Omaha daily bee., 1921-04-19
Tax Bill Is
Accepted
By House
Levy on Intangibles Restored
And Reassessment Power
Placed in Hands of State
Authorities.
Omaha Firms Criticised

lsihtoilt, shPlll tSpSNldl NAN
gram. Senate File 65, with a tax
On intangibles reincorporated and
with the reassessment power still In
the hands of state authorities, was
recommended for passage in the
lower house of the legislature late
his afternoon by vote OF 50 to n.
1t ended long day of spirited de-
bate and close drawing OF party lines,
in which Omaha came in for eX-
t.nsive undesirable publicity from
many members, who declared that
his wholesale and retail firms in the
Nebraska metropolis were fighting
to kill the proposed tax on tan
gibles as we'll as the reassessment
clause in the big tax bill.
Representative Theodore Oster-
man, democratic floor leader, voting
fer an amendment to put the tax on
intangibles back in the bill, eurned
his front again and fought desperate
ly to get the bill killed.
Charged With Playing Politics.
This resulted in aligning Oster-
iran and the democrats with the cor
rorate interests of Nebraska in at
tempting to kill the bill. according
to charges made by republican floor
leaders.
II looked upon the bill with sus-
ricion until | learned that the demo-
Gratis and Omaha and Lincoln tax
dodgers had united in fighting it.,
Representative Grant Mears OF
Wavne said.
''It certainly is inconsistent and
plainly playing politics for Osterma II
- vote to put in the tax on intar-
gibles and then move to kill the bill"
Representative Williams said. "He IS
simply lining up with the corpora
tons in their desperate efforts to put
it to eternal sleep"
by giving the state power to re.
assess property we are giving the
honest taxpayers of Nebraska
machine which will dig up hundreds
OF thousands of dollars in property
II Omaha and other cities which are
not on the tax rolls by removing
local politics and local pressure from
~ sessments," Representative James
Rodman of Kimball declared.
Advances "Cure ALL"
Osterman, in moving to kill the
bill, again advanced his income tax
"cure alr' as an l1th hour antidote
tor the Nebraska taxation ailment.
To prepare an income tax would
take weeks, members declared, in
tie closing days OF session which
should be at an end now.
Representative A. II. Byrum of
Franklin introduced the amendment
which again INCLUDED the lax on IN
tangibles in the big taxation bill.
His amendment called for assessing
intangible property at three-iiiths
the assessment put on tangible
property. Osterman voted for this
amendment.
Representative Clark Jeary intro
duced an amendment which would
put a six-mill tax on intangibles.
Jeary declared that the Byrum
amendment would chase intangible
property out of the state. But this
s.,ca inent was voted down by
i a-.y the same vote by which the
Bsru.l amendment was adopted.
Then Jeary supported the bill as
a9 whole. declaring the principle OF
il was inherently right and again
emphasizing the alignment of demo-
Gratis with corporate interests III at
/ moting to kill the reassessment
ard other features of the bill.
Vote on Measure.
They would like to have the re-
ruol;caas l:ill the bill entirely, turn
tartle again and tell the people of
Nebraska that we failed to keep our
constitutional convention pledge to
rsyamp Nebrassa's antiquated tax
avs" Jeary said
The vote follows:
For the bill: Armstrong, Axtell,
Barbour, Bcthea, Bowman, Ryrum,
Davis. Douglas, Downing, Dysart,
Fpperson, Franklin, Frantz, Frazier,
Clifford, Good, Goodrich. Gould.
Griswold, 'Hakanson. Hilfiard, jas
cobs. Jeary. Kendall, Leftwich,
Iundy. Mcfarland, Mckee, McClel-
, Ian. Mcleod. .Mears, MeHor, Nick
ey. Miner, Morian, Moseley, Muir
ply, Perkins. Rank, Reed, Reneker,
Robertson, Rodman, Ruddy, Sand
auist, Smith, Snow, Sommerlad.
Sprick, Stats. Sturdevant. Ullstrom,
Wallace. Webster, Westerhoff. Will
liams, Yeiscr, Speaker Anderson
50.
Against the. bill: Acton, Beans.
Beckman, Behrens. Book. Cole.
Druesedow, Dyball. Foster, Gilmore,
Hammer, Hascall, Hoffmeister, John
SON. Lauritsen, Nelson, Niewedde,
Osterman. OGara. Palmer, Peterson,
Randall ThnranSnr Nance Nnfau-