The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-01-29

the Senate and the House to escort his
remains home A spee Al train was char
tered and the funeral procession crossed
the continent. Senators and Representa-
tives required the full comforts of the
best equipped train Of the day. These
we're supplied them by the combined
efforts of the -ullman company and the
railroad companies. And the bill rendered
for expenses to be paid out of the con-
tingent fund of the Senate, amounted
to the full sum above mentioned. OF
course wines, cigars and waters and all
luxuries known to modern man were sup
piled at the expense of the government.
Nobody spent anything. But when one
poor little judge, way down in Florida,
where life is not worth living except
in the Winter time, draws his full ex-
pense account to make himself comfort
able, the whole machinery of the United
States government jumps upon him, de-
mands his appearance before the bar of
the United States Senate, brings the
Chief Justice of the United States in his
flowing robes of black silk to appear
upon the rostrum of the Senate and
swear every senator to do his duty in
trying this man under Impeachment pro-
ceedings.
1t looks like mammoth farce.
I am glad to see that the merchants
and business men of Birmingham have
taken up the matter of state fair and
have shown a real interest in doing the
thing right. Birmingham needs a unity
of spirit-united action-a feeling that
that which is good for the town is good
for everyone in it. Heretofore there has
been too much selishness; too much eff
fort on the part of each individual or
corporation to squeeze out of the lemon
every drop of juice there was in it. Many
individuals and many of the big cor
poratlons have attempted to get advan-
tage of their neighbors. There have been
several Instances of this recently; nota-
bly, when some big corporations were
fighting for such little things as county
convicts and bidding big prices just to
down their competitors. OF course this
happened to be good for the county, but
It. is a bad spirit when every company
wants to get more of the lemon than
the other fellow has, to add flavor to his
water.
| As a matter of fact, there is good
/ deal of water in some things in and
| about Birmingham; and don't know but
that Governor Cunningham is exactly
right in insisting upon and demanding
that the full tax be paid upon watered
as well as upon actual stocks, although
corporations might be organized outside
of Birmingham and the state of Ala
bama Corporations don't water stocks
unless there is something in it for some
body. II there be something In it for
the Individual, why not something in
| it for the state of Alabama? If watered
stocks can be foated at quoted values
why should not the state of Alabama
tax this stock at the values quoted in
financial journals? Properties should be
taxed at the actual selling price, and
| every man should pay tax upon the
value of his property. The corporation
| has no more rights than the Individual
and if Governor Cunningham will quit
compromises, as he says he intends to
do, and insist upon the full compliance
with the law, he will make himself a
popular man with the masses of the
people. however much he may offend a
| few high salaried men who make much
| ado over their positions