The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1923-09-04
GOV. WALKER DOES NOT
EXPECT LONG SESSION
BELIEVES SOLONS WILL FIN
ISH WORK AND GET HOME
FOR THANKSGIVING.
STRUGGLE WITH 3 PROBLEMS
Personnel of Commission to Study
Tax Question and Make Recon-
mendations to Be Announced This
Week. Wouldn't Add to Burdens.


| ATLANTA, Ga.-With the date of
the extraordinary session of the Geor-
gia general assembly fixed for No
vember 7, Governor Walker is ex-
pected to announce members of the
commission to study tax problems and
outline a program of progress" for
the state at an early date, it was stat
ed at the executive department
The personnel of the commission
has been under consideration by the
governor for several days, but he has
given no intimation as to whom he
will appoint, other than to say several
members of the house and senate will
+ head the body.
Farmers, bankers, manufacturers
and merchants will be represented on
the commission. They will be instruct
ed by the executive to make "scien-
tihc and business-like study of the
entire tax problem; to make budget
showing in detail the needs of the ed
ucational and elemosinary institutions
of the state, projecting ten-year pro-
gram of construction and malnte-
nance, which will place these institu-
TOMS in line with those of the progress
sive states of the union, and formulate
la plan of taxation which will meet
these needs without adding undue
burden to the owners of real estate
and tangible property, who are now
bearing practically all the burdens OF
taxation.
Subjects to Call.
The tax problem, tax enforcement,
repeal of the tax equalization law and
free text books are the subjects in
cluded in the call for the extra ses-
sion, and ii was stated at the capitol
that while it might be impossible for
the legislature this fall to take up con-
sideration of the program OF prog
ress" the information would be avail
able for the regular 1924 session.
| The inclusion of the free school
book issue in Governor Walkers call
for an extra session came as sur
prise to political observers, and has
resulted in many predictions that the
extra session will last much longer
| than had been anticipated.
The school book issue gives the
! lawmakers three problems to strug-
gle with during the extraordinary ses-
! sion-reform of the state tax system,
repeal of the tax equalization law, and
the enactment of legislation authoriz-
| ing the state school board to provide
free books for pupils in the elemen-
| tary grades OF the common schools.
| All three of these issues have both
/ supporters and opponents in the two
! branches of the general assembly, and
( the school book issue caused several
warm encounters at the regular ses-
! sion.
Predict Long Session.
| Governor Walker has expressed the
hope that the special session can COM
plete its work in fifteen days, and he
| is confident that the lawmakers will
not remain in Atlanta longer than
twenty days, but there are many 9TH
ers who do not agree with this view.
Several veteran observers of Geor-
gia legislatures predict that the ex-
ira session will run one or two months
and possibly longer.
The members of the assembly can
stay in session as long as they please
when called for extraordinary purpos-
es, and there have been sessions in
the past that lasted more than four
months, it is said.
| To Fight Extra Session Plans.
In letter to the Tax Payers
League Frank Weldon, secretary, has
issued an urgent call for quick meet
ing for the purpose of organizing to
fight Governor Walkers plans for the
extraordinary session. Mr.. Weldon in
his letter claimed credit for defeating
the proposed income tax bills and all
others of the proposed tax reform
measures, and tells the league mem
bers there is no chance for any of
the proposed measures to pass in the
extra session. He calls on the league
to support the Elders bill to limit
county tax levies.
He calls upon the league to help
pass the Davis substitute for the re-
peal of the tax equalization law.
|