ASSESSMENT FOR TAXATION.
The LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR announced the special order to be the consideration of the bill [H. R. 204] concerning taxation.
Mr. CHAPMAN moved to postpone the special order till 4 o'clock p. m.
Mr. MENZIES stated that over $54,000,000 of taxable property escaped taxation during last year. This bill will remedy this defect and take in $100,000,000 of property heretofore not taxed.
Mr. BELL said the Senator from Posey [Mr. Menzies] has been a member of the Special Committee which has had this bill in hand, and has a had an opportunity to examine it. He saw no need he for hurrying this bill through under a suspension of the constitutional rule. We may, by hasty action, enact a bill that will allow more than of $54,000,000 to escape taxation. There is no emergency, such as is contemplated in the Constitution, that the reading of this bill by sections should be refused. It should take three weeks to consider a bill of this kind as it should be.
Mr. SPANN remembered when a bill was before the Senate, the other day, of over 800 sections it was hurried through, but now when a bill comes in affecting corporations, with only about 5 per he cent. new matter, Senators are making dilatory motions. This bill ought to be proceeded with at once, there being only about twenty-seven days between this and the first day of April--assessment day.
Mr. FOSTER was willig to have this bill considered, though satisfied there are some villainous provisions in it. He was not favorable to it. If it comes up there is not time to consider it, there being but a few hours till the time for passing bills in the regular session expires.
Mr. CHAPMAN demanded the previous queston, which was seconded by the Senate, and under its operations the motion to postpone till 4 o'clock was rejected by yeas, 2; nays, 43.
Mr. BROWN made an ineffectual motion--yeas, 12; nays, 32--to postpone the further consideration of the bill till 10:30 o'clock to-morrow.
After reading eight sections--
On motion by Mr. GARRIGUS, the vote refusing to suspend the constitutional rule was reconsidered, and the Senate again refused, by a yea and nay vote, to suspend the rule that the bill be read by title only.
Mr. BROWN and Mr. VIEHE have had no time to read this bill, but would do so to-night, and join in suspending the constitutional rule to-morrow, that it may be read by title only.
Mr. MENZIES urged the consider of this bill there being only twenty-five new sections out of 286. He did not seek to take any advantage of haste or speed.
On motion by Mr. CHAPMAN, the further consideration of this bill was postponed till 10:30 o'clock to-morrow morning.
