Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-08-09
Scent GASOLINE
TAX MEASURE IS
PASSED BY HOUSE
Effort to Divert Fund TO
Payment of Pensions Is
Defeated After Spirited
Debate

The house of representatives
. Tuesday afternoon by vote OF 120
to s. passed the bill OF Representa-
tive Mann. of Giynn county, putting
a tax of three cents per gallon on
gasoline sold in Georgia, the pro-
ceeds to go to road construction.
The bill was bitterly fought and oc-
cupie dthe time of the house for the
entire morning session and until
after the usual adjournment hour.
The bill provides that one cent
of the tax shall go into the state
treasury for the purpose of retiring
the Western and Atlantic rental
notes which were discounted to pay
Confederate pensions. These notes
amount to $780, 900 per year. Mr..
Mann estimates that the three cent
gas tax will raise $S,OO0,O00. There
fore. one-third OF it or one million
dollars would go into the treasury
leaving surplus of 100000 for
general purposes. The remaining
lion dollars, is to be divided equal
ly between the state highway de-
partment for the general highway
construction program and the va
rious counties for the construction
of post roads and cross roads.
The house voted down an
amendment by Representative, Gull
pepper of Fayette county to the
three-cent gasoline tax bill, provid
ing that the proceeds from the gas
tax should go to tn epayment OF
past due Confederate pensions in
stead OF highway purposes. The
vote was 141 against the amend
nent and 4S for it.
The amendment of Mr.. Culpepper
came as a great surprise to sup.
porters Of the gasoline tax and
,nreW the house into an uproar
hen it was first introduced Mr..
1Ilpepper stated that there was an
cement in the house always insist
ls upon appropriations to pay pen
i, -0ns, and as chairman OF the ap-
OPERATIONS committee he wanted
get the entire mouse on record By
>-ferfng an opportunity to pay tbs
.5nsions without voting bonds or
.lcreas4ng taxes.
After all amendments had been
k.,4i Mo-,
look strategic advantage Of Rep
resentative McMichael by moving
that the committees substitute,
which was the Mann bill, be adopt
I'd. The vote on this motion was
l05 to so.
Mr.. McMichael made an effort to
get vote on his bill, which had
been offered as u substitute to the
committee substitute. but Speaker
Neill ruled that as the committee
substitute had been adopted, Mr..
McMichaeFs bill had no place on
the calendar.
s. The vote required to pass the
Mann bill is 104 and as only los
members voted for the committee
report, it was conceded that the
bill would have a close call, if it
was passed at ALL The house con-
tinued in session after 1 o'clock,
the usual adjourning hour, to COM
plete roll call on the passage of
the Mann bill.
Representative Mann, of Glynn
county, raised the point of order that
the Culpepper amendment was not
germaine to the Mann bill and should
not be considered because the debate
had been practically closed by agree
IF oil hut
Speaker Neil overruled the ohjec-
ton.
In arguing for his amendment Mr.
Culpepper stated that he was the
=. author of the original bill placing e
one-cent tax on gasoline and he re-
garded a gas tax as the fairest and
best way to pay the pensioners.
do you think it is far to compel
automobile drivers to pay pensions?"
asked Representative McMichael, of
Marion county, author of a bill Of.
fered as a substitute for the Mann
bill.
:, Yes sir, let the joy-riders and the
Yankee tourists who come through
Georgia pay our debts to the gallant
old soldiers" replied Mr.. Culpepper.
Representative Burt of Dougherty
county, declared that Mr.. Culpepper
was doing an unfair thing in coming
in at the last minute and trying to
get credit for a pension bill based
on another mans highway measure.
Representative Turner, Of Brooks
county, spoke for the main bill and
Representative Rutherford, of Mon
roe county. for the Culpepper amend
nent.
Representative Dykes, OF Dooly
was mereiy trying to throw a wrench
county, declared that Mr.. Culpepper
into the machinery and defeat the
gasoline tax bill with all it's amend
ments.
Representative McMichaeI argued
in favor of his substitute, declaring
/. that it was the only bill that would
, guarantee to the smaller counties a
fair share in the highway fund a2d
that it ould also guarantee an eco
nomical administration OF the affairs
Of the state highway department.
An amendment by Representative
Holden, of Clarke county. 70 reduce
the gasoline tax from three cents
TO two cents also was voted down.
An amendment by Repre-
sentative Bussey OF Crisp and
Copeland OF Lowr1des providing
that the three cent tax should in
clude the one-half cent that is now
charged rs an inspection fee was
defeated.
HonfrilI Gill | nadinn