Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1920-12-19

Special 10 TIE News.
AUSTIN. Texas Dec. lG.--Ilevislon
Of thu Texas taxation system. accord.
Ing 20 present Indications. will b. one
Of the most fifr.reachng and hard.
fought subjects 90 como before the
Thiriy.Eoycnth Legislature.
: FOR a number Of years past there
has been agitation for reform OF the
state taxation system. State comptrol
lers have declared that their records
show n decided Inequality In the ratcg
at which values Of different counties
are rendered for state taxation. James
a. King, state tax commissioner In his
annual report for the past year said
that vast amount 81 property In the
state escapes taxation and that other
property carries an unjust share Of the
burden.
Indications ARE that the agitation
has reached n climax which gill pro.
duce action ~ some nature during the
coming session which begins January
II 1921. Tho State Democratic Con
vcntion. In It's platform adopted this
summer. directed that tho legislature
nvo attention o. this subject The
Htatc tax commissioner recommends
remedier In his last report. The state
comptroller has also advanced his ideas
OF needed changes. Representative
John r. Smith ~ Austin. has said that
his primary object In seeking election
az "A member of the legislature WIS IN
order that he might make an effort
% revise the ryrtcm. lie has prepared
and printed AN extensive tax hill Ia rc.
place all present tax laws. This hill
proposes a number Of radical changca
lie declared that this lill viii h. in.
troduccd by him early In the session
and h. has mailed copies 81 u tu mem.
hers ~ the legislature with n request
for suggestions for amendments. The
attention Representative Smith Is de-
voting 20 pushing his proposal during
tho possession period is calculated to
gain considerable sppnrt for Il and
make this bill one OF the main ones 10
be considered.
The Smith Bill.
However the Smith hill IL somewhat
in conflict with the state Democratic
platform. and this may form the nj.
cleun OF the figh, agllnft u. according
To political observers. The platform
said In part: NV, are constrained to
believe the system II taxation cstnb.
lished by this state is capable - NOR,
sufficiently meeting the requirements
~ the people II made npprcciatlvc IN
accord with its purpc ios and provisions
of the law II incnualitlcr have crcnt
into the administration. II IL within
the power ~ the legislature. uud,r ron.
sttuti1nal authority. e. enact such
provisions as will correct them; and
We would recommend that before LEG.
islative considerable g. accorded nov
plans 81 taxation TINT a uainsttkinC in.
quiry b. instituted into The adequacy
and adnptabiliiv ~ tho methods sumo.
toned by our constitution and the pol.
Icy of our statutes"
The Smith hill dlfgerr 50 widely from
the present syst that II may hp con.
sdercd a new plan Of taxation. ono
II the most radical departures r. the
proposal that bonds aud - cured
debts" be given q separate classified.
ton; that a stamp tax tu h. paid when
bonds arr issued or notes etc, exc.
cutcd. h. levied and that property 81
this nature then D. free from further
taxation. The hill further proposes
that II BE- lawful to deliver securities
20 a purchaser without the tax stamp