Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1921-08-09
GENERAL TAX BILL
PASSED BY SENATE.

ATLANTA, August s9.-The gem
eral tax bill was passed by the sem
ate late Monday afternoon by vote
of SO to after it had been amend
ed so as to provide for per cent
state tax on all amusements, mclud-
ing grand opera and moving pictures.
The amendment had been recommend
ed by the senate tax committe and
was in the form of substitute for
the section in the house bill placing
a S2,500 tax on grand opera. It. was
adopted by 80 to 13 vote.
In the adoption Of the tax bill,
the senate followed closely the plan
of amusements proposed by the COM
mittee, which in nearly all instances
increased taxes over the scale adopt
ed by the house when it passed the
measure. Senator John H. Jones, in
speech against the bill, declared
that it would increase taxes approx
mately 80 per cent over the original
house measure
In the roll call on the bill Sena-
tors Campbell, John Jones, Lassiter,
Manson, Peacock, Wall and Williams
voted against it in it's entirety.
Vote was taken on the amusement
tax only after two hours debate in
which two amendments offered from
the floor of the senate were turned
down. One would place a tax of ST.
600 on opera and the other tax of
$500. Both of these were offered by
members opposed to a tax on opera
altogether, IN a spirit of compromise,
.
posed to the per cent tax in prin-
ciple and that it would put tax of
about $4,000 on opera, which they
declared to be an educational factor
in the state. The $1,000 amendment
was offered by Senator Wall, and
the $500 one by Senator Hutchins.
Roll Call On Tax.
The roll call on the per cent
amusement tax was as follows;
Ayes: Senators Bellah, Bond,
Brown, Childs, Cone, Ellis, Foy, Co
lucke, HARRISON, Hellingsworth,
Hunt, Jackson Johnson y. X. Jones,
Mills, Nix, Palmour, Pope, Richards,
Ridley, Sheffield, Stovall, Tarpley,
Taylor, Thomas, Thorpe, Walker,
Weaver, Williams and Womble. To-
tai 80.
Nays; Senators Akin, Collum, Da-
vid, Dennis Flemming, w. O. Flem-
ming, Hutchins, j. II. Jones, Kim
zey, Manson, Rountree, Snow, Wall
and Wohlwender. Total, I3.
Senator Nix began the debate on
the amusement tax by declaring that
"you have taxed everything in the
state in this bill down te the poor
mans dog. BY this tax you will
secure revenue from those who attend
amusements who should certainly be
able to afford to pay 5 per cent
tax il they can buy ticket. The
farmer in my district is dead broke,
but still you tax him. / say to you,
tax the RICH who attend opera, and
other amusements. The government
gets ten per cent tax from them
now and surely they can pay five per
cent more to the state.
Senator Manson, Of the Thirty
fifth, took the floor and replied.
asking, "Why is this move under way
to place still more of the burden of
the states taxes upon Atlanta? At
lanta now pays about one-sixth of
eiN CVboi, IdhCo vi 1CutSld. Ills LAX
would be prohibitive to many places
and would put many small moving
picture men out of business. The gov
ernment gets 10 per cent tax now and
is that enough to pay?"
Must Have More.
Chairman Walker, of the appro-
priations committee, favored the tax,
declaring that it was adopted by.
special compromise committee and
its decision should be adhered to
by the senate. I'VE must have more
revenue SO why not let those who at
tend amtsements help US out?" he
said.
Senator Hutchins, of the Thirty
eights, made a vigorous attack on
the tax, saying: You have gone
wild ON the subject of taxation. .This
whole bill is glaring in its inconsist-
encies and this item is but one of
them. This amusement tax was not
offered in spirit Of fairness, but in
fCoutinuad An Pace .Thraa