The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-05
LACK OF SYSTEM
 IN ASSESSMENTS 
 Losses and Gains Are lnC0n-
 SiStent STERN SUCCEEDS DENT Governor Conner Is Busy Making Ap- pointments Where People Failed to Elect-New Incorpora-
 tions Reported.
STERN SUCCEEDS DENT

Montgomerv. December 4-(Special)- In every case where the tax valua- tion fell off at the last assessment over the one before it was in personal prop erty. In not one of the 29 counties that failed to get as large returns as the previous makeup did real estate serve as the cause of 1t. These facts are shown by the books of the tax commission Of the state. It was not on railroad prop erty either, all of the lines taken to- gether showing an increase.
 For the most part the falling off is in stock. In Monroe county, for instance, the assessor shows an increase of III in the number of cattle and decrease in value of cattle of $24S5. He shows 12s less horses with a falling off of S3o75 and 27 more mules with increase of value of S11 0OO. Clarke county shows falling off on 19 of the 40 items includ- ed to the extent of S112OOo.
 The tax commission is seeking to recti- fv this kind of reduction. Secretary Lloyd has made up a list of the counties that have dropped off and is sending the tax assessors letters, showing that there is much lack of system in getting up the books and that lot of the loss may be recovered with careful watch ing.
 Stern Gets the Place.
 Philip Stern, captain in the Spanish American war and one of the best known lawyers in the state, will be the new so- licitor of Montgomery county. His ap- pointment announced Friday by Governor Conner was expected by his friends as it seemed from the first that he had chance to be the man. MT. Stern was the manager for S. H. Dent elected to Congress, in his race for that office and thus falls into the post made vacant by Mr Dent He is a lifelong friend of Gov. B. B. Conner as has been his father before him.
 The fact that Stern led the Dent forces for Congress, defeating the prohibition candidate, Sanford, and that Stern is in no sense a prohibtionist is a cause of surprise for his appointment It has been reported that this city will not try to enforce the anti-liquor laws but MT Stern announced that he would en- force them to the letter even though he did not approve their passage. Stern is said to be the first Jew to hold the post of solicitor in the state.
 New Enterprises.
 Because of the failure of many minor county officers to qualify in time they are now being appointed and Governor Conner is kept busy getting up the lists. On Friday Recording Secretary Nun nellee handed over almost half hund- red running from justice of the peace to notary public. It is thought that about 170O thus failed to qualify.
 Scores of Appointments.
 The incorporation of the American Health and Accident Insurance company at Birmingham has been reported to the state insurance commissioner. It has capital of s25,0O0 with s50o0 paid in and 5000 deposited with the insurance de- partment. The company is limited to policies of $250 at death and BIO a week benefits.
 The Hood Grocery company has been organized at Birmingham with capital of $25,000. I. L. Hood and others are incorpora tors.
 The Jacksonville Fertilizer company is reported at Jacksonville with capital of s25,o00 with J. H. Prutt and others in- terested.
 The compromise board has agreed to let the Alabama and Georgia Iron com pany off with mortgage tax on one third of the value of their mortgage of s120.0O0, as two-thirds of the property is without the state. Sixty-five per cent of the s75G paid by the Southern States Lumber company on lands in Alabama and Florida was all required that being the proportionate value in this state