The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-06

the Board of Revenue voted unanimously to appropriate five thousand dollars to make an exhibit at the St. Louis fair. While in common ith probably a large majority of citizens and tax payers may regard an exhibit at the fair as desirable I am at a loss to understand upon what authority the board made this appropria- tion, as I can find no warrant for it. However worthy an appeal to your board may be, however beneficial 1t may appear to make an appropriation of the public monies, at last the matter must be solved by the question of authority and this depends wholly on the statutes. do not regard it as wise or expedient to depart from this safe rule and if this ap- propriation Is not justified by the statutes, as a citizen and tax payer I protest against it.
 would greatly appreciate a reply as further action on my part will be pre- dicted on it. Yours truly,
 Captain Tarrant's Answer.
 The next day received the following: Birmingham, Ala, November IS, 1903 MT. Alex. T. London:
 Birmingham, Ala.
 Dear Sir
 Your letter received and noted. In re- gard to the appropriation for the St. Louis Fair we desire to say that the ap- propriation was made at the request of representive citizens and large tax payers of this county, who urged the great bene- fit which would come to the county from the proposed advertisement of the re- sources. We presume that any tax payer who sees fit to do so can stop the ap- propriation. but believe that all tax pay CTS will be benefited by the appropriation by this proposed advertisement of the resources of this county, and believeing that the great mass of tax payers favor the appropriation we are inclined to let 1t alone. Respectfully,
 A. J. TARRANT,
 President Board of Revenue
 A Second Letter.
 To this letter sent the following reply.
 November 19, 1903. A., J. Tarrant, Esq,
 President Board of Revenue, Dear Sir.
 1 received your reply to my letter of the l7th, instant yesterday but l was too much engaged to reply then as 1 desired to do.
 In my letter I used the following lan- guage to which desired an answer. / fWhile, in common with probably
 
 l may regard an exhibit at the Fair as desirable, am at a loss to understand upon what authority the board made this appropriation as 1 can find no warrant for it.' Replying to this you say that the appropriation was made at the in- stance of a number of representative cit izens and large taxpayers of this county who urged it on account of the great ben eft which would come to the county from the proposed advertisement of the re- sources of the county" And you add, We presume that any tax payer who sees fit to do so, can stop the appropria- tion.'
 I understand from your letter to me, that the board of revenue, knowing it had no authority to make this appropriation, made it because "a number of representa- tive citizens and large tax payers had urged it." or, that having voted the ap propriation without knowledge, the board of revenue now. having it called to it's attention that the appropriation was un- warranted by law, refuse to recede from it's action and tells the complaining tax payer, in effect, that he can seek his rem edies in the courts.
 do not fear to assert my clear rights as a tax payer in the courts, and l write this simply that may know that your letter is the result of the deliberate &C., tion of the board with the lights before part, which can not but regard as un- fortunate, to say the least of it, and which establishes a most dangerous pre-