The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-03
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&16efnency that may arise.
 TAko the State of Iowa. The state - Iowa is one of the great States of <ke Onion. and it provides: No coun- { ty. or other political or municipal cor porAtion. shall be allowed to become Indebted in any manner. or for any Durpose. to an amount, in the assre- Kate, exceeding per centum on the V1lue of the taxable property within noch county or corporation, to be as- eortained by the last State and county ' tax lists, previous to the mourning or niich indebtedness"
 Illinois and Kentucky have much . 1axker rates than that. The State or < 1gissouri has this provisions:
 -No county, city. town, township school district, or other political cor poration, or subdivision Of the ! State shall be allowed to become fndebted in any manner or for any pur- pose to an amount exceeding in any year the income provided for such year, without the assent of two-thirds or the voters thereof voting at an eiec- ton to be held for that purpose; nor in cases recurring such assent shall any indebtedness be allowed to be in- cured to an amount. including exist , ing indebtedness. in the aggregate ex- ceeding per cent" And then 1t pro- Vlu0S that even IndL CdU tbc tuCicoSCu'
 sIt may be allowed to become in- debted to larger amount for the erec- ton of court house, or jail; and pro- vtded, further. that any county, city, town. township, school district. or other { political corporation or subdivision or the State. mourning any indebtedness { recurring the assent of the voters afore- oaid, shall, before or at the time Of doins 90. provide for the collection of an annual tax sufficient to pay the in- terest."
 North Dakota provides for 5 per cent. and permits per cent. for certain contingencies.
 Pennsylvania has ' per cent. upon the assessed value. and allows an in- crease of 2 per cent. in certain con- tingencies.
 So, gentlemen. s per cent. is about the lowest limit in the Union except < the State of Indiana. The Committee adopts the Amendment of the gentle man from Lauderdaie without any qualifications. without any provision for contingencies of any kind for ca- lamities or war; for invasion or insur- rection. or for epidemics, and this might result in tying the hands of the people and preventing them from re- Iieving themselves of this cast iron rule when 1t would become oppressive.
 Therefore. Mir. President. think that the report as made by the Com mittee should be adopted Five per cent. Is low enough, and 1t contains no exceptions for any contingencies. am willing to accept that. think that may be safe, but to so any lower, with out additional provisions providing for contingencies. would. in my judgment, be unwise and unsafe. I shall. there fore, move to lay the amendment of the gentleman from Lauderdale on the table.
 Mir. Waddell-I rise to a question of personal privilege. I stated in my remarks that the taxable value of the property in my county was about $1,- 100000. It is $2,7o0.000 for this year
 Mir. Heflin (Chambers)-I make the point of order that is not a, question of privilege.
 The President pro tem-The question is upon the adoption of the substitute offered by the gentleman from Lime stone.
 Mir. O'Neal-My motion is to lay the amendment and substitute on the table The President pro tem-The question Is upon the motion of the gentleman from Lauderdale to lay the amendment offered by the gentleman from Lau- derdale and the substitute offered by
 
 table.
 Mr. white--I call for the reading of the amendment offered by the gentle man from Limestone.
 The amendment was read as follows:
 Amend Section g so as to read: "No county shall become indebted in an amount greater than per centum of the taxable property thereof, provided this limitation shall not affect any ex- ftpaGp fvaAA per centum which has already been ere ated, or which has been authorized by law to be created.
 Amendment by Mir. Weakley-Amend Section by striking out the word five in the first line,. and insert instead the word three.
 Mr. Sollie-I ask for a division of the motion. The motion reaches both the substitute and the amendment.
 The President pro tem-A division Of the motion has been demanded. The question is upon the motion to table the substitute offered by the gen. tleman from Limestone.
 q. Upon a vote being taken the motion to table was carried.
 The President pro tem-The question ts on the motion to table the amend ment offered by the gentleman from Lauderdale.
 Upon a vote being taken, a division was called for. and by a vote of 52 ayes to 49 noes the motion to table was carried.
 The President resumed the Chair.
 MT. Kirk-I have an amendment, Y The amendment was read as follows:
 Amend Section by adding the fol- lowing: Except where 1t may be necessary for the erection of bridges and county buildings, which may be paid for by a levy of a special tax"
 Mr. kirk-Now the question as to what the limit should be do not care to discuss. but as my county has been spoken Of, 1t may not be aniss for me to refer to the condition of that county before reaching the point raised by this amendment.
 do not think 1t is wise flor any county to create a debt greater than s per cent. of the assessed value of it's property. Colbert County has an assessment of something over S3. 800 GOO She owes a debt of $2O0 900. one haIf or which draws an interest of s per cent. and the other half draws 6 ner cent, making the total charge for i'm ferest $11,000. We receive as tares about SIS, 900 in that county. under Ina scresent tax rate. You will see fror1 rhat the small amount that has been left to, the county to defray the ex- penses of the county. We are today in arrears in the payment of interest We have defaulted. in other words. in inc payment of interest. The interest that