The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-02
NO CHANGE WAS MADE
A Stubborn Contest Which
 Consumed Three Days.
General Assembly, Prohibited from Levying over 65 one-hundredths of One Per Cent-Many
 Speeches Yesterday.

After a debate continuing practically throughout three days the Constitution al Convention. at 4:4o o'clock yesterday. afternoon adopted Section 4 of the Ar ticle on Taxation just as it was re- ported by the Committee. It reduces the limit upon taxation in Alabama from 75 cents to 65 cents.
 An effort was made Saturday by Mr. deGraffenreid of Hale. to get com promise by fixing the limit at 70 cents but the Convention. after debating the subject all of yesterday laid this amendment on the table.
 Although the Convention reached Section of the Taxation Article be- fore adjourning practically nothing else engaged it's attention yesterday, but the Section providing for the reduction of the tax limit. Numerous speeches were made and notwithstanding there were few persons in the gallery many of the delegates were eloquent. One of tn best speeches of the day was made by MT. Lomax of Montgomry, in oppo- sition to the reduction of the limit.
 Before adjournment Section 5 of the Taxation Article was reached and 1t developed that this Section, too, is to cause something of fight in the Con- vention. It provides for the lecy of special taxes by counties and gives them local option in the matter of levy ing a tax for schools providing the question Is submitted to the vote of the taxpayers affected.
 The Convention was opened yester- day morning with prayer by pr. Pat terson, pastor of the First PBesbyte- rian Church, with 82 members present.
 MT. Fletcher of Madison, sent for ward and had read a resolution pro- viding that the Suffrage Article be made a special order immediately after the consideration of the Article on Tax ation. The resolution was referred
 Mir Heflin of Randolph. Chairman of the Committee on Printing, Schedules, etc., sent forward a report from that Committee recommending the adoption of a resolution authorizing the publica- tion of the local acts of the General Assembly in two volumes. The reso- lution was tabled.
 The pending question being the de- Graffenreid amendment to Section of the Article on Taxation, proposing to fix the limit at 70 cents. Mir. Watts of Montgomery, who was speaking Satur- day when the Convention adjourned, was recognized.
 MT. Watts made an able, logical and forcible argument against the proposi- tion to reduce the tax limit. He de- clared that 1t could not be done with safety.
 MT. Maxwell of Tallapoosa. mem- Der of the Taxation Committee. fol- lowed MT. Watts in an argument in favor of the Committee report. 1t was his maiden speech and he was we'll re- ceived.
 MT. O'Neal of Lauderdale, made a strong spech against the proposition to reduce the tax limit and cited statis- tics to show that 1t was a dangerous undertaking. He characterized 1t as unwise. unsafe, and said 1t would i'm pair the credit of the State and invite disaster.
 MT. Spragins, of Madison, in sup porting the Committee report, said he disliked to disagree with Mir. O'Neal, who Is his next door neighbor. He said he would simply make an argu- ment as he thought 1t was improper to discuss such an important question passionately. He appealed to the del- egates to vote to reduce the limit as it would induce immigration and bring capital to Alabama.
 MT. Lomax of Montgomery, made an eloquent speech in opposition to the Committee report. He said the Com mitteemen had wandered into the field of speculation. They could not tell with any degree of accuracy what financial conditions might arise in the future and delegates should go slow in lowering the limit. He spoke of changes In the convict system which he said might ultimately cause the State to lose considerable revenue. There might be epidemics and strikes. All of these things would cause vast expenditures of money and the State should be in a position to provide for emergencies. He appealed to the Con- vention not to impern the honor of the State and admonished the delegates to have the manhood to say that they would not be swayed by pandering to cheap popularity.
 MT. Hefiin of Chambers spoke in fa- vor of the adoption of the committee report. He said he hurled the charge of pandering to cheap popularity into the teeth of the gentleman on the other side of the question. The committee had carefully investigated the matter and its members were convinced that it was safe to lower the limit. The Democratic party had pledged iaself to lower taxes if possible and the com mittee had said it was possible to place further restrictions upon the General Assembly. He declared that the dele gates should guarante relief to the peo- pie if they desired that the Constitu- ton should be confirmed at the polls.
 MT. Jenkins of Wilcox got the floor and was speaking in opposition to the committee report when the con vention at o'clock took recess Un- til 3 o'clock.
 The Afternoon Session.