Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-08-03
TAX EQUALIZATION REPEAL
OPPONENTS SCORE TWICE
Lively Effort to Bring Pro-
posed Measure Out of
Committee Fails

Floyd and Representative Barrett OF
Whitfield. IL is one OF several SIM
liar bills introduced at this session.
which would repeal the tax eQualiza-
ton law.
The Bale-Barrett bill, in some way
that few seem to understand, fell into
the hands of general judiciary commit
tee No. /. instead of the ways and
means committee~to which all tax meas
ures are referred and where this bill
properly belongs.
General judiciary committee No. 1
met Tuesday afternoon with only ten
of it's thirty-three members present. The
ten voted. 6sto 4, to recommend to the
house that the repeal bill do pass. Mem
bers opposing the bill petitioned Chair
man Ellis OF Tiff to call a meeting OF
the committee Wednesday morning.
When the meeting was called by
Chairman Ellis at o'clock, a motion
was made to reconsider the action of the
committee in voting to recommend the
bill favorably. Representative Ander-
son. of Jenkins. a member of the COM
mittee and an advocate of the repeal.
managed 10, prolong the discussion on
the motion to reconsider until 9 o'clock.
when the committee was forced to adj
journ in order to attend the session of
the house. which convened at 9.
In submitting to the house his report
on bills recommended for passage, Chair
man Ellis withheld the Bale-Barrett bill
because the motion to reconsider was
still pending in committee.
When the report was read. Represen-
tatlve Anderson moved to amend II by
including a favorable report OF the Bale
Barrett bill. The motion was ruled out
of order. Representative Anderson APP
pealed from the decision of the chair.
but the speakers ruling was sustained.
The house then passed on to the read
ing of new bills and the passage of
local bills during the period of unani-
nous consent but when this was over
about forty minutes later. the tax re-
peal fight broke loose again.
In a heated speech Representative
Bale took the floor to declare that the
implication contained in the mornings
paper to the effect that the meeting of
the committee Tuesday afternoon was
a hurry-up meeting. giving the author
of the bill an unfair advantage, was
Intentionally and maliciously false"
Representative Anderson then intro
duced a resolution to instruct generai
judiciary committee No. 1 to report the
Bale-Barrett bill favorably. The reso-
luton was ruled out OF order because
it instructed the committee how to re-
port the bill. when the rules only pro-
vide that committee may be instruct
cd to report.
Representative StovalI, of McDuffie,
another repeal advocate, renewed the
light by introducing a resolution In
structing the chairman of general Ju-
dietary committee No. 1 to report i'm
mediately the status of the bill in com
mittee.
HAD RIGHT OF WAY.
The resolution was adopted. but be-
fore Chairman Ellis could make his re-
port, Representative Akin, chairman Of
the ways ana means committee. and an
opponent of the repeal, called up the
general tax act, which has the right of
way over other business. This move
effectually stopped the progress of the
tax repeal advocates.
Immediately after the house convened
Wednesday, Vice Chairman Jones' of the
rules committee, moved that the house
meet twice a day for the balance of the
session, in the morning at o'clock, and
in the afternoon at o'clock His mo.
ton was voted down. and so was anoth-
er motion h made to hold an afternoon
session Wednesday.
This action and the action of the
house Tuesday IN voting down a proposal
for afternoon sessions, seems to Indicate
that the lower body has not yet reached
the frame OF mind where eXpeditiousness
Of legislation is deemed necessary. 1t
Is interesting to note in this connection
that unless afternoon sessions are held
the tax repeal bill will probably not
reach a vote
WRIGHT EXPLAINS BILL.
With the calling up of the bill revis-
ing the general tax act. the house be-
gan consideration of this measure The
bill was read, after which Representa-
tive Seaborn Wright, OF Floyd. ex-
planned its purpose and provisions to
the house.
Representative Wright stated that for
five weeks the ways and means commit
tee had worked hard to prepare the bill
He stressed the absolute necessity OF
passing over the items of the bill as
speedily rs possible, for, said he. If ZEN
minutes debate were spent on each item,
the bill would take two weeks to pass
at the present rate the general assem-
bly, is transacting business-and as a
result an extra session would be made
necessary.
Mr.. Wright said that naturally
enough, some people were going to feel
hurt by some of the special taxes IN
serted In the bill. and some by in
creases in old taxes, but that any taxes
will make some people feel hurt. no
matter how just or necessary they are
He urged the house to take the word
OF the committee for the wisdom, JUS
tice and necessity of the items in the
bill. and TO rush 1t through with as
little debate as possible He pointed
out that there was no question as to
the necessity Of the bills provisions,
since. according to the governors esti-
mate, a deficit of 100000 now faces
the state. The committees bill, said
Mr.. Wright, will raise 100000 addi-
tional revenue.
With the conclusion of Mr.. Wright's
remarks. the house adjourned until 9
o'clock Thursday morning, when con-
sideration Of the tax revision bill will
be resumed
NEW HOUSE BILLS.
The following bills were introduced
in the house on Wednesday:
BY Emanuel Delegation-To change
the terms Of Mayor and council of
Swainsboro from one to two years.
BY Mr.. Duncan OF Douglas-To amend
act creating Douglas county commits
sioners.
BY Carroll Delegation-To elect mem
bers OF boards Of education by popular
vote
BY Mr.. Harvin Of Calhoun-To amend
town charter Of Arlington.
BY Mr.. Smith OF Telfair-To amend
city charter Of McRae.
nv Mr. Tankford of Tooy,hs IT,