San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-02-08
BELIEVE TEXAS
. SCHOOL LANDS
M|NERAL|ZED
Bill Would Authorize Uni
versity Regents to Have
Survey Made.
PROPOSE 1c GAS TAX
Bill Carries Appropriation
Of S5,000,OO0 for
Schools.
PROPOSE lc GAS TAX

'dIu Ol negeHl Or the University OF
Texas to make an investigation Of the
university lands, which aggregate about
2,OO0,O0O acres, to determine the exist
ence of potash and other minerals on
such lands. The bill also requires the
regents to make a detailed report of such
investigation not later than January l.,
1925, and TO the Senate and House of
Representatives of Texas at the next
regular session of the Legislature The
bill carries an appropriation of $4,000
TO defray the expenses of making the
investigation. N..
Baldwin stated that he had, during
the early part of the present session, in
PRODUCED bill authorizing the uni
versities to sell these 2,000,000 acres Of
land and invest the proceeds in inter-
est-bearing securities. 1t developed that
the regents were opposed to this meas
ure, so Baldwin did not push it and
permitted the bill to be killed in COM
mittee. The university authorities
claimed there were valuable minerals on
this land. The bill just introduced by
Baldwin is to determine the presence
of such minerals. Baldwin added that
in the event minerals are found, the
ldHu uHutE WHICH SUN ullHtEdIS are us
covered shall be set aside, and a bill will
be introduced at the next session of the
Legislature authorizing the sale of the
remainder or non-mineral land.
After debating the Westbrook House
bill, enabling the use of revenue Of the
state university permanent fund for the
construction of permanent improve
ments at the University of Texas, for
more than four years, the Senate late
Wednesday placed the measure as a spe-
cial order of business for Monday morn
ing. The bill has already passed in the
House, and its enactment is desired by
the university authorities as it would
enable them TO carry out their extensive
building program. While there was
some opposition to the measure in the
upper branch, the indications are that
it will receive a sufficient number Of
votes TO insure its enactment.
House Passes Revenue Bill.
A long step toward raising additional
revenue for the support and mainten-
ance of the state government was taken
by the Legislature, when the House late
Wednesday passed to engrossment by a
vote of 50 TO So, the Oatman House bill
extending the provisions of the Texas
intangible asset tax law to a number Of
additional corporations. There is now
every assurance that the bill will pass
finally in the House and its chances Of
enactment in the Senate are considered
excellent.
1t is conservatively estimated by Pat
man and others in the House that this
bill, when it becomes operative will pro-
duce not less than $4,000.000 a year in
additional revenue for the state. As
passed to engrossment the bill imposes
an intangible tax on packing houses,
interurban electric railways, street car
companies terminal companies, tele-
graph and telephone companies, pipe
line companies, mineral or petroleum oil
refineries, stock yards, and every CONS
pany or corporation engaged in the
sale or distribution of natural gas, power
plants, express companies whether Oper-
sted by steam, electricity or motor. The
bill exempts from its provisions, tele-
phone, gas, bridge and electric power
plants, whose gross receipts are less than
$4,000 annually.
All efforts to exempt certain OF these
corporations from the provisions OF the
bill failed. At the present time only
railroads and bridge and ferry COM
panies are subject to an intangible asset
tax.
Tax on Insurance.
Representative Smith of Travis has
introduced rather important bill,
which meets with the approval OF the
state department OF insurance and bank
ing. The bill is designed to tax insur-
ance done by non-admitted insurance
companies or any character OF insurance
organization doing business in Texas
without a permit or license. Inc Dill
proyides a tax of one per cent on the
face value of all policies or contracts
sold or issued, and requires that such
tax shall be paid by the assured,
This bill is aimed at certain insurance
brokers not licensed to transact business
in Texas, who write insurance from
other states. These brokers usually
write the business at lower rate. than
the admitted companies. As the brok-
err cannot be taxed, as it would be all
interference with interstate commerce,
the bill imposes the tax on the person
taking out the insurance. The tax i'm
posed shall be collected in the same man
ner as other state taxes.
House Bill Taxes Gasoline.
Not content with having passed to
engrossment the Patman intangible as
set tax Bill, the House also passed TO en-
grossment by vote Of 22 to IS, the
Cowan House bill, imposing a tax on
gasoline. The bill originally provided
for a 2-cent per gallon tax, but Cowan
explained to the House that he had
agreed with the members of the House
committee on revenue and taxation to
fix the tax at one cent. Cowan accord.
ingly offered an amendment to his bill
cutting the tax to one cent. After de-
batting the proposed amendment for
nearly. two hours, it was adopted by
vote Of "a to 81.
1t is estimated that the final enact
ment of this bill, will yield approx
mately $3,000,O00 a year, three-fourths
of which will 20 to the maintenance OF
state highways and the remaining one,
fourth to 20 to the available school
fund. This one cent per gallon tax on
gasoline is TO be paid by the wholesaler
but ultimately the owner of motor cars
will bear the additional burden. I'm
der an amendment offered by Represen-
tative Jacks of Dallas the tax applies
ON gasoline imported from other states,
but not until the product reaches the
rT,xas boundaries TIE bill makes no |