Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-28
TAX SYSTEM
SCORED BY
SLATON
Revision of Criminal and Other
Laws Also Urged in Execu-
tive's Inaugural Address.

Drastic action toward the rejuve-
nation and correction of Georgia's
laws, especially taxation and the
Criminal Code, were recommendation
which marked the inaugural address
of John Marshall Slaton upon his
induction into the gubernator1al Of
fee in the House Of Representatives
before the two bodies of the General
Assembly and hundreds Of visitors at
noon Saturday.
The new Chief Executive drew OH,
in sharp contrast the present system
Of appropriations and taxation and
declared the system was wrong.
He brought UP for bitter arraign-
ment the lack of school funds, which
he termed the lack OF a proper four
dalton for future citizenship of .he
State. He advocated an inheritance
tax, an increased occupation tax upon
corporations and general equaliza-
ton of taxation throughout the Com
monwealth
Drain Not Checked, He Says.
He called attention to the loss Of
millions of dollars through abandon
ment Of tax measures such as that On
liquor, the dog tax and others, and
declared that no substitute for this
drain had been made. He recon-
mended increases in taxation for the
school fund and the pension fund, and
in concluding pointed to a general
tide of prosperity which he declared
was to pass over Georgia.
In part, Governor Slaton said:
Our system is wrong The Legisla.
ture can appropriate what it pleases,
and the tax rate remains the same
The Legislator has made himself a ia
vorite with his constituency by voting
for every popular appropriations and
nothing suffers but the States credit.
Unless some check be made, an in
crease Of revenue will be of no avail in
preventing the financial embarrassment
the moment one appropriation bill may
exhaust It,
More than four-ifths Of the States OF
the Union derive revenue from what Is
known as an inheritance tax. l am in
formed that this tax is the subject OF
least complaint
This form of tax has been approved
by the highest authorities and is one
Of the easiest borne and subject to
fewer hardships than any other. The
Inheritance tax is to some extent cor
receive,
Corporation Taxation.
Prior to the year 1905, many efforts
were made 10 collect an occupation tax
from corporations Governor Terrell, in
his message Of the year 1908. recon-
mended a tentative privilege tax based
on capital stock of 100000 per year on
corporations having a capital Of ST.
1000, or over. He anticipated from
this source more than S1OO. 900 a year,
and thought that such sum could rea-
sonably be expected without a hardship
The State, however has not received
one-half this sum, and during the year
1918 the estimated revenue from this
source is s4S 900.
l recommend that the maximum occu-
patton tax on corporations having ST.
600 900 capital and over be 5000 per an
mum, and the tax on corporations Of less
capital be adjusted accordingly.
Equalization Of taxes, either through
the enforcement of present laws, or new
correctives, 50 that each may bear his
proportionate burden, would not mean
the increase Of taxes upon any one now
performing his duty, but would rather
mean the tightening Of his unfair por-
ton of the load. | commend this sub
ject to your attention.
Bonded Debt To Be Refunded.
An additional reason for establishing
and maintaining the States finances on
a sound basis IS the necessity Of max
ing provision for more than one-half Of
the entire bonded debt Of the State, ma
turing in 1915. This is an imperative
duty resting on this Legislature.
No sinking fund was provided by law
to retire the bonds regating $3.50
600 which are due in 1915 The entire
States debt is $6.452. 500. which does
not include the obligations to the Uni
versity, amounting to 1891. 800, and the
landscrip fund of 10000
All the debt Of se,452 500 Is provided
for, or will he provided for. by the sink
ing fund required to be raised annually
until the debt is paid Off except the
Continued Pace 2. Column 1,