San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-15

laws are expected to be passed during
the session.
Considerable opposition is already
developing to the Bryant income tax
hill which its author said it fashioned
after the federal income tax law, al
though the Bryant measure seeks 10
impose a tax Of One-half of one per
cent on incomes of $1,000. The Mel
son severance tax bill is another meas
IRE that is destined TO meet with much
opposition.
Get To Work Wednesday.
II will be Wednesday before the
Legislature buckles down TO the busl-
ness of lawmaking in earnest, as today
the lawmakers are busily engaged IN
counting the votes for governor and
licutenans- governor. Tuesday virtually
the entire legislative day will be con-
sumed with the Inauguration of the
governor and lieutenant-goyernor.
Much of the work of the carly part
of the session will he done. in commit
tee. The mass of bills introduced in
the House during the past week is now
in the hands of committees. 1t was
impossible to give consideration TO
these measures until the committees
has been appointed.
The Fugler so-callcd anti-klan bill,
introduced Saturday, will so TO the
committee on state affairs. This is
the bill which would require all secret
organizations to file list OF the names
of their members with the county clerk
in every county in which camps or
local lodges are maintained. Represen-
tative Fugler said that one of the main
purposes of the bill is in the interest
Of justice: that person being tried
for an offense naturally wants to
know the stains of the personnel of
the jury that is to try him.
Valley Trip Is Planned.
Plans are under consideration by
Representative A. L. Lewis Of Har-
lingen and colleagues to take the Legis-
lature. on n junketing trip in the Rio
Grande Valley, so that the lawmakers
may see for themselves the great pos
sibilities of that section of Southwest
Texas. The plan contemplates charter
ing of a special train leaving Austin
some Thursday night during the early
part of February and return the fol-
lowing Sunday. The lawmakers would
visit Brownsville. Harlingen. McAllen,
Mission and other points of interest in
tnat portion OF IeNaS.
Expenses for the junket would be
borne by the various chambers of COM
merce in the valley assisted by the
Rotary Clubs. The entertainment fea-
lures would include q barbecue and
dinners to the lawmakers at various
points.
Representative Lewis has introduced
a bill in the House providing for the
establishment of an horticultural and
agricultural station in the valley for
the purpose of carrying on experiments
on long staple cotton. and various
kinds of citrus fruit. The bill carries
an appropriation of $4,000 to buy
about 100 acres of land and equip the
station.
Gasoline Tax Proposed.
Bills are being prepared by Repre-
sentative Fugler of Harrison carving
out the highway program of the State
Highway Department. There will be
two main bills one to impose a 2-cent
tax on gasoline and the other changing
the system of collecting registration
license fees. At present a motor
vehicle is taxed according TO horse
power. but under the Fugler bill the
tax would be imposed according to the
weight of the vehicle. This would
make the heavy trucks that use the
highways pay a much higher tax. This
change in the taxing of motor vehicles
would yield nearly $3.j0O.OOO 10 the
fees now collected and the 2-cent tax
on gasoline, Fugler estimates. would
produce about S40O0.0OO annually, All
this Increase is to go to the highway
budget and will come very near meet
ing the amount necessary for Texas
to match the federal appropriations.
The plan of the highway department
is to get $10,O0O.OOO to be able TO
participate. in the federal appropria-
tons. The plan does not contemplate
the issuance of any state highway
bonds.
A joint session of the House and
Senate committee on conservation and
reclamation will be held Tuesday night
and the first bin TO be considered will
be the bill by RountrCe in the House
and BiedSoe in the Senate carrying
an appropriation. of 100000 for two
years for Topographic and photographic
surveys of the Texas rivers under the
direction OF the State Reclamation De-
partInent and the State Board Of Water
Engineers.