Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-11
GRADUATEDAU AUTO
TAX IS PLAN Of
LAWMAKERS
Legislature Also May Instruct COL
Iectors to Stop Evasion Of
kd VaIorem Tariff.
BY JAMES 9. NEVIN.

By JAMES 9. NEVIN.
In seeking 20 reform the tax laws
Of Georgia. it is likely that the auto
mobile viii be taken into most Sc
rious consideration by the new Leg
stature
There are now more than 10000
machines IN the State. averaging in
value about $1,000 each These ma
chimes pay "a fiat license tax to the
state Of 81 "a machine, and that Is
about all the State gets out OF them
Not more than 10 per cent Of the au-
tomobiies licensed are returned for
taxation upon an ad valorem basis,
Secretary of State Phil Cook says
nine machine owners IN every ten be-
lieve the far license tax Of So per
machine is AN the state requires Of
them. and that many owners, not now
paying taxes according 10 the value
II their machines. are not so much in
territorial taN-dodgers as they are ig-
rorant Of the fact that an automobile
Is as much property subject TO gen
u Is likely that the license tax will
be graded according TO the value Of
the machine registered hereafter II
is figured that u is not quite fair to
charge an owner Of a $500 runabout
the same license tax that is charged
against the owner Of "a $1,000 lin
CUISINE Moreover. tax collectors
doubtless will bc instructed by legis-
lative direction strictly to require the
return Of ali automobiles for taxa
ton according To their value
II these two reforms are iuaugu-
rated they unquestionably will bring
fine revenue INTO the state Treas
cry
n seems to be realized generally
among members OF the incoming Leg
islature that Georgia must increase
its revenues i'm every direction here
after in order that the State may
meet Its absolutely necessary expense
bills, and that the only way TO DO II
is through tax reform and not through
a higher tax rate.
There H. great deal Of enthu-
siasm manifested among the citizens
Of Mindcr over the question OF the
new county Of Barrow. and it Is Ger
tain this proposition VIII be one OF
the liVc-t to come before the new
legislature
a well known citizen " that city,
talking Of its present unfayorablc To-
cation al the corners" Of three coun-
ties-Gwinnctte Jackson and Walton
cited the following circumstances
10 show how much confusion and an
noyance arises from the same
a weli-known citizen OF Winder
passed away recently and left prop
erty IN several sections Of the city.
His widow had TO take out admins
tration papers IN three separate coun-
ties IN order TO handle his estate To-
Pally ana properly" said he
"Windor gets its school fund from
three counties with different pro
rata In every direction one county
pave S275 a pupil per annum. while
another paws only s. 40 The children
o. both attend the public schools Of
Wnder With the same advantages
but t isn't fair
Persons with things 10 sell in Win
dor requiring state license gener-
ally don't try To- sell them. They are
required 20 obtain "A license in all
three counties centerinE in the town.
wider Is some 90 miles from the
county seat of every one Of the three
counties meeting there. That's q big
nuisance and rankly unjust 10 Win
der sno the surrounding territory
IN any new county proposition is
a GCod ore the Barlow proposition
Thr statement that United States
Serstor James Hamilton Lewis may
shave or his scintillant whiskers has
been accepted with great reserve by
his Georgia friends.
when the junior Senator from llh-
i'm D. rr1nN 30 4 f.Hal
were his pride lie looked upon them
much after the fashion Of a good
kohamWedau. whose most sacred
oath is taken by the beard Of the
proplht'
Jim Ham may shave those roseate
whiskers from of his handsome Coun-
teuanCe, Of course, but Georgians
never will believe 10 until they see
ii an accomplished fact
Representative Robert Blackburn. Of
Fulton is looked on generally as one
Of the leaders In the next House
Blackburn is a veteran in the
House although he has been out for
several years He Is one " the ablest
parliameutarians i'm the state and is
more than well qualified to take care
Of himself either In tho running de-
bate Of the ilour or In The committee
rooms.
The gentleman from Fulton is
rather small Of stature, but he is loud
In voice and sonouous enough to be
pleasing when under fun steam ahead
in argument
There viii be few men in the next
Legislature who know their way
around better than Bob Blackburn.
A bin 10 require AN railroads oper-
ating in Georgia 60 provide under
passes or oVerpasses at an grade
crossings when so directed by The
Railroad Commission is now being
prepared oy a well-kuown member of
the House and viii be introduced
aoou after tre Legislature meets
u IS designed 60 be fair TO the roads
and viii require The counties affected
IN such instances as the commission
may undertake tu regulate. 90 bear a
reasonable part of the expense OF con-
struction-
This bill likely viii have consider
able support IN the Legislature as
there is a growing sentiment
throughout the state that such leEls-
lation rs needed
Whether The bill Viii pass is prob
lematical but it viii be earnestly and
aErress iveIy urged, nevertheless.
Harvard IN Train