Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-08-11
TAX ACT F|L|BUSTER
ENDED; HOUSE WILL
RECONSIDER ACTION

The f1iibustcr on consideration of
the general tax act as a whole was
broken in the house of representa-
tiVes Friday morning when the house
voted 6S to 50 to reconsider its pre-
vious action in ordering that the
bill be taken up section by section.
The motion to reconsider was made
by Representative Harris Of Jeffer-
son county, and was opposed by Rep
resentatives Stewart of Atkinson,
Wood of Fulton, Terrell Of Stewart,
and others. Motions to adjourn,
parliamentary inquiries and calls
upon the speaker to interpret vari-
Gus rules, delayed vote for some
time, but Speaker Neill finally ignor-
ed several members who were clam
oring for recognition and put the
question.
The clerk began to read the bill
pleted, amendments were sent to the
desk. Speaker Neill ruled that all
these amendments should be held
until the reading of the bill was COM
pleted and announced that at that
time he would allow each author
five minutes to explain his amend
ment. The indications were that
the general tax bill would be. com
pleted by the house either Friday
afternoon or Saturday morning.
At l o'clock the senate and house
held a Joint memorial service for
President Harding. The two bodies
united in siging Lead Kindly
Light" Nearer My God to Thee"
and heard a memorial address by
Representative w. A, Covington. OF
Colquitt county.
Considerable time was spent fel
day morning in arguing a bill by
Representative Harrell, Of Stewart
to reduce the fees charged by clerks
of superior courts. Mr.. HarreH
claimed that these fees were in
creased in 1919 as a war emergency
End should be put back at the orig
inal figures. A roll call was demanded
and the bill was defeated.
Before taking up the bill as
previously voted on dealers in cigars,
fixing a new tax at SIS for cigar deal
ers in towns of less than 1000 popu-
lation and $40 in larger cities.
To Honor Harding
A resolution was adopted by the
house giving the Georgia public serV-
ice commission the right to use 81
500 of the fund set apart for the
commission TO reimburse the five
members who put up $500 each out
of their own pockets to have an
audit made of the Atlanta Gas Light
company in the rate case affecting
the city of Atlanta and its suburbs.
This money does not come out o.
the state treasury, but from the
fund raised by. assessment of the
Public service corporation for the
maintenance of the commission.
1t was expected that the house
would adjourn from 1 o'clock un'
til $3.50 o'clock out of respect to the
late President Harding.
At the Thursday afternoon session
the house passed, by Il vote of l26
to So, the Miner bill placing stamp
tax Of 10 per cent upon all cigars
and cigarettes sold in Georgia. The
general tax act is the next measure
on the calendar after the Ennis bill.
The Ennis bill provides for the
appointment by the governor of
commissioner of revenue, for pc,
riod of six years, at an annual sal
airy of $4,000, who shall have the
power to appoint six deputies at sal
aries of 5000 per month. These Of
ficials shall be charged with the
duty of investigating and collecting
delinquent special license taxes, oc-
cupation taxes, automobile tag taxes
and inheritance taxes, and assess
penalty of 25 per cent against all
deiinquents.
Cites Great Waste
Mr.. Ennis stated to the house that
there are $1,5O0,O00 in taxes now
past due, which can be collected by
the new department.
1t is estimated that the tax Will
raise more than 100000. OF this
amount $250,000 will go to the state
sanitarium for tubercular patients at
Alto, Ca, during the years 1924 and
1925, and the remainder will be used
to pay Confederate pensions
An effort was made to divert $751;
900 to the payment of free school
books in the 4rst grades of the COM
mon schools, but this amendment
sssssa5 defeated