The age-herald., 1901-06-27

tax to the price of the fertilizer the sale would be void. MT. Espy replied that as a matter of law the manufacturers could not add it to the price, but as matter of fact, they did, and he cited prices of fertilizers in Georgia and Alabama. Ap- propriations for schools should be made out of the general fund.
 General Harrison of Lee said MT. Espy was undertaking to legislate by fixing the price of the fertilizer tax, which was a matter for the legislature. He told of the passage of the law through the legisla- ture and said the farmers were anxious for it. That there were differences of opinion as to whether the consumer paid the tax or the manufacturer Right or wrong, could we not rely on the legisa- ture to correct a mistake if it had made one. That the farmers controlled a ma jority of the legislature at all times and could enforce their rights. The Agricul- tural College during the past four years had got from $6000 to $11, 900 a year out of this tax. That Georgia paid annually 5000, to have this analysis made That this tax was not the only special tax which had to be made. Merchants and others had to. pay licenses. He was op- posed to both the section and the amend ment.
 MT. Pettus of Limestone said that the farmers were not demanding the repeal of this tax. That the argument was not being conducted on the high plane it should be. Jon the lines of former argu- ments he might say that he came from a county where there was an agricultural school and that the author of the amend ment (Mr. Samford) came from a county where there was a large fertilizer fac tory. Here MT. Sanford arose and dis claimed any connection whatever with this factory MT. Pettus said he had not l1e7 +. | .H with it, but was merely Illustrating the kind of arguments which were being made. He thought the whole question should be left to the Legislature
 MT. Palmer of Washington said the question was simple if the delegates would look at the question In a business like way The college at Auburn was not what it should be from an agricultural standpoint. The farmers cared nothing about the tax if 1t was applied to agri cultural schools. MT. Weatherly asked who paid the tax, saying that it would seem that that fact would go to the root of the matter. MT. Palmer replied that the man who wore the coat paid the tax. The schools. he continued, were young. but give them time to become agricultural schools. He moved to table the whole thing and let 1t go to the Legislature. MT. Opp asked MT. Palmer to withdraw his motion, saying he had been in the convention thirty days and had not opened his mouth.
 The adjournment hour arrived at this point and the convention adjourned until 3 o'clock.
 Afternoon Session.
 The convention reassembled at 5 O clock MT. Palmer withdrew his mo- ton to table and Mir Vim of Barbour proceeded to speak in favor of the amend ment. The question, he said, was wheth- CT the tax was just. The farmer paid taxes on everything like everybody else, then why collect s96,0OO out of him on fertilizer tags? Rather than keep up the schools on this unjust tax he would let them go He said one of these schools had a doctor who was paid $1.200 a year to do nothing. That's the way the money goes," he exclaimed. What diff ference does it make how 1t goes-the farmer pays it, suggested Captain White amid much laughter.
 opp's Maiden Speech.
 MT. Opp of Covington said he did not intend to make a speech, and only want ed to explain his vote This was why he had asked his friend from Washington (Mr. Palmer) to withdraw the parliament tary paddock from his lips. He was sur prised at hearing a novice in parliament tary tactics as MT. Palmer had declared himself to be make a motion to table.
 This fertilizer matter, he said, was in stigated not by the man behind the hoe, but the man behind the coupons. We are graveling among guano sacks, he said, instead of attending to the proper func- tions of a constitutional convention. The legislature should attend to it. and he thought there was too much criticism about the legislature in this convention.