The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1922-01-31
SENATE PASSES
INHERITANCE TAX
PROPONENTS WIN OUT AFTER
HARD FIGHT
Fillibusters Attempted, but Upper
House Overcomes-Other
Measures Advanced
The State. p.

The State, 27
The senate last night, just at mid
night, passed the Inheritance tax bill
and sent it back to the house Of rep
resetatives as amended in the senate,
this being the first of the new revenue
bills to get by the upper house IN two
years. The vote came after what
may be termed a wild night as op-
ponents of the measure started off the
night with an evident determination
to prevent vote.
4 flibuster was started early IN
the night and it looked that it would
be impossible to overcome the oppo-
sition but the proponents of the meas
ure wore down the opponents and
soon after II o'clock the amendments
began to be adopted and at midnight
the entire bill was given final reading.
The passage of the measure ends a
hard fight on the part of a number
of senators to stave off the bill.
Three important amendments were
adopted by the senate last night. one
was to strike out the retroactive tea-
ture so as tc make the law take effect
when signed by the governor instead
of reaching back to 1921. With this
amendment stricken out Senator
Christensen said it would be 1923 be-
fore anything was realized to any eX-
tent. Another amendment to include
gifts to colleges, schools and church
es and such institutions for the tax
was tabled and gifts to these instltu-
tions are exempt from the tax.
Still another amendment was to
make a gift or deed within two years
of a persons death taxable. This was
originally ten years as proposed, but
was changed last night to two years.
Another amendment offered by Sen.
Hart cut the fees of probate judges
in half. Several other minor amend
ments were adopted.
The senate began the session last
night with no humor for debate, ap-
parently, as every statewide bill Of
Importance Of otherwise was advanc-
ed to third reading without objection.
Every senator who had bill on the
calendar advanced it and no objection
was raised. This procedure was cut
short, however, when the new reve
nue. bills were reached.
Opposition Starts
Senator Christensen attempted to
get up the gasoline tax bill but OBJ
lection was raised and it was deferred
after Senator Padgett had offered an
amendment to exempt kerosene from
taxation.
Senator Christensen then moved to
take up the inheritance tax bill and
stiff fight began to stave off action.
Senator Baker of Florence led the
opposition to keep from taking up the
bill and went so far as to demand the
reading of the measure, which re-
quired over an hour. He said he
didn't understand the bill and wanted
the amedments of the Judiciary COM
nittee printed in the bill itself in the
journal so everybody could under
stand it. Senator Johnson then asked
Mr.. Baker if he was not member Of
the Judiciary committee and Mr.. Ba-
ker said he was, but had not attended
the meeting at which the bill was con-
sidered. Senator Johnson then said
the committee had considered the bill
for week.
Senator Johnson then called atten-
ton to the fact that the house had al
ready passed all the revenue bills and
he said the people of South Carolina
were beginning to ask what the senate
was doing. Senator Bonham replied
that the house expected the senate to
do the "thrashing out" and had pass
ed the buck to the senate" on the
bills.
Senator Moore joined the forces ii
favor of putting across the new tax
measures and his help was felt last
night. He said he intended to vote
for number of the new bills.
Senator Padgett came to the rescue
after long filibuster had been in ses-
sion and it was upon his motion that
the amendments were taken up n or
der and real work begun.
Senator Duncan attempted to have
the bill reprinted with the Judiciary
committee amendments inserted in
the proper place, but lost his effort.
To Third Reading
Among the measures advanced to