The Era-leader. [volume] (Franklinton, La.) 1910-current, 1912-10-10

travelling expenses, not exceeding
maximum amount to be fixed from
time to time by the General Assem-
bly. sn .tenized account of whlch
shall be rendered in an annual re-
port.
The chairman of the first Com
mission shall be named by the ap-
pointing Board and serve until the
expiration of his term OF oiflce, ana
thereafter the Commission shall Sc
| lect it's own chairman.
The Commission and the indivld'
nal members thereof shall perform
such duties in respect to assessment
and taxation as are herein prescrlb-
ed. and such other and further du-
ties as the General Assembly may
from time to time prescribe.
The General Assembly shall pro-
vide said Commission with an ade-
quate clerical force.
8 The Commission shall have pow
or to adopt and enforce such reason
able rules, regulations and MODES
OF procedure, not inconsistent WIN
law as it may deem proper for the
discharge of it's duties, and to hear
and determine complaints that may be
made against assessments, and other
of it's acts, required or authorized by
law.
9 The Commission shall have pow
or to summon and compel the at
tendance of witnesses, to swear VII
nesses, and to compel the production
OF books and papers, to take testlmo'
nv under commission, and to punish
for contempt, as fully as is PROVIDED
by law for the district courts. The
General Assembly may provide 9TH
or penalties for violating the orders
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 a netition setting forth the
cause of objection to such assessment
or action Of the Commission or to
either or both in a Court OF compe.
tent jurisdiction, at the domlclle OF
the Commission, against said Com
mission as defendant. Either parry
may appeal to the Supreme Court OF
the State without regard to tae
amount involved: such appeals 10 De
. returnable within ten days after tne
date that the decision Of the lower
Court becomes final. All such cases
both in the trial and appellate court
shall be tried summarily and by pre-
ference over all other cases. Such
cases may be tried in the court o
the first instance either in chamber:
or at term time.
II, No bond shall be required o.
said Commission in any case in an!
court. nor shall advance costs or Sc
curity for costs, be required OF It,
! -. 1t shall be the duty of the At
torney General, and the various dis
trict attorneys, on proper request O
direction by the Commission or the
Governor. to aid the said Commission
in all legal matters, and to prosecute
and defend all cases in accordance
with such requests and directions. A
failure on the part of such law off,
GERS, when so requested or direct
ed to perform the duties here I'M
, posed upon them, shall constitute mil
feasance in office.
Article vi.
l. After January LIST, 1914, all as
, sessments for all State purposes, ex
!, cept as hereinafter provided, shall
be completed on or before April Is
. in each year, and the taxes shall be
!. come due and payable on the frs
| Monday in June of each year, an
, shall become delinquent on the frs
; Monday in September in each year
3 Each parish and municipality shall
have the right to fix the date TO
: the completion Of it's local assess
9 ments, and the payment of it's loca
) taxes and licenses general and spec
ial, until otherwise prescribed by tn
r General Assembly. Until otherwis
|, provided, existing laws on these sub
I jects shall be operative. Levee dlf
:. trict taxes and forced contributions
: exclusive of produce taxes, shall b
n assessed and become delinquent &C
8 incidentally with parish taxes.
2. Public service corporations sha|
/ be assessed on their physical proper
}. ty and on their franchises separately
e but the General Assembly shall hav
\ power to direct the Tax Commisslo
r to assess the property of such corpt
Il rations at valuation including bot
;. physical property and franchises,
$ be determined by gross receipts, {
d by dividends on stocks and interes
n paid on bonded debt, or by any othe
l. available method.
!. 3. Incorporated banks shall be al
!, = sessed by assessing the stockholde1
=, - on the book value of the stock, i. e
- capital stock, surplus and undivide
profits less the assessed value OF re-
- estate locally assessed and taxe'
=, - and less such further deductions
: not less than five per cent on the
loans and discounts to cover ba
debts and unearned interest as II
General Assembly may prescrib
which deduction shall be made on
D. from their surplus and undivided pr
a fits; all taxes to be paid by Il
of banks and charged to the stockhol
OF ers.
"a 4. Individual bankers, banking firn
T. 4. -