Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-02-07
LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS
House and Senate Now Getting Down
to Serious Business.
Charlotte Observer.

Charlotte observer. g. ..
Columbia, Feb. 4.-When the gen.
eral assembly returns to work Tues
day practically four weeks of the
session will have expired. During that
time most OF the legislative program
has been digested, and it remains for
the two branches 10 determine def
nitely whether or not they wish to ac-
cept the menu provided by the COM
mittee. ..
Yesterday the senate considered the
proposition relative to the license fee
on corporations by which about $125,-
900 additional would be added to the
the states resources. At present all
corporations are required to pay one
half of one mill on each dollar of capi-
tai, by way Of license fee. The new
bill proposes increasing this fee to one
mill, instead of the present amount.
This is the present program OF the
legislative committee.
Taxing Corporations.
Senators Hart, Baskin and BonhaEc
took the position that the corporations
were sufficiently taxed at present and
opposed the bill The senate, by a
close vote of II to 16, refused to kill
the bill, and it will probably be, passed
by the senate Tuesday night. AT pres
ent there is pending an amendment
offered by Senator, Baker, of Florence,
to reduce the charges, but no vote was
taken on this.
The bill of most Importance on the
- 10, hA a
measure, which has already passed the
house. The senate committee has been
wrestling with this measure for more
than week, and when the body reas-
sembles on, Tuesday night the expec-
tation is that the amendment will
have been prepared and printed for
the convenience of the senate by Mr..
Walker, the efficient clerk Of the COM
mittee. From what can be heard
from members of the committee the
proposed inclusion of a tax on the
receipts and profits of various insur-
ance companies has been abandoned.
Insurance companies now pay a two
per cent. license tax, and the COM
mittee will recommend, so it IS un-
derstood, that insurance companies be
entirely eliminated from the features
of the income tax bill.
Normal and Surtax Fsates.
It Is also understood that the A.
nance committee will recommend the
rates for normal and surtax that are
in the bill as it came. from the house.
Some time ago the committee was un-
derstood to favor 80 per cent. reduc-
ton in those rates, but the committee
is now divided, majority of favoring.
the house rates and a minority a 90
per cent. reduction. The, symptoms
are that the bill will be very interest
ingly discussed by the senate.
Thus far the inheritance and gaso-
line taxes are the only two bills that
have been definitely and finally passed
by both branches, both the house and
the senate agreeing on at least the
principle involved in the gasoline tax,
but the house has not yet considered
whether or not it proposes adding an
additional cent on the gasoline tax,
which amount is intended for the
counties.
Both legislative branches have TAX
en- a recess so that the members could
be home for the weekend, and also In
order that they might be at home for.
sales day." This is the usual Gus
tom. The talk in and around the
legislative halls Is that the session
will continue for about three weeks
longer, with n bare possibility that H.
nal adjournment can be had by Febru-
ary 25.
The appropriation bill can be
brought out at any time from the
ways and means COMMITTEES. Chairman
Hughes, of the committee, seems in
clined to the view that it will be well
to get some more definite expressions
from the senate on the tax program
before taking final action on the ap--
bill, which. of course, must
originate on the house side
Trend of Taxation.
It is very interesting to note the
trend of taxation and how difiicult II
is to reduce the levies. A number OF
the counties have submitted their
tentative county supply bills and some
comparative figures are to