Cheraw chronicle. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, 1922-02-02
LAWMAKERS ARE
ElAK|NG PROGRESS
AFTER A HARD FIGHT SENATE
FINALLY PASSES INHERIT
ANcE TAX LAW.
TAX PROBLEMS ARE DEBATED
Revenue Measure is Being Worked
Out Slowly, But is ;Iearly Complet-
ed-Many Amendments.
Columbia.

Columbia.
The senate passed the inheritance
tax bill and sent it back to the house
of representatives 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 wild
night as opponents of the measure
started off the night with an evident
determination to prevent vote.
A fiilibuster was started and it look
ed as If it would be impossible to ov-
ercome the opposition but the propo-
nents of the measure wore down the
opponents and the amendments began
to be adopted and the entire bill was
given final reading The passage of
the measure ends hard fight on the
part of number Of senators to stave
off the bill.
Three important amendments were
adopted by tie senate. One was to
strike out the retroactive features so
as to 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 woAld be 1923 be-
for anything was realized to any ex-
tent. Another amendment to include
gifts to colleges, schools and churches
and such institutions for the tax was
tabled and gifts to these institutions
are exempt from the tax.
Still another amendment was to
make gift or deed within two years
of a persons death taxable. This was
originally ten years as proposed, but
was changed to two years. Another
amendment offered by Senator Hart
cut the fees of probate judges in half.
Several other minor amendments were
adopted.
Senator Moore's bill to amend the
highway law so as to allow Abbeville
county to use the automobile license
fund and the two mill tax money for
ordinary county purposes was refer
red to the judiciary committee upon
motion of the senator from Abbeville.
Senator Miller's bill to require the
venders of cotton, corn, tobacco or
other commodity to disclose the name
of the true owner thereof was passed
and sent to the house as amended. The
committee on agriculture amended the
measure so as to make it read upon
request" and Senator Harrelson Of
fered an amendment to exempt tobac-
co warehouses from the terms OF the
measure. Both amendments were &C.
cepted.
Representative Bryson's bill to
amend the present law so as to re-
uuire the state flag to be displayed on
the inside" instead of the outside
of schools and other state buildings
was advanced to a third reading with
out objection.
Senator Miller's telephone measure,
a companion bill to the railroad COM
mission bill, was also advanced to
third reading with notices OF generaf
amendments. This measure would put
the telephone companies on the same
basis Jas they existed prior to the
order of the railroad commission IN
1921, refusing to allow the companies
to furnish interurba ntelepnone ser
vice without additional cost to regu-
lar subscriber.
J.. K. Hamblin's bill to require tele-
grarh and telephone companies TO
transmit intrastate messages over the
shortest routes was sent to third read
ing without opposition as was Eu'
gene S. Blease's measure to prohibit
the exhibition of certain travelling
shows and carnivals in the state. The
bill would exclude all tented shows
except circuses and carnivals showing
at state and county fairs.
The most extensive debate came on
the bill to require the agreement OF
only three-fourth of grand and petit
Jurors in the trial of civil cases in the
state, the bill being defeated by
vote Of 4S to SO.
OF special interest among the large
number OF new bills introduced were:
A bill, fathered by Representatives
Hughes, Edgar A. Brown, Ellerbe and
Buckingham, to abolish the present
highway commission and create a
highway department to be headed by
a highway commissioner and meas
ure of which Jesse S. Leopard is the
author to create a state Doard
of chiropractic examiners. The high
way commission bill was referred
10 the ways and means committee.
while the Leopard bill was sent to the
committee on medical affairs.
The bill introduced last session by
F. G. Harris Of Spartanburg to de-
fine and prohibit the operation Of pool
halls was committed to the ways and
means committee where amendments
will be proposed to make it a revenue
producing measure, carrying tax on
pool rooms.
Representative Claud \. Sapp's bill
to conform the prohibition laws OF the
state with reference TO dispensing al
coholc beverages for medical pur-
poses to the laws of the United
States was tabled upon the motion Of
the author.
The three ways and means commit
tee revenue measures. the domestic
and foreign corporation tax and the