The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-29

able and pains-taking Chairman of the Committee. which he gets fresh from the Auditors office of this State. be- lieye. MT. President. that he has shown and for the reasons given in nis very able address to this body. that all of these interests can be protectei and at the same time taxes reduced to the amount of ten cents on the one hum dred dollars.
 There are one or two points to which l desire to call special attention, and upon which to place special emphasis and that is that there will be for years to come constant incr .lse in the as- sessed valuation of property of this State and in proof of that I submit two facts: first. that ehe increase during the last few years has been due to an absolute Increase of value and not speculative or boom prices. And I de- sire to call attention to the further fact that 1t is being demonstrated daily that the manufacture of cotton in this State can be done with great pros- pect of dividends and with considerable return upon the money invested in 1t, and finally and that which in my judg- ment will add greatly to the value of the taxable property of this State, Is the established fact that we can In AL abama make steel, and when it is es- tablished that we can make steel, 1t shows we are in the markets of the world for the highest products of iron. It has been established for years that we make the cheapest pig iron in the world. Now, since 1t has been demon strated that we can make steel out of our ore and that we can make 1t cheap CT than any other point in the world, 1t naturally follows that this country. especially thls mineral district, will. in the next few years. increase twenty five or fifty per cent in valuation.
 Mir. Graham Talladega)-What ef- feet upon the mineral development of the State do you think the prospective steel trust will have?
 MT. Cunningham-That, MT. Presi- dent, is a practical question that en- tess into the economic consideration of trusts. will answer the gentleman by saying that I do not believe that the great iron industry of the State of Alabama will ever be incorporated into the Steel Trust of the United States, and if it is. it stands to neason that the steel trust of the United States would not shut down its property In which there is the largest profit and keep operating those in which there is the smallest profit. and I am here to say if that were done. if the iron in- Qk NHl8 6kAlG WGAS &bbut by the United States Steel Company. the strong probability is 1t would dou- gle the iron and steel production of Alabama because those products can be more cheaply made here than else- where.
 Another reason why believe this tax rate can be reduced Is because the sta- tistics of the State show that as the tax rate Is reduced there is a tendency to an increased assessment of proper ty. call especial attention to the Au- ditor's report on page 2i where dele gates will see that the tax rate was seven and half in 1876. In 1877 1t was reduced to seven mills and it remained at that figure until 1880. Delegates will find by referring to this table that the assessed value gradually decreased from 1878 to 1879 inclusive. In 1880 the tax rate was reduced to six and q half mills and delegates will find that the assessed value of the State greatly in creased until 1887. Delegates win find that after the tax rate was reduced to six mills the assessed value increased in 1885 and 1886 over what 1t was in 1884. In 1887 you will find that the tax rate was reduced to five and a half mills and in that year the assessed valuation was $2t4, 100000. In 1888 it was $22S, ,0e0. 900. In 1884 the tax rate was reduced to four and half mills and we find a constant increase in the assessed valuation of the property un- til 1892. It therefore follows that as we decrease the rate there is an increased | assessment and as you increase the
 rate other things being equal there Is a diminished assessment of property. Now on the question of education. MT. Graham--One moment before the
 gentleman leaves that point. Do you | not believe that the present State back | tax law has raised the assessment to the highest limit possible?
 MT. Cunningham-By reference to the Auditors report you will find in the counties where the back tax Jaw has 1 operated it has been great success | and in the counties where it was not operated 1t was practically q nullty. We in Jefferson have felt 1t severely.
 MT. Graham-And :ighteously.
 Mir. Cunningham-Yes righteously. Now, MT. President. the gentIemIn's | amendment proposes to strike out the
 only opportunity for local taxation for public schools. I am here to say that
 am in favor of local taxation for pub lie schools.
 MT. Graham-So am ].
 MT. Cunningham-Not only that Hut
  | tion of the funds between the whites and the blacks of the State. The only
 opportunity to have local taxation for | public schools is a reduction of the tax rate for the State and county. l No delegate upon this floor who looks
 upon the Democratic platform aS do cal afford to increase the rate of | State and county taxes for any Eur-
 pose whatever. But when 1t is reduced | to sixtY-five l. leaves a margin of ten cents on the one hundred dollars or one
 mill tax. for school purposes and l now l give for the benefit of the Convention a
 statement made before the Teachers
 Associat ton a few days ago by one Cf | the most distinguished and certainly a
 representative and possibly the best
 educator in the State of Alabama. I have reference tJ Prof. Philipps Of
 Birmingham. He stated that the airrc- l priation to the public schools out ot the 1 State treasury was sufficient and that
 the State was doing its part and he | made an honest and earnest plea for l local taxation for pu6uic schools not only for the purpose of raising the | funds for educational purposes. but he l cited the well known fact that H.en l who take an interest in anything. who participate in it, feel a personal re spcn- | sibllity they would not otherwise have | end in that way there would be d sim | ulation in this line all over the State | of Alabama. This l believe i6 true | and in this inheres the principal Gr-
 gument in favor of local taxation for
 public schools. l will not advance the | idea, 1 repudiate it. that the great
 county of Jefferson which pays fifteen