The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-25

educational purposes that we do not Impose upon every other class In Ala bama. We want the farms In Ala bama to become productive. We want the farmers In Alabama to become in- dependent and prosperous. If we re- ally desire that. then we ought ~to lift this unjust burden from off their shoulders. We want fertilizer facto- ries in Alabama. We want cotton mills in Alabama. and iron furnaces all ovei the State where they can be. but, MT. President, if we expect them to come to Alabama. ana prosper. we must deal fairly and justly with all. do not know how much 1t expresses the far mers. nor do care; it is not the amount of the tax. but the fact that 1t Is unjust, tho fact that 1t is im- posed upon them and is an unjust d.s- crimination against them. as a class. that makes me rise to my feet and ask the adoption of the amendment of the gentleman from Pike.
 MT. Greer tcalhoun)--Mr. President. as farmer. rise to endorse the re- marks made by the gentleman from Jefferson, and also by the gentleman from Pike. As a farmer, from experi- ence, MT. President, I charge openly and boldly. without the fear of suc- cessful contradiction, that today, to- morrow, or at any time. might send one, two. three or i've hundred pounds of this fertilizer that is taxed. and could not get 1t analysed without giv- ing the name and brand of the guano analysis printed on the sack. Now then, Mir. President, why should we farmers be taxed
 MT. Dent-Wni the gentleman allow a question?
 MT. Greer-Just as many as the gen. tleman likes.
 MT. Dent-when you send 1t for anal ysis. what Is the difference between the analysis reported by the Chemist and the one sent up?
 MT. Greer-We simply get back a statement that it comes up to analysis. That Is the only explanation we get back.
 Mir. Ashcraft--I desire to ask the gentleman c question. Did you ever individually receive such a reply from the State Chemist?
 Mir. Greer-I have not
 Mir. Ashcraft-Have you ever seen them?
 MT. Greer--I have, yes, sir. And I want to say further that the State Chemist himself, I am quite sure, will not deny what have said, that when 1t has been sent, Mr. President, for analysis. word comes back that we will have to furnish. net. perhaps. in just so many words, but that we must fur nish the brand of the fertihser. and the analysis printed on the sack.
 It is a well known fact. Mir. Presi- dent and gentlemen of the Convention. that the manufacturer adds 50 cents a ton to the cost of the fertilizer. and the farmers who use the fertilizers A AA.A AA A T.H NnrV a Nl lxr for the farmer, gentlemen of the Con- vention, he cannot hide his property, and escape taxation as the gentlemen who own money and who own bonds. but our lands are there, and they are taxed for every dollar that they are worth, and we pay 1t without grumb- ling. Why should gentlemen say that we should have this protection, when we have never asked for it. Why should they say we should have this undue protection. when in the name os God and the farmers of Alabama, I tell you we do not want 1t. We say that 1t Is an unjust discrimination against us, that 1t Is an unjust impo- sition that taxes fertilizer 50 cents a ton which Is taken from our hard earn ed dollars.
 The gentleman from Lee informs us that only one-s sixth of this amount goes to maintain the Agricultural Schools in Alabama. l care not whether 1t is one sixth
 Mr. Harrison-will the gentleman al- low me to interrupt. I said about one sixth went to the Agricultural and Mechanical College where the work Of anaIyxing is done. l didn't say the other schools. They only receive about enough to pay them for what they do.
 Mr. Greer-I am glad the gentleman corrected me. for the simple reason that though 1t is one-sixth or one-tentn the principle is the same. ..
 I want to say to you, as farmer and as a man who has followed asrl. culture for c living since he has lived in the great State of Alabama, that have never received one five cents worth of benefit from the agricultural colleges in Alabama. l want to say to you that the 50 cents pay as a tax on every ton of fertilizer use every year I feel is collected from me un1ustIy and unwarrantedly. l want to say that the farmers of Alabama, all over the State, feel just as 1 do about it. and as A farmer want to ask the members Of this Convention to help me to vote Tor and pass the amendment offered by the gentleman from Pike, in support or the farmers. the hArd-working farmers or Alabama.
 Now. MT. President, we do not object to the nine agricultural schools in Ala hama. We are proud of them. We would not take from Q single district the school that 1t has. but if the School is worthy and is meeting with success, then pay for 1t as you do for other schools, out of the general approprla- tions, and out of the funds which are collected from taxes generally, ana then the farmers of Alabama will pay their full share to support and main tain the same. One question l would ike to ask the gentlemen who support the agricultural schools in Alabama, and that Is If thev know how many ulows it takes to run each of those schools. and how many men they turn out each year as scientific farmers?
 Mir. White-I will ask the gentleman if he knows the price of fertilizer Tn Georgia, in comparison with this stateF
 Mir. Greer (Calhoun)-1 do not.
 Mir. Whitc-I have just been inform ed 1t Is 90 cents ton less In GeorSia than in AlabA:na
 MT Greer (Calhoun)-The question has been asked why the farmer does not fix the price of his cottonY The question was partly answered by the from Jefferson. want to sny the reason we do not fix the price of our cotton Is because 1t is already fixed for us in Liverpool. and that we receive here what 1t Is worth in Liver pool. less the cost of transportation and less a considerable commission ana profit.
 Now. MT. President, did not intend to make an argument on this question. I hope. and l trust that the gentlemen of this Convention will relieve the