The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-08-23

Walker county, he said, lie was salts
fed would have to borrow money to
meet the next payroll.
APPARENTLY PRIVILEGE TAX
Senator Morris of Dale said this seems
to be privilege tax, and if a privilege
| tax can be put Oh coal it might with
equal Justice be put on cotton and all
4 other products corning out of the
| ground. He said it is designated in the
bill as privilege tax, and If it is put on
coal it ought to be put on everything else
| in the same way.
Senator Ellis of Dallas said this tax
seems to be the most unjust and unequi-
table of all taxes; that it is class legis-
| lation of the worst sort
Senator West of jefferson, realizing
that the tax will be imposed as, he said,
the governor has has ordered it. but ne
predicted that when the day of reckoning
comes 1t will be a sight worth seeing
with the wool hat and mining boys meet
them when they ask for something in
the future
Senator Mcdowell of Barbour voiced
his protest against what he termed class
legislation
senator Evins of Hale, referring to the
claim that it is the depletion of the re-
sources that is being taxed, said that
the value is given to minerals by the dig
ging and not merely by the fact that
they are minerals
Senator Moore said he could see the
cards were stacked against the mineral
people, but he was compelled to protest
on oehat OF his people against this un-
just tax.
BEALES HARDEST TASK
senator Beale of Tuscaloosa said this
has been the hardest question he has
ever had to decide, that he had prayed
over the matter and that as a God-fear-
ing man, that he was expected to vote
for the tonnage tax, but his heart fails
him there. that he cannot square his con-
science to vote for such tax and be
lieving he cannot be doing the right
thing and vote for it,
On motion of Senator Acker the
Evins amendment was tabled by the
following vote:
To table for the coal TONNAGE: Acker,
Bedsole Briscoe Brown, Butler. Car
michael, Cowan, Craft, Espy, Griffith
Gunter, Kelly. Miller, Prestwood, Rog
ers of Sumter Sims, Smith of Coosa.
Smith of Lawrence, Tally-19
! Not to table against coal tonnage
taxi: Baker, Beale, Carlton, Ellis Evins
Harper, Huddleston, Leith, Moore, Nor
ris, Mcdowell Phillips, Rogers of Lau-
derdale, Vest.
On this vote Senator Beale of Tusca =
loosa broke away from the adminstra-
ton, but his DETECTION was more than
made good by the accession of Sena-
tors Gunter and Priesthood
Senator Leith offered an amendment,
which was adopted, prescribing that
railroad weights shall be the basis of
this tax.
Senator Leith also offered an amend
ment reducing the rate from 2 cents
to 1 cent a ton and providing that
the tax should be collected only two
years. The amendment was tabled by
the vote of IS to 10, as was an amend
ment reducing the rate from cents to
l cent
LETTH AMENDMENT TABLED
Senator Leith offered an amendment
requiring every purchaser of coal in
Alabama to pay 5 cents a ton for each
ton purchased, which,. on motion of
Senator Brisco, was tabled by the vote
of % to ~.
Senator Leith offered an amendment
striking out schedule &C Goal tonnage
taxi which was tabled on motion of
Senator Acker by the vote of Is to 10.
At this point, by unanimous con-
sent, it was agreed that the same
amendments would be offered to sched-
ule 81 Gron ore tonnage tax and that
the same results would follow as on
schedule &C.
An amendment offered by Senator
Evins, and adopted, provides that rail
road weights shall determine the taxes
to be paid on iron ore.
Senator Huddleston of Gilmore Of
fered an amendment levying tax of
Is of l. per cent per kilowatt hour
payable monthly, on the goth of each
month, for all current furnished to
consumers in Alabama by electric pow
er companies. The amendment was
tabled. 23 to 5, the aye votes being cast
by Craft, Huddleston, Leith, Priesthood
and West.
An amendment offered by Senator
Leith of Walker and adopted exempts
wagon mines from the payment of the
coal tax