The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-11-30
WILL MOST PROBABLY PASS
Cunninghamaz Sour Represen-
tativeS So Measure.
GOVERNOR : asNSTON BACKING 1T
Board o, Senue Will Take Place of
the Present Court.
APPOINTED BY THE EXECUTIVE
Claimed by Its Advocates That Taxa
tion Will be More Equitable and
the Administration More
Economical.

Montgomery, November 29.-(Special)--
The commissioners court of Jefferson is to
be abolished and board of revenue con-
sisting of five members to be appointed by
the governor is to be established III. its
stead The board of revenue is to be |ele-
to the commissioners court.
AT least this is the programme. The bill
is to be introduced tomorrow and it is said
to be sure of passage. The Jefferson sena-
tor and four of the six representatives are
said to be outspoken for the change and it
is predicted that probably all six represent
tatives will vote for it.
The news is given out tonight and comes
from thoroughly reliable sources.
The bill will provide board of FIVE, one
of whom shall be president, thus relieving
the probate judge of oneroes duties which
he has no time to discharge. 1t limits the
entire amount which any member shall be
paid to $1,000 and provides for clerk, IL
one is needed, who shall be paid not over
5000 per annum. This, it is said, would ef-
feet saying to the county of nearly 5000.
The powers and duties of the board will be
in every respect the same as those now
possessed by the court of commissioners.
Appointed by Governor
The members of the board will be ap-
pointed by the governor.
The governor and the members and sena-
tor from Jefferson have had several con-
ferences on the subject, and while there
ic af
1t is not now improbable that all will come
together in support of the bill. The gov
ernor himself is earnestly behind the meas
ure and will back it with his whole in
fluence. He claims 1t to be one of tho
most urgently needed reforms in the
whole state
For some years there has been a steady
drift of legislation and sentiment toward
boards of revenue appointed by the gov
ernor to take the places of commissioners
elected by the people," said one of the
bilPs advocates from Jefferson tonight.
In no department of government does
there seem to be more laxity In admins
tration than in these courts, whose powers
In tax matters bring them into direct col
lision with so many temptations to favorit-
ism. Wherever boards of revenue are In
existence they prodace more satisfactory
results, notably in Montgomery and Dallas
whose county governments are models of
economy and the absence of favoritism.
VIII Go Through
several other counties beside Jefferson. y,
ne continued, "are now seeking to trans
form their commissioners courts into
boards of revenue and it now seems that
all will go through without serious obiec
tion. 1t is known that the governor does
not favor the change in any county where
the courts elected by the people are doing
their duty and giving satisfaction. and II
is only because of the long and Imperative
demand for reform that he favors such
change In Jefferson. If fight should arise
over the measure the legislature will be
abundantly informed of the glaring ine-
qualities In assessments that have caused
SO much Irritation among the rank and file
OF Jefferson county taxpayers; of the ac-
tlon OF the court in refusing to allow as
sessments voluntarily made by propertv
owners seeking to conform to the law: of
permitting assessments of property at f3o
ures less than its net income, and other
transactions that cry aloud for breaking
the power Of the clique that has SO lone
run the county to the advantage of the few
S'" '"e INJURY VI the many. X.