The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-07
THIEVES ESCAPE WITH 1
 $2SO,OOO IN GOLD BARS

MT. Jones of Blob sent upy a petition from the citizens of Brierfield protest ing against the free pass evil. The pe- tition was referred to the Committee on Corporations.
 Mir. Jones of Bibb sent up petition from citizens of Abbeville. protesting the free railroad pass evil. Referred to the Corporations Committee.
 Fertilizer Tags Again.
 The next business was resolution by MT. Morrisette of Monroe. which wal a special order. This resolution re- lates to the fertilizer tax and was re- ported favorably by the Committee on Legislative Department. It authorized the Legislature to reduce the fertilizer tag tax to 10 cents per ton and that the agricultural schools shall be SUD- ported out of the general fund.
 Mir. Greer of Calhoun sent up sub stitute providing that the fertilizer tag tax be fixed at s1 per ton and that an agricultural school be located In every county on the State.
 MT. Greer addressed the Convention He said if the principle of taxing farmers 50 cents a ton on fertilizer tags was right it was right to tax farmers S1 He was unalterably opposed to the entire scheme. He is a farmer and he knew the farmers paid the tax and de- rived no benefits from 1t. no benefits from 1t.
 Mir. Pearce or Marion sent up an amendment that after January l. 1905 no tax in excess of 10 cents per ton shall be collected on fertilizers in Ala bama. The money to be derived from this source to be devoted exclusively to the farmers of the State.
 Mir. Pearce made q characteristic ad- dress in snupport of his amendment.
 On motion of MT. Heflin of Cham bers the Pearce amendment was ta bled.
 The same fate was awarded the sub stitute offered by Mir. Greer.
 In opposition to the Morrisette res olution Mir. Long of Walker, spoke The tax rate had already been re duced to 65 cents on the hundred dol lars, he said, and here was another proposition to further reduce taxation He called it "a miserable subterfugt and compromise" He moved to lay the resolution upon the table but with drew it at the request of MT. Espy o Henrv-
 MT. Espy said that he could not and would not vote for the resolution. Il struck at the existence of the thirteen agricultural schools.
 MT. Stanford of Pike. eloquently sup ported the Morrisette resolution. The tax was taking money from one class of citizens for the benefit of the State The State had no right to levy the tax
 Mir. Espy at the conclusion of MT Samford's remarks. offered an amend ment striking out that part of the res olution which irected the Legislature to provide for the supnsrt of the agri' cultural schools as they now exist.
 Judge Coleman said that the matter contained in the resolution was pure ly legislative. Moreover it made the thirteen schools now In the State. con stitutionai institutions. The Conyen ton should not adopt 1t.
 Captain White of Jefferson. said tha he doubted if the resolution mean anything. It was simply a little ad' dress to the legislature from this Con vention. While he was in favor or re- lievlng the farmers of this tax he would not do it at the expense or. the thirteen schools.
 The Convention adjourned before the matter was concluded.