The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-01-16

the growing prejudice against corpora
tons and my belief is that one of the
causes of prejudice against corporations
is the successful manner In which the
large holders secure the lions share of
government protection and pay the least
part of the cost for that protection. 1t
is too evident that the tax values of the
properties of the state require equal
lzing. There is a great deal being said
about the tax values of farm lands and
the smallness of same. If the tax
values of the state We're equaliZed. bear
ing on every property alike, the strong
like the weak. the rich like the poor
would pay in proportion to their property
, holdings. on the same parity of value
and 1t Is the judgment of all that the
moneys of the state would be ample
to meet every reasonable requirement of
the state. II you will accomplish with
out fear or favor this great end your
economic appropriations will be safe and
the administrative task easy
State Board Of Assessors.
The tax values of the state are very
crude, irregular and unequal. Time has
shown that 1t is practically impossible for
the tax assessors of the different counties
to establish equitable and just values of
The properties, and particularly so when
It comes to the comparative relations of
lnE inherent counties III the Sldlt. mere
fore, / suggest that you establish state
assessing board composed of three mem
bers, giving them general supervision Of
the tax assessments of the state, and
whose duty 1t shall be to equalze the
values of all property In the state 50
that the same general relation Will be es-
tablished for assessing tax values on all
the property In all of the counties Of the
state.
/ recommend that railroad properties
and the properties OF other public ser
vice corporal tons in this state shall be
| assessed for taxation at valuation in
proportion to the valuation they give In
for the purpose of fixing freight rates
and charges on the people of the state.
| recommend that franchises, which
have a money value shall be classed as
any other property in the state, and shall
| tc valued as any other property in the
state and pay taxes.
Assets and Liabilities.
The assets of the state. according to
| the auditors report September 30. 1906,
page 49, were 81 ,Sl4. 453.37 in the treasury,
and liabilities, or regular appropriations.
against same OF 81, 4Sl ,33. AZ, leaving $685.
| Jos 80 balance in cash in the treasury
after all demands paid. AS per the audi
tors report on December !. 1906, there
were 81. 0S5, 725.17, against which there were
an unpaid balance of $4,000 for capitol
| Improvement an unpaid balance to the
common school fund OF ss94.977.53, the 2
and per cent fund Of s3264.S9 and the
+, Polytechnic institute balance of $40, 293. rs,
making 1868, 81. In other words, IL the
states debts at that time had been paid.
| there would have been a balance In the
treasury December /, 1905, OF only s1l7,-
| 24qG3 In the event the state had ap-
| pI opriated last year 81 0s5, TBS. II more than
| il did, there would not have been any
| thing In the treasury to pay the charges
against the state. Referring again to page
II of the auditors report. showing the
net surplus of 1891, 900, IL would seem that
this is a safe amount. subject to any
| cumulative appropriations that you might
make. and by the auditors report De-
cember /. 1906, OF 81 .0S7. 725.17 in the treas
| ury. II you were to make Individual and
| cumulative appropriations to that amount,
you would consume all the money In the