The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-31

l hold them today and 1t is the best se- curity in the United States today. be- cause s5,000.000 or s6.000,000 of prop erty Is there to pay that debt of 1850, 900. 1 think 1t is now, and they do not want to collect the interest and as I un- derstand it. and have been informed, they have not been paying much in the sinking fund since. They do not want it. There is something better than that. The city can be put in the hands of receiver and the property taken away from every man in the city and paid on this debt. There is another thing about this, there is a provision in this very act that 1t shall ktake ten councilmen to pass any act levying a tax on the people of that city. Do you see anything about ten Councilmen voting on this subject? There is not single scratch of the pen here that anybody voted for 1t It says the sense of the Council.
 MT. Reese-iDoes the gentleman not recollect seeing this telegram signed by the Mayor and ten Councilmen ot Selma?
 1 MT. Craig-I do not. I may have seen It. do not say did not. may have seen 1t. but have no recollection or 1t. but that makes no difference The people of Selma have had no voice In the matter. They have had no chance to vote on it. They sent us nere not to put any more taxes on them put to keep them off and let them stand where they were when we came here. l said it required ten Councilmen to pass any act to increase this tax. Now, sir, the tax is q. 10 now. and they want 10 put this N.10 on us permanently. Inat Is what they want, but since this 1 convention passed this ordinance put ting Der cent. on 1t, that Council met ana agreed to-the first thing they did. two or three years ago, was to divide the offices and make two where they nad one. The next thing they did was 10 come here and increase the salaries oL those onicers and now .ney say give us money to pay these inFeases. The Mayor vetoed it. and they passed if over his veto to increase the salaries. Now. is this Convention going to put if unon the people Of Selma. this tax of one ten Tor all time to come in order that they may make more offices and raise the salaries? It will do very well for men who do not pay taxes, but there are some of us who pay taxes. I move to table the amendment.
 MT. Reese-I hepe the gentleman will withdraw.
 MT. Craig-No. sir. I will not with draw
 MT. Reese-The delegates from Dal- las are entitled to a hearing. I hope the convention will vote down the gag law.
 Upon a vote being taken, a division was called for and by a further vote of 52 ayes and 3s noes. the motion to table prevailed.
 MT. Sanford (Montgomery)-I have | an amendment
 Amend Section 216, page 6S, line 24, by inserting in said line after the words State taxation, the words in the pre- ceding year and insert the words for the preceding year after the word taxation in the first line on nage e4 Sf said report. After the words public conveniences in the second line of said page. of said section. add the f,llow- ing words: hut this additinal tax shall not be levied and collected b y the city of Montgomery unless 1t shall be au- thorized by a majority of the votes Of the qualified electors. voting at a spe- cial election held for the purpse of as- | certaining whether or not said tax shall | be levied. provided that the purpose | for which said tax is sought to be levied. shall be stated in the notice for such election. which shall be held | under the direction of the Judge of Probate. the Sheriff and the Clerk Of the Circuit Court of Montgomery coun- | ty. under the laws regulating general elections. If such tax be authorized by the voters. the revenue derived from such special tax shall be used for no other purpose than that stated" | Mir. Sanford-I offer that amen inient for the purpose of putting Mora om- cry upon a parity with the othAr SNEs whose taxes have been raised. TO- tice in Article 216. that Troy. Attalla, Gadsden. Bessemer, Woodlawn, Brew ton. Pratt City. Ensley, Avondale. De- catur, New Decatur and Cullman. un- less authorized by majority vIte of the qualified electors voting at . spe- cial electioR held for this purpose to ascertain whether or not said tax shall be levied 1t shall not he collected. place Montgomery precisely in the same position. I think 1t is an evil dence of my devotion to them. My | friend stated just now that others have served the country. I am glad to know 1t. I have been a citizen before some of these gentlemen were born. I served my country when some of them were wearing bibbs and were mulin2 and pulling in their nurses arms. have always loved Montgomery. and its people, and as my colleagues kItow they have been very partial 70 me. They have never failed to honor me with any position which they thought I desired. I love them very much. One of my colleagues said I did not like the municipality. He meant by that the government, and said because 1t was oppressive. I love the people but have not always been fond of the ad- ministrators of its authority. It is like q young man who loves girl, but condemns the protector. l love the ward but sometimes damn the guard ian So 1t iS with regard tn these peo- pie. I am fond of these people. and am doing everything I can to protect them from what think is useless burden, for 1t is a singular kind of logic that tells me when a city is insolvent that you can save it by making the inhabi- tants bankrupt also. That Is the logic of this increased tax. Putting on Inora taxes to save a bankrupt city witch | is seven hundred thousand dollars more 1 in deht than it has assets. inclu1inY it's | Fire Department and It's cemetery. 'c answer its liabilities. That is tho con- dition. Now. I hope my friends will | voee for this so that if Montgomery | wants this additional burden 1t can | saddle itself with the load. but do not | say that Troy Attalla, Avondale, Wy | lam and many little anonymous | places I never heard of until I saw | this they were dragged in for taxa tion shall have this right and yet |