The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-09-18
TAX ASSESSORS OF STATE
 IN SESSION AT CAPITOL

The Convention of the Assessors was to have been called to order at noon, but owing to the delay in the arrival of several of the delegates it was decided to postpone the meeting until o'clock State Treasurer Seed Governor Co., mer and Chairman Mitchell of the State Tax Commission. were among the speakers.
 Treasurer Seed, in welcoming the Assessors said in part:
 '"As an humble member of the official family at the Capitol, l extend to you most hearty welcome, to this beauti- ful and historic city, around which cluster so many sacred and tender memories, near and dear to every loyal Alabamian,
 we are indeed glad to have you with 1 us, and have an opportunity to form | your personal acquaintance, and trust that your visit here may prove one both of pleasure and profit
 You are charged with the important | duty of properly assessing and return | ing for collection the State and coun- | ty revenue in your respective counties. | You are officials of great influence, as | no body of men in this State are more directly in touch with all the people. Recent legislation will be instrumental | in having the values of one county placed more nearly on parity wftn | like values in another county. | "A comparison of the totals Of your work annually from '65 to the present, will reveal the fact that phoenfx-like ew have arisen fro mthe ashes of the | past and stand today the prototype or l standpoint of taxable values has been 1 increasing from year to year like stairs, rising step above step; and we | behold for 1907 a sum total far be- yond any amount contemplated but few years ago"
 Following MT. Seeds address of well come MT. Mitchell assumed the chair and announced that the nomination, and election of a chairman and secretary
 MT. Metcalf of Butler, was elected | Chairman and Mir. Stubblefield of Wal ker was made Secretary. When tne | roll of counties was called 1t was round that over half the counties of the State on motion the chair appointed Messrs Dunn of Conecuh, Hewitt of Jefferson and Eubanks of Montgomery, ny committee of three to inform the l Governor that the convention had as- l sembled.
 While the convention was waiting for the arrival of Governor Conner Cnar- @ man Mitchell of the State Tax com mission, announced that tire Commits sion desired to entertain all of those present who desired to go at the Mont gomery Theatre last nighL. xSery Snry.
 GovernOr Makes Address.
 When Governor Conner walked into the convention hall he was Rree.9u l with loud aplaue. lie spohe lo ho avery one present by name, and made oheisance to those not near enough to hin, to receive a handshake.
 The Governor said he was glad or the opportunity to come face 70 race with the Tax Assessors ot 'ne s,,ra affairs in which they were lnteresseus; and which their properly dlscnarseu duties deeply affected. al,
 eve are a great family. We are eli |, nsrtnership," said the Governor. and we all should feel that the successes o5 this great state are our successes. an a that 1t is encumbent on all Of us to work for the firm. No matter now ierae tha County you come from. no ,nafter how small the commission you hold in the name of the State, you are iust as much a part or the eXec"'Ne head of the firm as ann .n "spreading out" process through Wnlcn @ inc State is going. He spoke OF tne broadening of edneaiionai tron, the national capital here to apply nlgn nressurc methods to agriculture ana fha securing of the best results rom the matchless natural resources Oi 'Ne
 we are getting the highest eff, ciency possible out Of property, anu to assist in this work 1t Is necessary that you, as tax assessors. get the highest eficienc yout of your offices and see that no taxpayer escapes ana that no man pays d dollar that he does not owe. It has never been founo out what man can do when he
 The Governor assured those present that 1t was not his intention to talk two hours about the railroads and the railway situation in Alabama. He said the State is spreading itself-that a deep and solid foundation is being laid for higher and better State which will require vast amount of money Taxpayers, he said, always dislike to hear this, but in this instance he pro posed to show where they would be benefited instead of being more heavily taxed.
 BIG Increase in Valuation.
 Under the efficiency of the State Tax Commission he declared that an th- crease ot $1,00O,000000 in the tax val uations would be the result. With mills the tax income to the State will be $500. 900. Of this amount $300,000 goes to the school fund and $10O,OOO to the Confederate soldiers, the re- mainder going to the State Tor cur rent expenses.
 The Governor then enumerated how this money is expended. the increase ! and additional appropriations to the ! schools getting all of it with but lit- tie exception. He dwelt long on the 4 educational movement now on in Ala ? bama, making special reference to the fact that the University of Alabama is not a school for the rich only. He told of when he was a boy at the University of Alabama, in the dormi- tory on the fourth floor where there was an ugly. poor, freckled face boy who rang the college bell for his tui- tion.
 Each week his mother walked from far over the mountain to bring him provisions 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 attached was handed to him His old mother sat way back in the hall, and braving 1 tha nurious gaze of all in the room