisiana. This would be new ar
ticle to the Constitution.
The last and by far the most
sweeping amendment is the one
which proposes to reorganize and re-
model the system of assessment and
taxation in this State. This would
make a new article to the Constitu-
ton.
Article | provides that the taxing
power shall be exercised by the State
and it's political subdivisions for pub
lie purposes only. This article out
lines the taxing powers generally.
By Article II it is provided that
the sources of State and local reve-
nue. shall be segregated. Until 9TH
erwise provided the sources of State
revenue shall come from the follow
ing sources:
All corporations, private persosn
and unincorporated associations that
operate any railroad falling under
the jurisdiction Of the State Railroad
Commissions; street railroad; combin-
ed street railroad and electric light
and power business; heating or re-
frigerating plant; telephone or tele'
graph line, wireless or otherwise;
express, dining car, sleeping car, oil
car, refrigerator car lines or any
cars for any other purpose operat-
ing on railroads; steamboat, motor
boat, steamship, ferry, barge and
tug, or other water craft operated
for hire, including canals for trans
poztation or irrigation and pipe lines
for oil or gas.
Al! banks, State, national, savings
and trust, and all private bankers,
shall be a source Of State revenue,
except that the real estate may be
locally assessed. The same rule
shall apply TO the insurance busl-
ness. All sugar refinHries, rice mills,
cotton-seed oil mills, cotton-seed OF!
refineries and refineries for petro'
ieum and it's products, shall be
sources of State revenue. The same
rule shall apply to all mines OF sui
phur, salt or other minerals. The op'
erative property of State shall be
segregated to the State.
The State may by legislative en-
actment levy State taxes on the fol
lowing:
On the transfer of stock in corpo
real estate or stock in trade. This
means no taxes on doctors, skilled
mechanics, etc. 1t results in leaving
money with the people who earn i
by their personal efforts alone. Set
Article 4 of Amendment No. /.
The school taxes and other taxes
remain as they are today. They VII
continue to be collected and will bt
levied on all property, whether segre
gated to the state or to the parishes
: See Section II and IL of No. l.
The schools are guaranteed tina
their estimated revenue from tn
1 state for this year, $1,050,OO0 shall b
- their least revenue hereafter. TIL
legislature is ordered to give III
state school fund a fifth of all it
revenue, which it is estimated VIII
amount to S1,500,000; and this est
mate appears low. The parishes ar
ordered to give three-tenths of thei
revenue to the schools. The school
are thus far better off than they wer
before. See Section 10 and Pard
graph A, of Section 9.
With a saving of a mill for hi
- own pocket book, more money TO
L. roads and more money for schools
the things that most appeal to tn
people are provided in the amend
. ment These are the tightening
the burden and the general benet
e to the whole people.
The next question is the matter
how the governments, city, paris
and state, fare under No. 1. Tn
towns that pay taxes and lose by 81
+. gregation get the money refunde
with five per cent bonus. The town
that do not pay parish taxes get the
refunds, with five per cent, from tn
state. No towns really lose. Til
J.. parishes that are short after maxim
these refunds get the money fro
the state. Therefore no parish real
loses. Six parishes and four toW1
will be thus reimbursed by the sta
for their apparent loss. The othel
N. make gains ranging from sma
- amounts to many thousands. See A
+ ticle and the figures in the Time
Democrat Of Sunday, October got
Copies of the figures may be obtain
from the Times-Democrat and tt