Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-08-04
HOUSE VOTES TAX
Of CENT A GALLON
ON GASOLINE SALES

BY vote Of los to 81 the house
| of representatives at 1870 Tuesday
afternoon, after a four-hour filibus-
ter, passed the bill imposing a tax
! Of 1 cent per gallon on the sale of
gasoline, with kerosene oil exempted
from the tax.
The bill was put before the house
by the rules committee at the request
of Governor HardWick, who insisted
| that he must have before him def
i mite estimate of the future revenue
| Of the state before approving or dis
| approving the general appropriation
| bill.
A minority Of the house opposed
| to the gasoline tax conducted fill
ibuster throughout the session Tues
day morning for the purpose of side
tracking the bill and forcing imme'
date consideration Of the genera!
appropriation bill. The minority were
finally defeated by a vote of 128 to
A on the question Of disposing of
the gasoline tax bill, but after tie
bill was placed upon it's passage they
continued their filibuster.
Those who spoke against the gas
o1ine tax were Representatives Bow
den of Ware, Wyatt of Troupe,
Quincy of Coffee and Landlord OF
Toombs.
Representative BoWden accused the
chairman of the appropriations COM
mittee, Representative DuBose of
Clark, of attempting to enforce gag
rule upon the will Of the house. Those
who spoke in favor of the gasoline
tax were Representatives Beckham
of Dougherty, Ennis of Baldwin and
Davis of Oglethorpe. Representative
McMichael of Marion. speaking in
favor of the bill, severely criticized
a minority for running the risk OF an
extra session by their filibuster. His
criticisms were holly resented by
Representatives Quincy and Wyann,
who accused him of consuming the
first half of the session by his de-
mandS for an investigation of the
highway department.
In the final stages of the filibuste-
the house voted down amendments
by Representative Bowden providing
for referendum of the gasoline tax
to the vote of the people; by Repre-
sentative Landlord to exempt motor
vehicles used in the conduct of bust
ness or agriculture; by Representa-
tive McMichael to impose a tax Of
l cent on each cigar selling for III
cents or more.
Monday afternoon decided to report
to the house d bill providing for
1922 and 1923 the same app opria-
tons now in effect for 1921. 1t had
been expected that Chairman DuBose
CT the appropriations committee.
would call up the bill Tuesday
morning. In the meantime, however,
Governor Hardwick requested the
rules committee to put up the Saso-
line tax bill, his attitude being that
revenue measures should be def
nitely disposed of before passing APP
preparations.
In, compliance With the. governors
request the rules committee put up
DuBose Informed the house that he
would call the appropriation bill
Immediately following the DISPOSE
tion of the gasoline bill. Represep-
tative Arnold moved to take up the
appropriation bill at once and 'alleG
voted down the motion, 108 to 81.
The gasoline bill was then taken
up. Representative McMichael of
Marion, offered an amendment to
include in the bill tax of one cent
each on all cigars retailing for ten
ceats or over. Representative En-
mis-, of Baldwin offered u substitute
providing for the collection of the
gasoline tax of one cent per gallon
by the wholesale dealers. instead of
the retail dealers. In order to con-
slider these it was necessary for the
house to reconsider it's action last
week in agreeing to the report Of
the committee in favor of the gaso-
line tax bill.
This palllamentary situation
DrOloht on another SariaS of efforts.
led by Representa- tives Arnold, of
Clay; Bowden, of Ware; Landlord, Of
Toombs, and Wyatt of Troup, to
side track the gasoline bill and
force immediate consideration of the
general appropriations bill. They
were finally defeated by vote Of
1913 to A and the house proceeded
to consideration of the gasoline tax
bill and all amendments offered
thereto.