The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-06
SOUTH CARROLL n A
DEFEATS RADICAL
SALES 7 AK BILL
Revenue Bill Was One Of
Drastic Ever Intro
duCed

COLUMBIA, s. c.. May 5.-(By AS
sociater Press.)-A deluge of tele
grams, coupled with a storm of
newspaper criticism and verbal
complaints by constituents, re-
Gently turned the South Carolina
state legislature from what was re-
Sarded as probably the most revolu~
tonary piece of tax legislation ever
attempted III the state and possibly
in any state in America.
The state senate, seeking means
of raising revenue needed for public
buildings at the six state colleges
and universities, the penitentiary and
the various reform schools and pub
lie institutions, decided at the elev-
enth hour on a sweeping measure
which its proponents called sales
tax BILL The measure carried with
1t. however, a sweeping occupational
tax measure that did not stop at
workers and professional men max
ing comparatively comfortable in
comes, but also impose tax on
more modest wage earners.
All Sales Taxed.
The measure as passed by the
senate taxed manufacturers, mer-
chants, retailers, professional men
and workers one-half of one per
cent on their gross receipts from
whatever source realized. after an
exemption of $500 had been allowed.
This feature touched the housewife.
who under the law was compelled to
keep account of the sale of old
clothing, old furniture or anything
else for which she received money.
In order that none might be missed
the bill required that every worker
and business man must pay license
of 50 year for the privilege of en-
gaging in business and must keep
said license posted in his or her office.
Sales of farm products by the pro-
Queer alone We're exempted
Hardly had news of the passage
of this pleasure, which was in the
form of an amendment to house
tax bill, ben carried over the news
paper wires of the state, when a
deluge of kilograms struck the
solons. The house refused to concur
Fin the amendment and it went to
conference.
The conferees reported a modified
bil but still carrying the occupa-
tional and gross receipts features.
| This was rejected. A new confer
ence committee was formed and the
second report eliminated the occu-
pational feature. but retained a modi-
fled gross receipts feature together
with. 10 per cent tax on tobacco,
amusements, jewerly and other So
| cdileu luAuIlts L his III lul IL v
re jected.
Unable to devise a bill that would
| fit, the hackers of the measure an
nounced they have abandoned it and
| the conferees on the state appropria-
| ton bill started to cut the appro-
| priations voted by the two houses to
a point withfr the cost of operat-
| ing the government in 1922.
The legislators met January Il
with the avowed intention of trying
to reduce the taxes of the farmers,
who comprise IS per cent of the pop
| ulation of South Carolina.
Two days before the end of the
session the senate adopted an amend
ment to a bill taxing transfers of
stocks and bonds, taxing. manufac-
| turers and mine owners one-tenth OF
| one per cent of their gross receipts
| and placing a tax of 10 per cent on
| candy and admission fees for amuse-
fnents; 80 cents to $40 a thousand
on cigars; $ to S241 a thousand on
cigarettes; cents a pound on smok-
| ing tobacco and So Thousand
| rounds of ammunition. The hous,
| concurred in the amendment.
The taxes on stocks, bonds, to.
bacco and ammunition are STAMP
4 taxes. 49,