The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-15

pour into our pVfuStS eS ueoCfueu Dy tho gentleman from Randolph we tion to 50 cents on the $i00, but here Is this iron manacie in the Constitution to forbid. I am willing to offer this kind of an amendment which I think covers my objection to the Section, q win withdraw rhe other amendment at the proper time):
 Strike out the following words in line 3 of Section 5: together with the spe- cial annual tax of 30 cents on each S100 of taxable property In this State" and insert in lieu thereof the following: Together with an annual approprla- ton of not less than the amount now paid by the State therefor" and add at the end of the section the following: And provided, further. that nothing herein contained shall be so construed as to prevent the Legislature from first pI Ioviding for the payment of the States bonded indebtedness and the interest thereon out of all the revenues of the State."
 That would meet both objections, or if you had put in your Section here that the amount appropriated for schools should not be less than one-half of the States taxation. that might not furnish an unbending rule, but if you say that 1t shall never be less than 30 cents on the $100. If the time should ever arrive in this State when. by req son of our increased population and wealth, We desire to reduce our rate of taxation in Alabama, we would be con- fronted by the fact that we would have to appropriate 30 cents on the $100 for the public schools, when probably 10 cents would be amply sufficient, or 20 cents, if the State grows in wealth and power. might not 30 cents on the $1oo raise more than could be wisely ap- propriated for educational purposes? Why not? Who can answer the ques- tion? Suppose 1t should raise more. IL might be that one mill or two mills would be all that was necessary for the general purposes of the State out side of education. and if 30 cents raised more than was necessary for the pub- lie schools. you could not reduce 1t. The gentleman says that might not occur and will not occur. How do you know? We are making a Constitution for twenty-five or fifty years to come and we do not want to go to the people Of Alabama and say that we have fixed It in the fundamental law of Alabama so that 1t makes no difference how great your revenues may be, whether they are more than necessary for the
 
 l reduce the tax rate in Alabama below 60 cents on the $10o. In the past you have had 1t at 50 cents, and the State nas grown and prospered, but in the luture you can never reduce 1t below DO cents because two and a half mills VIII probably always be necessary for the general expenses of the State. ! Now the gentlemen say it is popular 10 adopt this section. That is not the question. It is not a question of pom | uIarity. It Is question of principle. we ought not to do anything here | that VIII aHect or impair the credit of .ne state or prevent her bonded debt rom being floated at a low rate of l interest. We should not sacrifice prin . | ciple to expediency. They say that | this section would not hBve that ef- rect. Wouldn't it have that effect when you go to the monied world and Say to them: By our Constitution We 1 can only appropriate two and a half mills for our public debt. Heretofore you could appropriate seventy-ffye cents on the hundred dollars; yea. take every dollar of State taxes less the necessary expenses of government if necessary to presrve' the honor and credit of Alabama. and yet by this Constitution you say to the bond buy. | bama can only take two and a half mills to pay our honded debt, public interest and expenses of government That is all that is left two and a half mills. '''-
 MT. Stanford (Pike)-I just want .o suggest that the running expenses are always preferred claims. 70 ! MT. ONeal-Certainly. That means simply default. That simply means we default in the public debt. What would be the condition of Alabama if We default in the public debt? Does anybody want to repudiate our public debt? Take Mississippi a few years ago. it repudiated It's public debt, and 1t cost Mississippi millions of dollars. It prevented the influx of wealth and population into her borders. apd!ocost her whenever she undertooE to sraisp a loan in the financial world a rate of ! interest that was almost oppressive. We should protect the credit and hon. or of the State above everything else. Therefore offered the amendment which I suggest. that nothing In this section should prevent the legisla ture from appropriatlng all the revenues of the State to the payment of the bond on our bonded debt. and also the prop osition that we make the amount ap- propriated to the schools not less tha T the amount now appropriated so that we can go to the people and say tha, by our Constitution the amount the schools are to receive in future car never be less than you now receive; not thirty cents on the dollar. but we say 1t shall never be less than you now receive.
 The President-The gentleman's time has expired.
 clude my remarks to withdraw the amendment which l offered and offer the one which I have just read as 6 substitute.
 MT. Lowe (Jefferson)-I move that the time of the gentleman from Lau- derdale be extended ten minutes.
 Mr, Grant, believe I have permiS- sion to ask a question.
 The PresIdent-Yea. sir.
 MT Grant-Can you tell me how much two and a half mills will raise under the present rate of taxation.
 MT. O'Neal-I know nothing and care nothing about the figures.
 Mir. Grant--I am informed that it will raise seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
 MT. O'Neal-The time may como when 1t will raise much more than we need for public schools.
 MT. Bulger-Does the amendment cover amount now received by the public schools?
 MT. ONeal-My amendment says the appropriation shall not be less than the appropriation now made.