The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-03

LutlOns MT. f1eynOlQS SalQ that IT the Convention adopted this proposition he visit his county in opposition to the Constitution.
 MT. Bulger of Tallapoosa said that one of the most prominent pledges of the Convention was that no backward step would be taken in education. Put in his judgment 1t was unwise to vote money against men. It was opposed to the grand doctrines of the Demo- cratic party. MT. Bulger said that this matter was too imporsnt for hasty action. He understood that the Com mittee on Education had a similar question before 1t. Therefore he moved that that part of Section 5, relating to local option in taxation for schools te laid upon the table until the report of the Education Committee is read.
 General Harrison of Lee asked Mir. Bulger if he knew what would be the report of the Education Committee.
 MT. Bulger replied that since the tax limit had been reduced by the Conven- ton. the Education Committee had ap- pointed a subcommittee to draw up section on local taxation for schools. He did not know what the report would be.
 MT. Bulger moved to lay Section 5 of the Article on Taxation and the pend ing amendments on the table, and the motion was adopted; ayes, 63: nays, 40.
 Section 6 Considered.
 Section 6, which reads as follows, was then taken up:
 Section 6. The property of private corporations, associations and individ- uals of this State shall forever be tax ed at the same rate; provided, that this section shall not apply to institutions devoted exclusively to religious, edu- cational or charitable purposes
 Judge Cobb of Macon sent forward an amendment that this exemption so far as applicable to educational institu- tions. shall be limited to 200 acres of land and the buildings thereon which are used exclusively for educational purposes, and to personal property not to exceed $10,000 exclusive of philoso- phical and chemical apparatus and mu- sical instruments and libraries.
 Judge Cobb addressed the Conven- tion. He said there were private schools which had vast amounts of money and lands coming to them which are not taxed.
 Would it affect Booker Washing tons school?" asked MT. Long of Walker.
 Tn my opinion. it would" replied Judge Cobb,
 T hope so," said MT. Walker.
 MT. Greer of Calhoun moved to table the Cobb amendment. and, by a vote of 46 ayes to 54 nays. the Convention refused to table the Cobb amendment.
 MT. Carmichael of Coffee sent for ward an amendment fixing the amount of lands at $20,000.
 Judge Cobb then moved to recommit the matter to the Committee on Taxa tion,
 MT. Lomax of Montgomery eloquent ly opposed recommitting the section or adopting the amendment. He said the amendment sought to strike blow at the schools of Alabama. It was a death blow at higher education in Ala bama. He was opposed to putting a tax on Booker Washington's school or any other school in Alabama. He de- clared that the section reported by the committee was word for word the same as in the present Constitution.
 MT. Lomax concluded by moving to table Judge Cobb's motion to recom- init.
 Judge Cobb then withdrew his amendment saying that 1t appeared the Convention was opposed to 1t.
 MT. Long of Walker sent forward an amendment providing that only 1,500 acres of land be exempted from county taxation. He addressed the Conven- tion. MT. Long declared that it was unfair to his county to allow large quantities of lands owned by "eoepo:'a- tions" in his county to be exempted from county taxation.
 On motion of MT. Browne of Tallade- ga the Long amendment was tabled and Section was then adopted as le- ported by the committee
 Section was then read and Mir. Weakley of Lauderdale, Chairman of the Committee on Municipal Corpoca- tions, moved that Section z be laid on the table to be considered at the same time as Section Il of the a.'tlcle on municipal corporations which sections cover the same subject.
 Amendments were sent forward by Messrs. Kyle of Etowah and Foster Of Tuscaloosa.
 derdale the section and amend nents were tabled.
 The Clerk then read Section which is as follows: '"rhe General Ass .mbly shall not have the power to redui:a the counties or other municipal corpora- tions to pay any charges which sre now payable out of the State treasury"
 The section is copied from the Cor stitution of 1875 and was adopted with out division.
 Section 9 was then read as follows: ''No county shall become indebted in an amount greater than five per cent um of the taxab ble value of the property thereof. provided this section shall not apply to any indebtedness in excess of such five per centum which has al- ready been created or authorized by law to be created"
 MT. WeAkley of Lauderdale sent for ward an amendment fixing vhe limit os indebtedness at 3 per centum.
 Mr. Browne. Chairman of the com mittee. said the committee accepted the amendment.
 Opposition to Section 9.
 MT. Lowe of Jefferson spoke in op- position to the amendment. He said the counties had never abused the taX:ng power and he did not favor sucn ,es- olution. He believed the people of a county were willing to trust thei" local authorities in such matters. He said he thought the per cent. amendment should lie on the table.
 MT. Weakley said in his opinion the fixing of a debt limit was more impor- tant than a tax limit. He made an ear nest and able argument in support of his amendment.
 MT. Watts of Montgomery opposed the amendment. He said Montgomery county needed limit of at least per cent. to pay for roads and bridges.
 MT. Wilson of Clarke, favored the proposed limit. He said the people of