Evening journal., 1921-03-26
SCHOOL BILL
PUT THROUGH
At MIDNIGHT
CONTINUED from First Page }

Alice made the following statement:
1.-The tax bill as sent us by the
House is practically the same bill as
the alternative proposition which we
sent them. In other words we sent
them. a tax provision which made
an income tax on an actual value
! capital stock tax. which gives the
corporation the right to choose
either one or the other. The House
has seen TT to send to us. having
/ passed the same, re-vamped as it
were. bearing their name, bill
practically Identical with one pro-
vision of the bill sent them, with
this exception in order to answer
the House objection to our first tax
provisions, and in that objection was
retaliatory law, believing they were
sincere in their action and in their
contention, we cut out from our sec
ond tax proposition foreign corpor-
ations. They have seen fit to re-
verse their first ground, and have
again put back foreign corporations
and have put in a clause which they
contend takes care of the danger.
I'VE are not in position to say
whether or not it will do that. but
the bill is so nearly the one which
this Senate is on record on we feel
it is incumbent on this Senate. since
il has said il is willing to take an
equitable school tax law which will
relieve the burden on real setate to
concur in It.
do not quibble because the House
cares to say this is our tax law We
do not care what you name a tax
law-our principal object is to re-
, lieve the load on real estate and in
our judgment this tax bill does that,
and therefore l think it is incum-
bent upon this Senate to cast aside
/ bad feelings in the matter and give
to the people of the State Of Della
ware a tax system for school pur-
poses which is equitable. no matter
what that law might be named or
who might be accredited with the
same"
After the passage OF the tax bill
the school bill was Immediately
placed on final passage.
Senator Alice, who was the first to
speak on the bill, claimed that the
position of the Democratic members
of the House had not been consist
ent. One Of the changes he pointed
out in the House bill compared to
the new bill sent to the House by the
Senate was in the naming OF the
state Board of Education. The Sem
ate bill, he said. provided for four
members to be elected and one to be
appointed. The House bill provides
for the appointment of all four
members by the Governor. When
the original House bill introduced
some weeks ago and defeated was
up for final action, Senator Alice
said an amendment was offered to
that bill providing for an appointivC
board. Only three members voted
for that amendment and now they
send a bill TO the House with the
unanimous vote OF the Democratic
members providing for an appoint
i've board which they had voted
against in the original bill.
He said the House bill does away
with County Boards but provides "a
pay the State Board members S25
for attending meeting once a
month. while under the present Law
and the bill defeated the State Board
and the County Board member,
would receive but $40 for attending
a meeting He could not see how
that was any saving of money. Sen.
ator Alice maintained that the bill
was not as Democratic as the bill
sent by the Senate to the House
The budget feature, he said. re.
. mains the same as in the origina
bill, Il being necessary to bring il tS
the Legislature for approval.
Dr. r. w. Cooper, who assisted
in drawing the original bill, intro
duced in the House was questioned
by Senator Alice as to changes In
this bill compared with the original
He said the supervision OF higl
schools outside OF Wilmington 4
!. placed in the State Board; propert,
OF school districts returned TO tn,
. districts and that OF the Count,
j Boards to the State Board. The Stat,
e Treasurer under this bill as treas
urer Of the State Board will be re
quired to draw all checks and super
visors and attendance officers ar
o not mentioned in the bill.
Senator Robertson questioned Dr
r. Cooper as to the distribution o
funds under this bill and brough
y out that IL is the same as under tn
: original bill.
+ Senator Short offered his amend
ment which provided for a hv
e member State Board. four to b
elected and one appointed by tn
- Governor. Notwithstanding the fac
i that the amendment was defeated
10 Senator Short made one OF the bes
speeches in advocating il that ha
q been made on the floor Of the Sen
ate this session.
j. He said the amendment was OF
fered to give the House a chance Z
n correct what he considered was a.
r error in the drafting of the bill
II Senator Short went into the histor
of the drafting OF the original bill
" defeated by the House, Of the nam
ing by the hold-over Senators OF
l. citizens committee and Of tina
e committee drawing the bill He the
referred to the action of the Hous
IS in defeating an amendment for a
a appointive board with only thre
members voting for it.
dl Senator Short declared that prac
tically every member Of the bod
8 was on record in favor OF a stat
Board elected by the people and nc
s. appointed by the Governor. He sal
in several districts usually having
D. large Republican majority Demo
Gratis had won out on tho issue {
lie roads and highways through ir
l. corporated towns.
Changing time for merchants
NJ make return for their mercantI