The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-29

world that we intend that our taxation shall be limited, and. for that reason, l have suggested this amendment. MT. Browne-Wlll the gentleman al- low a question?
 | Mir. Howze-Yes sir.
 Mir. Browne-Upon what information does the gentleman predicate the sug- gestion he has offered that 1t would be unwise to decrease the rate of taxa tion beginning with October, 1902?
 MT. Howze-Upon your statement all most entirely.
 MT. Coleman (Greene)-If your con- clusion is that the figures are too slim, the committee Is anxious for you to point out the difficulty. Don't say that the figures are too slim, and let nobody know to what you refer, but give us the figures.
 MT. HowZe-From what have heard of the figures given by the chairman of the committee, this surplus Is made up- on basis depending upon the pay ment of extraordinary expenses that we have made, such as the holding of this Convention and other things, the meeting of the Legislature and the re- funding of license tax. All of these things he has counted in, in order to make up this surplus. Now these ex- traordinary expenses may come on in the next year or two. We do not know whether they will or not, and I say a surplus of one hundred and fifty or two hundred thousand dollars is not too large a surplus for us to look to in making this reduction. If the surplus accumulates within two years, there is nothing to prevent the next session of the Legislature from reducing the rate of taxation, but it does seem to me that it would not be wise for this Con- fk~ aAr II derstand it would go into effect almost immediately.
 MI. Browne-After the 1st Of Octo- Der 1902.
 MT. Howze-You have not got that in the Section.
 MT. Browne-The levy for the next fiscal year has already been made. This can only apply to levies to be made after that.
 Mir Howze-In 1902?
 MT. Browne-The levy under the new December 1902, and consequently the rate would not go into effect until 1903.
 MT. Howze-I think that Is too short a time for Us to take this leap.
 Mir. Graham (Talladega)-I wish to offer an amendment to the amendment.
 The Clerk read the Amendment as follows: Amend the amendment by striking out all of 1t except the words 'seventy-five cents"
 The President-The question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Talladega to the amendment of- fered by the gentleman from Jefferson to Section as reported by the Com mittee. I now recognize the gentleman from Talladega.
 MT. .iraham-Mr. President, 1 of- fered this amendment, not for the pur- pose of holding on to the burden or taxation or increasing the burden or taxation in Alabama, but out of abund- ance of caution. I must confess frank ly that I have not the financial op- timism of the Committee. No doubt the majority of that Committee are better versed in finances than myself. both from their public experience and their private holdings. At the same time I want to say that no member or that Committee appreciates more the duties of a delegate in this Conveh- tion with reference to the tax-payers of this State than 1 do, and l want to say at the same time that no mem Der of that Committee appreciates the credit and standing of the State Of Ala bama in the financial world more than do. They talk about increase in valuation. I refer you to page 2l or the last report of the Auditor. In the year 1890 which was scarcely eleven years ago, the taxable values or tnls State were $259, 100000 in round num- bers. In 1891 they were $215 O0O,OOO In round numbers, the highest tide that We have ever reached. In lSS2 tney were $260.OOO, ,OOO $15,000,000 decrease m one year. The next year they went down nearly $1.0OO,000. In 1895 they oroppeo to SPA, ,OOO, 900, and in 1895, scarce lv six years ago they were $241, CO., 0OO; they commenced to "O up ana Tn 1SVV they had reached $26V, 100000, upon the estimate of the Chairman of the com mittee we will get little above $z'o'- GOO GOO for the present year. and we get hack to where we were in 1891. Where is the man of financial Ken Tn this body that can undertake 10 'eA us that in 1905 we will not ma our selves in the attitude that we were m 1895. drop back to $24l ,00O,OOO. Iheh what are you going to do Wltn tne credit of the State of Alabama Wlth limitation of 1-2 mills for taxing power. I make this argument upon the presumption that the State ot Aiapauha Ia going to maintain its faith with tne neople in the appropriation for schools and for the Confederate soldiers:
 MT. Robinson (Chambers)-l VIII asA the gentleman If he Knows "h"I 'iie tax rate waJ in 1S95!
 MT. Graham-I think one-halt mlll 10 the soldiers at that time we have a mlll now. 4ha +ox
 MT. Robinson-What was the '"A rate? o,s .,u,s
 MT. Graham-Five and one-haif mills.
 MT. Oates-I was going to say that at the session of 1S94-5 1t was increased from five to five and a half mills.
 MT, Graham-Mind you, only one half mill levied for the soldiers, and at the present time we have one mill Tor them.
 MT. Browne-Does the gentleman not knew that in those days they did not collect the amount of corporation taxes that are now collected?
 MT. Graham-Certainiy, l know that.
 MT Browne-Don't the gentlemen know that large valuation of $275,OOOOOO was made up largely out of inflated values of boom town property which collapsed about that time, and that the shrinkage in values immediately fol- lowing that was on account mainly of shrinkage in boom town property?
 MT. Graham-I understand that and it fully, but I care not whether it was levied on boomed town 1t was a tax and it was mon ey when it was collected-boom or no boom. I was going on to say that we now have an obligation with the Can federate soldiers of this State for one mill tax, which is one-half mill above | that of 1895, and we have a contract with the citizens of this | State for the support of the public |