The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-08-04
Pending Bills Seek to
Regulate Insurance Trust
Continued from Page one)

over 10 the senate as the dIueHQed
revenue bill. The farmer retains all
of the exemptions granted him in lie
present statutes. Not only that, but
he is exempted from the provisions ct
the income and excess profits tax, while
the waterpower companies, shipbuild-
ing plants, cotton mills, cyanamid
plants and all other industrial con-
Germs will be. required to pay ad val
orem tax on machinery, equipment and
raw materials, as well as lands and
buildings. beginning with October /,
when the bill. if passed in its pres
ent form, takes effect
REAL ESTATE ESCAPES
Not only will the farmers escape
the burden of the income and excess
profits tax but SO will the owners of
all other kinds of real estate. The act
as amended by the house excerpts from
the income and excess profits taxes the
incomes derived from all landsA on
which the ad valorem tax is paid. >This
will apply to office buildings, apart
ments, hotels, business houses, summer
resorts and all lands of every descrip-
ton. The original bill exempted only
incomes from the rent or hire of lands
but as interpreted by a majority of the
members of the house, this description
did not include incomes derived from
the use of lands by the owner. In other
words, under that Interpretation, the
farmer the office building owner, the
apartment owner and the hotel owner
would have to account to the income
tax collector for the incomes and
profits on his enterprise. Hence, the
amendment to include all incomes,
whether derived from rent or hire or
utilization by the owner.
The Alabama Power company was the
nf
the discussion of the revenue bill 1t
was denounced as a mighty corpora
ton waxing fat at the expense of Ala.
bama farmers. The Mobile shipbuilding
plants, which have invested many mil
lions of dollars within the last three or
four years, and the cotton mills, were
hardly mentioned, and it may be that
had 1t not been for bitter opposition to
the Alabama Power company the ex-
emption clauses would not have been at
tackled. But the hunt for more revenue
was too powerful to overlook anything
or anybody who might be enjoying the
privilege of free taxes for machinery
and raw materials during the develop
ment periods of their respective indus,
tries.
A number of the speeches made in the
house during the last week are believed
to be the forerunners of announcement
III TIC iAOIe UT less future OIL
entries into the race for state Offices
These speeches in the main consisted of
heart appeals of the sob sister variety
for the weak and the unfortunate; the
boys and girls of Alabama who were
described as crying out for better educa-
tonal facilities; for the better care and
projection of the inmates of the various
eleemosynary institutions AS one mem
Der described it, the speakers, in depict
ing conditions at the various institu-
tons, pleaded with tears in their
voices for the particular charges whose
cause they espoused.
There is no doubt but the ground work
of future campaigns for political prefer
ment in Alabama were laid in the fight
over the revenue measure. Whether they
| have laid their foundations on stone OF
sand, time alone can tell.
| But back to the proposed constitutions
amendments. Among the proposals, ir
addition to the constitutional convention
| and the Warrior river amendments pro
posed by Senator West, there are pro
| posals for a state highway bond issu,
of SIS, 100000, the creation of state high,
way system, state aid for Mobile Earbor
| ratification of the woman suffrag,
amendment, and others relating to cleo
| tons, poll tax exemptions and perhap.
a half a dozen others not now on tn,
| calendars.