The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-01-28

To the Editor of the Age-Herald
 Please allow me as an humble citizen and tax payer of Alabama to protest through the columns of your valuable paper against that part of the revenue bill prepared by the governor, auditor and attorney general and presented to the legislature for adoption. which, if adopt ed, would impose stamp or privilege tax for the use of the state Of 10 cents per $lOO or fractional part thereof, on all notes, mortgages, bonds and all instru- ments representing money loaned or other evidences of debt. Now I have the highest itor and attorney general. and know that in preparing this proposed new revenue bill as directed by the new constitution, they have acted conscientiously and have recommended in it what they believe Is for the best interest of our people and the state; but in my humble judgment a e!amp tax of 10 cents on tte $lt0 or frac- tional part thereof on all notes. mort gages, bonds and other evidences of debt would greatly annoy ani burden cur peo- pe.
 l. Let us study the history of stamp taxes. The stamp tax law which resulted from our civil war was exceedingly an- moving, and our people greatly rejoiced when it was repealed. More recently the stamp tax on notes, mortgages, bonds, etc. which was placed upon our people by congress to pay the expenses of the Spanish-American war, was very annoy ing, and bill after bill was introduced in congress to repeal it, until 1t was finally repealed a year or two ago. The repeat ed efforts to repeal stamp tax laws. on notes, mortgages, etc., are strongest proofs of their burdensome nature, and no revenue law is more unpopular with the masses of the people than stamp tax
 law. In fact, they are looked upon as war measures" or means of last resort to raise money to defray tne expenses of wars and should never be resorted to in times of profound peace. Then after the federal congress has recently been kind enough to repeal the Spanish-Amer- ican war stamp tax of cents per S1O0 or fractional part thereof on notes, mort gages, etc, shall the legislature of Ala bama put a 10 cents per s100, or five times more burdensome stamp tax upon our people in times of profound peace? I hope not
 2 Why is there a necessity for such law? Our recent constitutional convention composed of 155 of the ablest wisest and best men In Alabama, and after a most careful investigation into our financial condition decided to reduce the state tax rate under our new constitution from 75 cents to 65 cents on the $100 Certainly they were In close consultation with our present state officials in making that in- vestigation, and perhaps made the reduc- tion to 65 cents with their knowledge and approval Surely neither contemplated that reduction of 10 cents on the $100 in the tax rate would so cripple the states finances as to force the next legislature to burden our people with a troublesome and excessive stamp tax on all notes. mortgages, bonds. etc. If it was wise in the late constitutional convention to re- duce taxes, certainly it will be unwise In the legislature to increase them.
 g. Where does the burden of this stamp tax on notes, mortgages. etc. fall heavi- est? We see at a glance that it falls upon the borrower and the poor, who must give notes and mortgages to obtain money to buy their humble homes. make crops and use in their business affairs Under the former rate the 10 cents per s100 fell cn property, and the wcll-to-do. the wealthy snd ttcse who had the most pro perty paid the most taxes. In other words, the burdens of taxation if any ttere were, fell more heavily on those who had the II ost property, and were therefore lest able to bear them. But the 10 cents being taken of. their burdens are made lighter; and shall a supposed