The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-07
ROADS WILL NOT
 RESIST TAXATION Recess Committees Will Ge Together This Week RETIREMENT OF ATKINS State Loses One of Its Best and Most Active Military Men-Had Been
 in Service Twenty
 six Years.
RETIREMENT OF ATKINS

Montgomery, April 6.-(Special. )-The newspapers seem to have been in the wrong with regard to the reports that the railroads will resist taxation of their lines to the extent of enjoining as sessments that are in excess of that placed upon other property. q am sorry you fellows made publication to that eff feet" said a well known railroad man yesterday, because it can do us no good adn we would certainly not make trou- ble unless the tax rates should be con- fiscatory of our property. So far as I know there is nothing to the reports and after making as good fight as we are able we will accept, I presume, the fig ures made.''
 It has been made plain that the state board of assessment is going to make some raises but so far as can be seen now there is no disposition to be drastic However, the raises are going to be stiff, it appears, if one is to be governed in making up conclusion by the rates already imposed.
 The whole matter is going to be thrashed out with the larger systems and the outlook is now that after the evil dence is in and the size up made the public is going to know more about stocks and bonds and securities generally than it has ever known before. It is going to be an effort to squeeze out water if water there be, in the lines that do busi- ness in the state, and the friends of the railroads are not losing sleep, as they say they will show that the rates paid now in the state are high compared to every other class of property.
 Recess Work.
 The recess committees of the legisla- ture will get together at the capital next week and begin work on three lines of work, the reading of the new state code prepared by Judge J. J. Mayheld of Tuscaloosa; the framing of municipal code bill and the investigation of an al- ieged fertilizer trust. None of the com mittees have organized yet save the code commission, of which Col. s. w. John of Birmingham is chairman. Senator Leith of Walker county will be head of the fertilizer investigation. as he was the mover in the case, and the commits sion for municipal code may be headed by Representative Foster of Tuscaloosa, as he is one of the best posted men in the state on the subject. However, It may be that the lot will fall to either Senator Teasley or Senator Gum.
 It is hoped that the civil code crowd will be able to turn out something that will fill the long felt want in the state. The new constitution provided that a civil code should be enacted that would fit all the cities but so far nothing has been done, though one and half sessions of the legislature have worked on it. The fight ran to the close of the 1903 session and there are those who say that it may get to the same point this year. However, many hope for success and there is req son to hope for it, as the men of both houses have seen the ned of some gen. eral law fir city government.
 Maj V. B. Atkins.
 The retirement of Maj V. B. Atkins of Selma from the command of the cavalry arm of the State Guard, takes out of the active service of the military one of the best men 1t has ever had, if meas urement may be made by length of serv- ice and brilliancy of records. Major At kins began with the militia in 1880, and became a commissioned officer in 1887, serving up to the latter date with the in- fantry. He became the head of the cavalry arm in 1890 and has been there ever since. each time he has tried to
 
 him up.
 It is notable that Major Atkins has bene forced to keep his military com mand and also his place as mayor of Selma, though he has tried to be re- lieved of both. In both he has made fame. State officers remember some time ago when word came from Linden that a mob was forming to take a negro from jail. Governor Jelks ordered Major At kins to get there with as many men as possible at once. With an engine and a box car he went. arriving at the point of sE,rosed trouble and finding all quiet. But he was ready at any rate, with armed men, and there would have been hot reception for any mob that night. There is not man in the state more popular than Maj. V. B. Atkins and a reception half the time shaking hands with friends.
 Jones Did Not Remove Any.
 Ther has been much in the papers of the possible changes in the servants of the United States court for the Northern District in case of the appointment of a new judge of the territory, by author ity of a recent law. This has called at- tention to the fact that when Judge Thomas G. Jones was appointed, sue ceedng the late Judge Bruce, he did not remove any of them and, as he Is yet, and will be all along, judge of the Northern District, there is good betting that there will be few changes after a new man is named
 It has ben regarded as rather to the disadvantage of Judge Jones that the law was not framed so as to let him out. for, under the new provision, he will have to hold court there as of old, but have no expense account, being a judge of that as well as the middle dis trict. If he were not a judge of that ter ritory he would be allowed s10 a day expenses as other outside judges are sent there. However, as he Is still a judge there, Judge Jones has set the Birming- ham docket and will proceed with the hearing of cases as usual. It was thought that the appointment of the new judge would be made this week and there is sur prise that it was not. Many expected that Oscar Hundley would be named.
 For the convenience of our
 -x- L s.I- .