The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-29

State to appropriate money out of the common fund of the State for the 2Er- pose of extending the benefcent bless ings of education to the poorer dis tricts.
 MT. samford-r will ask the gentle man if the reduction Of ten cents won't have the effect to stop any in- creased appropriation out of the gen. eral treasury for public education in Alabama.
 MT. Cunningham-Cert not. but I will admit this that 1t would limit the capacity of the Legislature to ap- propriate money t. a certain extent. but it transfers the responsibility and thS authority In the matter from the State to the counties and the commit mites and 1t Is an equity that inheres in that that the community should bear its proportion.
 MT. Samford-Then the gentleman holds that 1t Is the duty of the county to educate its citizens and not of the State? .
 Mir. Cunninghan--As a part of your educational systern and in this am not alone but am In accord with the edu- cational sentiment of the State upon this subject. as gathered from the teachers of the State of Alabama who know more in one minute about education than either the gentleman from Pike or the gentleman from Jefferson can know in a whole day. That is their view. and I believe 1t is in keeping with the knowledge of human nature and in the general faculties making up the mind, that when you get man in- terested in a question he will feel more interest than If he were an infant with the great State at Montgomery caring for him. l am asked what would be the effect of a fall In the rate of assessment on securities. It would increase the assessment twenty-five million. If you read the Auditors re- port there are some novel features up- on that question. notice, for instance, that in the great county of Jefferson the amount of money hoarded in banks is $13e, 900, whereas in Geneva 1t Is $780, 000 That must be a typographical er- TOT. But the legislator who solves the great problem of smoking out the wealth that is hidden. that 1t may be exposed to taxation will be the great est statesman ever produced up to this time in the worlds history. A
 Now. have taken up more time than had expected, but if can em- phasise the fact that in voting for this committees report, both as member of the committee and as a delegate upon this floor. I do so with clear and distinct conviction that I will not rob a single child in the State of Ala bama of a single cent that is now ap- propriated for his education; that will not detract from the State of Ala bama an iota of its present high and great credit; that will not take from the old soldier of Alabama solitary cent that he has for his comfort and support fin his declining days; If had thought otherwise, I would have brought in a minority report and op- posed this proposition.
 Mir. Graham CTalladega)-Wasi 1t the purpose of the committee. If the ques- tion is proper, in suggesting that the tax rate be reduced to 65 cents, to en- able this Convention to adopt the l. mill tax for county purposes?
 Mir. Cunningham--1 can answer only for myself that that is one of the pur- poses I had in view.
 MT. Graham Talladega)--Supposet the Convention does not see proper to adopt that system, and it should fail, would the gentleman be in favor of going back to the 75 cents?
 Mir. Cunningham-Then the responsi- bility will rest on the friends of edu- cation and not upon the Committee on Taxa ton.
 Mir. Graham-I want the gentleman to understand that I endorse local tax alton and So stated awhile ago.
 MT. Cunningham-Now, in regard to trusting the Legislature: I have no diStrust of that honorable body. have had the honor to be a member of 1t once or twice. I think 1t Is a great honor, though some of my constituents xuff wal nrtttn catr that Is pretty general-but want to call at- tention to a principle that inheres in human nature. It is true with the in- dividual; 1t is true with the fapnily; 1t it true with the community, and it Is true with the State, that a surplus leads to extravaganza always, and if there wee a surplus in the treasury of the State of Alabama of say $500, 900, ard it was up to the Legislature to re- duce the tax rate one mill on the dol lar Or to increase it for the purpose of education or some other such purpose, when the barefooted boy was disclosed to the vision of the Legislature, when the rhetorical bubbles of eloquence were held up before that body, what would be the result? They would vote the increase. I say. Mir. President, frankly, 1 am In favor of this iimita- tiop, not through distrust of the Legis- lature, but because I believe property in the State of Alabama should have some constitutional guaranty as to the extent to which 1t can be taxed.
 At the suggestion of 6 gentleman, repeat that pr. Phillips stated fin his address. and it was liberallv applauded, that Alabama was doing as much out of the State treasury as she ought to do. That being the case. and inasmuch as the great question of local taxation for public schools depends upon the adoption of the committees report, and, believing as do. on this question of local taxations for public schools. want to say believe it to be the duty not only of those who honestly and conscientiously believe that this can be reduced without bringing detriment to the State. but also of those who favor local taxation for public schools, to vote for this committees report.
 MT. Bulger-Will the gentleman per init me to ask him question:
 Mir. Cunningham-Certai
 MT. Bulger-Do you not believe that if the tax rate were reduced to 6b. 1t will absolutely prohibit the Legislature from doing anything more for the old soldiers and the public schools both? MT. Cunningham-I do not, for the reasons stated heretofore that there Is going to be a constant increase in the value of property in the State of Ala bama for the reasons l attempted to give, and because the reduction in the tax, rate will lead to voluntarily ln- creased assessment of property in the State, and, therefore, there will be as much money In the treas ury under this reduction as C.. aatV V11f