The age-herald., 1901-07-06
THE CONVENTION FIXES DEBT
 LIMIT FOR CITIES IN ALABAMA

catur, which cities also make temporary loans not exceeding one year. which shall not be included in its debt limit.
 MT. Weakley spoke in favor of his sub stitute and explained its application. He thought this would suit the larger cities, as it enabled them to make temporary loans to await the incoming of taxes, and also allowed them to construct sewers and provile gas and water plants. He cited as an instance of the advisability of this that an expenditure of $2,00O000 by Birmingham for street improvements and other things had added $40,OO0,0O0 to the taxable values of the State. This is no new proposition this question of street assessment South Carolina Is the only State which prohibits cities from issuing bonds for street Improvements and there Is not a modern and well-paved city in South Carolina.
 Judge Walkers Idea.
 Judge Walker of Madison then offered his substitute as set out above. The con vention has made up it's mind, said Judge Walker, to put some kind Of limit upon the debt of municipalities. My amend ment will also fix limit so as to prevent cities from going so far in debt in the matter of street improvement bonds ana similar bonds as to make 1t impossible for them to pay out. MT. Weakley's plan allows them to free a scope in these mat ters. Answering question of MT Lowe, Judge Walker said his proposed debt limit was for the interest of the creditor and the good name of the cities of Ala bama Alabama has had some eXperi- ence in having it's cities strangulated, but 1t has been done by an unlimited power to create debt-the power Of the present to mortgage the future.
 MT. Mcdonald of Montgomery objected to MT. Weakley's substitute in that 1t all ictp fO a entire cost of street improvements against abutting property owners. He referred to MT Graham's remarks relative to ms law spuits in reference to these street aS- sessments and said that the City Court of Montgomery had sustained his posi- tion. He spoke of Birmingham's street assessments and said that Birmingham was a paradox in that it's, citizens, &C., cording to MT. Lowe, were clamorfng for sewers and other street improvements and wanted to pay the taxes. This was not true of other cities. He read com munication from Edwin F. Jones protest ing against authority being given cities to assess the whole cost of street i'm provements against abutting property owners and Illustrating it's operation in Montgomery.
 MT. Weatherly Speaks.
 Mir weatherly of Jefferson said the con-  ships upon the cities of the State. The committee had done what it thought was right, yet he thought the recommendations which they had proposer would work a hardship on some of the cities in the State They had prescribed an arbitrary rule applying to all cities without regard to the peculiarities which marked one city from another. It is impossible to lay down one rule for all which disregards .-.4f T-ee <l,I1 ton was unanimously opposed to the re- port of the committee, and he did not suppose the convention would hurry on in adopting report made to suit some general theory and not adaptable to Bir- mingham's needs and pecularities. Bir- mingham's debt now was about IA per cent, and 1t had authorized over $500O00 of street improvements, for which her bonds would be issued. She had just started upon career of street improve ments and general improvement, and any one watching her grow from the top of Red Mountain would not if he felt pride as citizen of Alabama do anything to stop her growth. The improvements are to be paid for by assessments against the property, and that the citizens of Bir- mingham did not fear either death or taxation. The ordinance of Judge Walker would stop all this growth and tie our hands. There are 203 municipal corpora tions in Alabama which will all be affect ed by this ordinance without regard to the wish or desire of their citizens The equity in MT. Weakley's ordinance was that 1t contained exceptions which would affect the nine chief cities in Alabama He appealed to the convention not to ap- ply a hard and fast rule to the growing cities of Alabama.
 Other Remarks.
 Governor Jones of Montgomery said that in the discussion two questions had been mixed, one whether the cities should have power to assess the entire cost of street improvements against the property owners, and the other question was the limit of the debt of cities. He spoke of the condition of Montgomery and her debt and said that he agreed with MT. Mcdonald that the city should pay part of the street improvements but he did not think it wise to put a limit on the city's debt. Cities were limited to a tax of cents for general purposes, and expe- rience had shown that they could not live on it. This was what forced them to charge all the cost of street improve ments to the property holders.
 MT. Browne of Talladega opposed Mr. Weakley's substitute. He said his debt limit ostensibly for the benefit of city was really for the benefit of the bond helders. He thought some exceptions ought to be made for the larger cities, but the mailer cities ought not to be entitled to paved streets and water works and they should not be allowed to go in debt for this purpose. If the large cities wanted a greater debt limit let them say so and their names could be added as an exception.
 President Knox Speaks.
 President Knox said he had great re- spect for the ability and wiedom of the committee, but that in matter pertain ing especially to cities we ought to give great weight to the recommendation of those gentlemen (the committee on mu- nicipal corporations) who have studied Shis difficult question.
 Some seem to assume that there will be no further cities in Alabama, but An niston, Huntsville and other towns were growing and in a few years we hoped to have many cities in the State. We can't establish water works and pave streets without revenues. We are making a con- stitution which may last a hundred years. MT. Borwne suggested that Bir- mingham, Montgomery and Mobile be excepted. Istead of doing this why does not MT. Browne except Talladega? The getleman from Lauderdale (Mr. Weakley) originated this idea of limiting the debt of cities and some of the delegates thought 1t SO good an idea that they sought to apply 1t to all city debt. think we should be careful and not crip- pie the growth of our cities. There is a clause in the article on municipal cor porations which requires the issue of ad- ditional bonds to be approved by an elec- tion and this ought to be a sufficient safeguard.