The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-09

friend there says Montgomery requires 125 per cent. Already the people of Montgomery county, who reside in the city, are taxed two twenty-seven and d half per cent. This city has acted under the Constitution that has pre- vailed for twenty-five years. and for the last ten or fifteen years at least, while it should properly tax from seventy to seventy-five, it is taxed one hundred ana twelve and a half per cent, in defiance of the Constitution of the State ad have applied money so raj. ed to any purpose that suited the fancy or caprice of the Aldermen. The proposition of my colleague is that now. inasmuch as the City Council has collected enc hundred and twelve and oEe-half per cent. instead of seventy or seventy-five per cent, that we should go further and give 1t the right to collect one hundred and twenty-five per cent. It is just precisely as Wse as if mar who has been robbed of twelve hundred dollars should imme- diately turn around and give the gang of robbers eighteen hundred dollars be- cause of the theft. Why should they do 1t? What evidence have we that one hundred and twenty-five per cent. will pay an indebtedness of more than
 
 the market which we cannot sell. when the people are pledged not to enlarge the indebtedness of the county Mont somery is as much part of the peo- pie or Alabama as any other portion Of the State. One hundred and twen- ty-hve per cent. is higher than any other class of ten thousand men that I know pay for city, village or town privileges. I can see no reason why the people should be thus burdened, MT. President. he says that his five col leagues-I am rather astonished at the defection of my friend Macdonald if he be one of them. MT. friend Jones Is unfortunately afflicted and is not here to answer for himself. I do not know that Governor Oates favors this pro- ject. I am certainly earnestly and intensely opposed to it and I appeal to these people not to single out Mont gomery as a sacrifice. and not to bur den them, when already they have a debt of two million dollars which they cannot pay; when their assets consist of the Fire Department. a Market House and Cemetery, and some wa ter works that are very valuable, but who wants to buy a Cemetery or a Fire Department to meet these great obligations? I say to this Convention that it would be unjust. What men have these gentlemen seen and con- fabulated with. who speak for the peo- pie of Montgomery city? The City Council. many of whom have been de- feated for their own wise policies and who are going out of office in a few weeks and are doing everything that they can possible as a mere matter of spite under the p-ct-lse of honesty and patriotism. Now the people I meet on the street say to me
 MT. Lomax-You seem to question the proposition that five of the repre- sentatives from Montgomery Council favor this proposition.
 Mir. Sanford-I do.
 Mir. Lomax-Do you deny that Mir. Watts favors it of that MT. Graham fa- vors it. or that I favor it or that MT. Macdonald favors or that Governor Jones tavors it?
 MT. Sanford-I did not know Mir. Macdonald favored II.
 MT. Lomax-He does favor it and Governor Jones favore', it al a meet ing of the Montgomery delegation at which you were not present.
 MT. Sanford-That is not all. There are six of us here.
 MT. Lomax-There are seven of us here.
 MT. Sanford-That is greater mis- fortune than I thought Montgomery was afflicted with. (Laughter)
 Mir. Lomax-With great respect I would like to ask my colleague if he refers to himself in that remark daughter.)
 MT. SanfoId-Certainly, and to YOU also. NOW l would say that the peo- pie say to me when they meet me on the street Don't let the Convention, If you can prevent it, put any more tax on this city or upon us."
 The Pre- s.dent-The time of the gen. tleman has expired.
 MT. Macdonald-I feel 1t necessary ettef the allusion made to me by my distinguished colleague from Montgom- cry Colonel Sanford, to explain my vote ln this instance. Every one who kncWs me, understands and my course In this Convention has shown. that I am opposed to putting on the people any unnecessary burden, and that has been the course of my life so far as It hao any public character at all. when this matter was first preached to me, was very much like my friend General Sanford, in reference to it. but became convinced (and I can be con Vlnced some times) that the necessj- tlsS or the case demand this. As T understand there Is a maximum limit Dy law now for the city of Montgom- cry, of l believe d cent and a half. Is that correct?
 MT saNford-About eighteen and A half cents
 MT. Lomax-A cent and quarter.
 MT. N2cdonald--It is true that tbe municipality of Montgomery does not tax up to that rate, but the tax has been one twelve and a half. ana ao thlS suggested raise as a matter of 1act is no raise at all but merely fixes limit already fixed although if ia true that that limit of one and A omar ter IS made up by permission given to assess the property of the city for the purpose of paying interest on cer- taln bonds which do not require the full amount now
 MT. Sanford-Ain't it a fact that tba interest which one per centum is al- lowed. amounts to about $27.O00 and a few hundred, and they collect about sixty odd thousand dollars upon if fl. legally.
 MT. Macdonald-Yes sir. I have al- ready answered that proposition, that 1t is not needed for that Specific pur- pose.
 MT. Sanford-That is illegal and yet we want to increase the illegal taxa ton by making it legal.
 MT. MaCdonald-No sir, I desire that the municipality of Montgomery which IS in condition that absolutely de- mands this relief according to ir,fn