The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-02-03
STATE IS GOING
|. FOR PERSONALLY
\ TAX DODGERS
New Measure Would Provide
Means of UnCovering Eva
SionS-To Fix State Tax
Rate. a..

NASHVILLE. Tenn, Feb, S.--From
all the Information available Saturday
night anent legislative matters, the pres
ent week promises plenty Of work for
the members of the Sixty-first general
assembly
Early in the week, II forecasts fail
net, there will be another tax reform
measure offered by the administration
forces. This bill is In course Of prep
aration and has as its object the UNI
covering OF great deal OF personally
In this state which has heretofore es-
capped taxation. IL is in line with the
views OF the governor on Buoh questions
and y may require two bills to cover
the situation.
With the introduction Of these meas
ures, II Is understood, the program OF
Gov Roberts insofar as the tax re-
forms general are concerned, will be
about complete. There are divers and
| sundry other bills, however, dealing witt
several state departments which will
| follow These are In line with the
governors expressed wish to effect
economies wherever possible through
the elimination OF the less important
positions and the consolidation of state
departments wherever this can be done
without injuring Its efficiency.
The State Library,
: with reference to reports that have
been published In soma OF the state
| papers to the effect that an effort
would be made to abolish the state u.
brary. Gov Roberts Saturday night said
that there was no intention, nor haC
there ever been, to abolish the state
| library. A bill has been introduced ir
the legislature, with the approval oi
the governor, to abolish the depart.
ment of state history and archives ant
consolidating It with the state library
coupling these departments and saving
| expense,
1t has been, suggested that the Law
| library, now a part OF the state H.
brary, might be separated and mad,
| accessible to the supreme court, AnC
| this could be done without interfering
with the state library in any way, &C
cording to the governor.
With the introduction OF the ta'
| measure, looking to the uncovering o
personality In the state, there will hay,
been five general tax reform bills In
troduced In the legislature, and thes
five measures may be said TO represAn
the foundation OK the program for cur
ing tho states Ills insofar az the flnan
eea of the state arc coiGcrned Thes
bills are. IA 4
Creating board OF equaaiEation.
Fixing the tax rate,
Taxing corporation property.
Inheritance tax,
Uncovering personally.
That these measures VIII result II
| adding many thousands Of dollars Z
| the state treasury goes without saying
and while some Of them lin fact prac
tlcally ALL have and will meet viii
more or less opposition, this opposite,
| doesn't have the effect TO MATERIAL!
alter the measures and hasn't so IA
developed sufficient strength to put thu
bills In danger OF being defeated.
| The governor expects to send TO thu
| legislature Monday afternoon a message
dealing with the proposition to erect
permanent memorial to the boys o
| Tennessee In commemoratlon OF theil
deeds OF valor and sacrifices on foreign
| soil .
The governor Saturday night said hi
message would not advocate any. spe'
| elal form OF memorial, but would cal
| the attention OF the members OF tht
general assembly TO the movement
which had been inaugurated for suci
| testimonial to the boys from the ole
| Volunteer state, and leave the mem
hers OF the legislature to work out sucf
details as they thought appropriate ant
| best
| Ii IL probable the message will sug
| rest the appointment OF a committed
to look into the question The COVER
nor's attention was directed TO the me
mortal idea Friday afternoon when Z
committee called upon him and lait
| the plans before him.