The Worthington advance., 1901-03-29

oeared there was loud applause. Mhyl5
he negative should speak first vel
cannot comprehend. King eaids the
lime allowed, ten nsminutes, TO answer
The opponents argument was not
enough but he only used three min:
utes in doing so. 81
King said taxing was q complex
question and all business men make
false returns to assessor. He review
ed how the state board was elected
and the pefrogatives Of boards Of
equalization. Here be made refer:
ence to Senator Shell in his usual
manner. and with sickly smile EgaveI
be signal for applause, but he was
willing to assume the responsibility
of the entire state board for any ir-|
What a martyr John is
becoming and how we'll hs wotded'|
his speech, first martyr to- personal
work and then to the Irregularities Of
the whole board; the audience didnts
catch this, but John took a drink Of |
water to give them an opportunity,
still no applause. ....s i. !: =
He then referred to the work. of
county boards of equalization how
they had inc, eased the valuation of
farm lands, citing different farms
upon which the taxes had been: de.
creased, but failed to state whether
any local levy affected these citati ms
or not. He stated the rally &va1u-
atoms in cities were reduced that per
.sonal property might be increased,
commercial interes s being represent
ed by jobbers and others, making the
plea that merchandise, etc., should
not be increased. His argument for
this was that these representatives
were the holders of interests OF: the
personal commodities and the poor
men were holders of real estate. Nc
:Kenzie fixed this point. King not
only lauded ex-Gov. Lind: and his
party during his entire addresssabut'
in closing eulogized each member ST
Mr.. Lind's staff. During his address
he frequently alluded to Gov: Van
SAINT and Mr.. Mckenzie: in re3icu-
lous terms. \ Long and loud applause.
He used IS minutes of bis time. :''':
Mr.. Mckenzie then occupied the
stage displaying districts which each,
member Of the state board, represent
ed and valuation figures of counties
and districts, these figures could not
be distinguished by the audience.
He compared districts showing how
unequal valuations were. compared
with Mobiles county and that this
district was many millions of dollars
in excess@of other districts. He also
named several counties where the
cities were decreased and rural parts
increased. :. Mr.. King stated that the
last board had gotten after the large
lumbermen but Mr.. Kenzie showed
thatin these districts aggregate valu-
ations were reduced which in reality.
would not affect these lumberman :et
al, very materially. He then. showed
acre valuation Of real estate in the
large cities held by poor men com
pared with Mobiles county i farms;
How many poor men in the cites own
real estate? What is the financial
condition Of men owning real estate
in the large cities?. Yet the board de-
creased the valuations because it was
too high, when it was valued at some-
thing like $23 per acre including the
ma mmoth buildings of various kinds
thereon. Now the hog question.
There is an imperfection in the print
in some of the reports sent out hy.
the auditor, but the figures evidently.
intend to show decrease, but MI.
King is entitled to no credit for this
as the percentage basis and valuation
81 hogs are fixed ny the state board
ard, if in any county they are higher
~ a N