The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-18
Governor Conner Comments Work of the Legislature
 and lax Commission
CHAIRMAN MITCHELL
 TALKS ON THE WORK
Says 1t Is Right and Just That Public Service Franchises Be Taxed Explains the Commis-
 sion's Work.

Montgomery September t7.-l Especially For the first time since he~was inaugural. cd Givernor B. B. Conner spoke in defense of the last legislature which has been charged with having been one of the most extravagant that the state has ever had. Governor Conner appeared as one of lhe speakers before the convention of the tax assessors of the state which met here in the hall of the house of representatives today.
 Governor Conner referred to the state ments thai the railroads are being op- pressed, and that the state is grown ex- traVagant as untrue and unsupported by fact. He commended the railroad cont mission the tax commissioners and tile general legislative bodies using figures 10 show where the state is to get the n- creased appropriations, and using the ar gument of a greater Alabama in defense of the spreading out policy, which he rre- quently referred to,
 The convention was scheduled to con Vene at noon. but owing to the late arri- val of many of the trains it was post poned until o'clock this afternoon Mir. Metcalf of Butler. was elected chairman and Mir. Stubbleheld Of Walker was made secretary When the roll of counties was called 1t was found that over half the counties of the state were represented
 On motion the chair appointed Messrs. Dunn of Conecuh. Hewitt of Jefferson, and Iubanks of Montgomery, q commit tee Of three to inform the governor that the convention had assembled following which Hon. Walter D. Seed. state treas urer delivered the address ofspeicome. Mr. Seed re,iewed the historic events that have transpired in the old capitol build ing, and called upon those present to re- member that they were in their own home. and under the dome of the building which their fathers and fathers fathers had supported. "It is our common home. and we welcome you as but the tenants and caretakers.'
 While the convention was waiting for the arrival of Governor Conner. Chairman Mitchell of the state tax commission an nounced that the commission desired 10 entertain all of those present who desired 10 go at the Montgomery theater tonight.
 0OVeTnOf 0TcetSu.
 When Governor Conner walked into the convention hall he was greeted with loud applause. He spoke to nearly everyone present by name, and made obeisance to those not near enough to him to receive Il handshake. The governor said he was glad of the opportunity to come face to face with the tax assessors of the state, and to explain to them. in d measure af- fairs in which they were interested, and which their properly discharged duttes deeply effected. We are a great family. We are all in partnership said the gov ernor, and we all should feel that the successes of this great state are our sue- cesses, and that 1t is incumbent on all of us to work for the firm. No matter how large the county you come from no mat ter how small the commission you hold. in the name of the state, you are just AS much a part of the executive head of the firm as 1 am
 The governor referred to the spreading out" process through which the state is going. Broadening of educational do, mains. bringing trained intellects from the national capital here to apply high pressure methods to agriculture and the securement of the best results from the matchless natural resources of the state. We are getting the highest efficiency possible out of property, and to assist in this work 1t is necessary that you, as tax assessors. get the highest efficiency out of your offices. and see that no taxpayer escapes. and that no man pays a dollar that he does not owe. It has never been found out what a man can do when ne tries''
 State Is Spreading.
 The governor assured those present that it was not his intention to talk two hours about the railroads and the railway situa- .. I.l ha NatA fn spreading itself. That a deep and solid foundation is being laid for a higher and better state, which will require a vast amount of money Taxpayers. he said. always dislike to hear this. but in this instance he proposed to show where they would be benefited instead of being more heavily taxed.
 Under the efficiency of he state tax commission he showed that an increase of s1 .O0O,0 ,0O0,0o0 in the tax valuations will be the result. With s3s4.00 600 last year, adn d rate of six mills the tax income to the state will be $60o.0o0. Of this amount s300 600 goes 10 the school fund and sl0o.- 600 to the Confederate soldiers. the re- mainder going to the state for current expenses. The governor then enumerated how this money Is expended. the increase and additional appropriations to the schools getting all of it with but little exception. He dwelt long on the educa- tiona movement now on In Alabama, making special reference to the fact that the University of Alabama Is not a school for the men only. He told of when he was a boy at the University of Alabama. in the dormitory on the fourth floor where there was an ugly, poor, freckled face boy who rung the college bell for his tuition. Each week his mother walked from far oyer the mountain to bring him provis- ions for the next week. His clothes were made of jeans. and his shoes were of the toughest. but at the end of the session the big gold medal with the blue ribbon
 
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