The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-01-25
Tax Merely An Extra Charge.

Tax Merely An Extra Charge.
 The tax. MT. Gardner said was noth- ing more nor less than charge of thirty " Is & ton on every ton of fer- tilizer used. Senator Gardner was familiar with the provision of the law which declares the tag shall not be added to the price charged by the manufacturer. but he declared such a provision of the law was impossible of fulfillment. He submitted tLat 1t was a grave injustice to the farmer of Ala bama. that he should be assessed such a charge on necessity for his busi- ness.
 Senator Reynolds alluded to the conn bination that was charged to exist among the,fertilizer men of the South. He declared some of these fertilizer men had been indicted in the federal court at Memphis for violation of the antitrust laws of the United States. lfs charged the fertilizer men were in sympathy with the tax. and their united efforts prevented the tax from appear ing in it's true form, as a direct tax on the farmers of the State.
 He informed the Senate that before the issue was finally determined there would be presented to the Legislature petitions which were signed by thou- sands of Alabama formers asking that the tax be removed. Names had been signed to such petitions all over Alabama. He declared many farmers of the State were ignorant they were even paying the tag tax, and when- ever they did realize 1t, they were earnestly In favor of it's repeal.
 This question was asked both Sena- tor Reynolds and Senator Gardner:
 Is it not a fact that the Georgia tax is dollar ton, the Alabama tax thirty cents ton, and that no tax Is charged in Mississippi, and in spite or that the price of guano is the same in Georgia, Alabama and Missis- sippi?"
 District Attorneys are Derelict.
 To this Senator Reynolds repIied:
 T understand this is true. but if the district attorneys in those three States did their duty, 1t would not be true."
 The Senate quit work for the day before the question had been finally disposed of.
 The Senate met at its usual hour, opened with prayer by Rev. Charles A. Stakely, of the First Baptist Church. There were thfrty-one mem- bers present.
 The privileges of the floor were ex- tended Mayor V. B. Atkins and J. K. Lumpkin of Selma, on motion of Sena- tor Reese
 Chairman overton submitted the report of the Committee on Commerce and Common Carriers at this juneture. .a The Madison county dispensary bill was handed in by the Senate Tenn perance Committee, with a favorable report
 Senator Lusk in his notice. moved that Senate Bill 66 be taken from the adverzs calendar The motion h6 said, was made with good deal of reluctance, which grew out of his de- ference to the committee which made an adverse report upon the biIl. The bill In question provided for sub mission to the people an amendment which would change the present con- stitutfonal provision for quadrenniai elections and quadrennial sessions of the Legislature. Senator Lusk be- lieved the people of Alabama were ready to say quadrennial sessions of the Legislature had hampered the government of Alabama and the peo- pie of the State.
 MT. Lusk quoted from Thomas Jeff ferson. the utterance. When annual elections are begun, tyranny is close at hand, The great struggle upwards through the years in England had been to break away from the infre- quent elections and give the people control of affairs by frequent cleo tion. He was not, he said, welded to the idea of the session of having an annual session of the Legislature. If the Senate cared to make the ses- sions of the Legislature biennial, he would interpose no objection
 Senator Hays said he was chairman of the committee which had reported the bill. but inasmuch as he was in sympathy in the motion of Senator Lusk. he would accord his privilege of speaking on the measure 10 Senator spragins. who was, opposed to the measure of Senator Lusk.
 Opposes Annual Sessions.
 Senator Spragins said tho question involved in the motion to reconsider was the question of an annual session of the Legislature. The Senators should understand that. He had not heard any great demand coming from the hills of Alabama for a change in the system of holding sessions of the Legislature. He reminded the Senate that the power was lodged in the Gov ernor to call an extra session. The Governor had already declared that if it was necessary to have the Leglsla- ture do it's work he would give 1t twice fifty days.
 Senator Jones of Wilcox announced that if the Senate refused to take up and pass the Lusk bill with the pro- posed amendment. he would urge from the Committee which had 1t, his own bill to establish biennial sessions of the Legislature. He did not favor an nual sessions of the Legislature, but he did favor biennial sessions. The Governor had the right to call ses- sion of the Legislature. but 1t was a most serious thing to do, and Cover nor would consider it a long time be- fore he would take such a step.
 Senator Jones declared it would have been true economy for the State to have held a session of the Legislature two years ago.
 Senator Thomas opposed the motion of Senator Lusk. He had heard no message from the people of Alabama. The people of Alabama had been rep resented in the State Democratic Con- vention which assembled in Montgom- cry in September. He had read cara- fully the messages that went out from the Convention in it's platform, and in that message no word was said for biennial session. The new Constitu- tion had been on trial only five years. and he saw no reason to say 1t was a failure in part or in whole.
 Senator Reed was opposed to the amendment to the Constitution The quadreunial sessions had not been gwen Q fair trial. and the Governor had the power to meet any emergency that might arise If he understood the sentiment of the people. there was no demand from them to resore biennial sessions.
 Senator Gardner opposed the pending bill but he was In favor of biennial sessions.