The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-27

| stock which he uses upon the farm? If
 he pays that, has he not paid as much
 as any other man who has property as-
 sessable for taxation in Alabama!
 Hasn't he paid as much as the mine
 owner? Hasn't he paid as much as
 the furnace operator? Then why irn- i pose upon him, or upon any other dedi-
 CT in merchandise a tax in addition to | that?
 | Why. Mir. President. and delegates to
 this Convention. there can be no
 equality or justice in it. The argument l which has been made overlooks the great question of the inequality of tax
 ation that Is made by this measure They tell us in glowing terms that nine | Agricultural schools in Alabama need | this blood to flow into them to give
 them life. I ask if this blood does not
 flow From somebody else. leaving less
 blood and less life there. They tell us, | MT. President, not that the taxation is
 just or equal but they tell us. sir, they | need the money. I appeal to the dele- | gates upon this floor, and ask you 1T
 the highwayman at the point Of his l weapon when he makes you hand out
 what you have. has not the same argu- ment for what he does? Claude Duval
 on Highland Heath declared that he l robbed the rich to feed the poor. What l are the opponents to this measure do- ] ing? They are robbing the poor to feed | the rich. They haven't that argument on their side.
 | Remember, gentlemen of this Con- vention. that the precedent you set on | this occasion may come up to trouoie | you In the future. Remember when you tax the farmer unequally and un1ustiy | that you lay the precedent for the lay ing of taxes upon other industries in A IN.H kI-1 Iakv | those industries may be assailed with | all the eloquence and force with which | this tax is attempted to be upheld. Mir. Graham (Talladega)-WiH the gentleman allow me to ask question! Mir. Whfee-Yes, sir. Mir. Graham CTalladega)-You states | a while ago that the farmer paid taxes
 on all his property like any one else.
 I ask you to read subdivision Of this Code
 MT. white-You may read 1t yourself. Mr. Graham (Talladega)-The follow ing property to be selected by the head of each family. viz: Household and kitchen furniture not to exceed in value $150; one yoke of oxen, one cart or wagon, two cows and calves, twenty
 head of stock pigs, ten head of sheep all poultry, all cotton and other agri-
 cultural products which were raised
 or grown during the preceding year,
 and which shall remain in the hands or the producer thereof and all manufac- tured articles, including pig iron. which shall remain in the hands Of the manufacturer thereof on the first day
 of October of any year immediately
 succeeding that in which they were
 raised or produced: all provisions and
 supplies on hand for the current year. for the use of the family; q under stood the gentleman to say he patt
 taxes on agricultural implements) farming tools to the value of $25; one sewing machine in each family, when
 the taxable property does not exceed S250. etc.
 MT .White-Yes I am very glad you read it. for the farmer a few stock
 hogs and a yoke of oxen. and some | other little insignificant items, but the pig iron in the hands of the raanu- 1 facturer may amount to thousands | and hundreds of thousands of dollars is laid by the side of it. There Is an other inequality. sir, almost as gross and gIaring as the one which you un- l dertake to impose by opposing this measure
 MT. Greer (Calhoun)-WiIl the gen | tleman allow a question? MT. White-Yes.
 MT. Greer (Calhoun)-The household
 and kitchen furniture and the things alluded to there. applies to the gentle l man from Talledega, a lawyer, just as
 well as to the farmer, does it not? It l is an exemption to every citizen of Alabama.
 MT. White-That would be so if it were not for the fact that the law yer generally milks somebody
 elses' cows. Gaughter) Mr fo anf
 has almost arrived. and I desire to
 move that the rules be suspended. and | that this Convention remain in session
 until the pending question is disposed of.
 The President resumed the Chair. There were loud expressions of dis
 sent.
 The President-Does the gentleman
 from Jefferson suspend for the purpose
 of entertaining the motion? | MT. White-I do not think there Is
 any disposition to suspend the rules. I think the hour for adjournment has
 arrived. and we may as well let the | Convention adjourn and will complete
 my argument in the morning.
 Mir. Morrissett-I ask unanimous
 consent to introduce an ordinance to
 be referred to a Committee.
 The consent was given and the ordi- nance was read as IOIlOWS.
 Resolution No. 194, by MT. Morris | sette.
 Resolved. By the people of Alabama
 in Convention assembled, That the
 next General Assembly of Alabama
 shall reduce the tax on fertilizer to 10 cents per ton.
 Resolved, further, That the General Assembly at the same time shall pro-
 vide for the support of the various | Agricultural Schools in this State out of the general fund of the State. Referred to Committee on Legislative Department.
 MT. Reese--I move a suspension of the rules and that the %AsolutiOn be adopted. ~. Mir. Morrissett-I hope the gentleman will withdraw that motion. I asked | that the resolution be referred. | Mir. Reese-Tha motion is withdrawn.
 Mr. ONeal-I rise to point of order The President-Mr. Thompson re- quests leave of absence for Thursday.
 Friday and Saturday; MT. Jones of
 Montgomery requests leave of absence | for today. if there is no objection the
 leaves will be granted. MT. Eyster-I ask unanimous consent to submit a communication for the benefit of the members of the Conven- | tion.
 The communication was read. and it