The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-12-20
KEEP UP FIGHT
ON COTTON TAX
Southerners Demand il be
Refunded.
CLAYTON BACKS PROPOSITION
Alabama Has Second Largest
Amount in Claim.
Law-makers Of Dixie VIII Renew
strussIe for Lost Meney-msr-
shall Judki.s Now charged
win ness 100 old
- serve.
BY ALFRED ). sToFER.

hammering away on the proposition
to have the cotton tax refunded Many
bills have been introduced on this
subject during the past ten congress-
es, and time and again efforts have
been made TO bring about concerted
action.
The measure introduced the other
day by Representative Clayton Of Ala
bama and heretofore mentioned In
this correspondents. gives In detail
the amount to which the different
states would be entitled.
Alabama has the second largest
amount in this claim against the gov
eminent, the States share in the mon
ey that was collected during and just
after the Civil War being sl0.3SS.o72.-
TO- Georgia heads the list with $11.-
97.0s4.sS. Mississippi comes third
with $S.742.995.93. Among the other
States which have the next largest
claims are: Tennessee. $7,873.460.7l,
Texas. $500. 401.24: Louisiana, 49,
0ss,101; North Carolina, sl.s5s. TOAST.
South Carolina. s4,172,420.i6; Florida,
S9I8,94498 and Arkansas. s2,555,ssS.43.
This money is locked up In the
United States treasury, and eminent
authorities have held that the tax was
illegally collected, and that Uncle
Sam ought TO refund 1t. OF course, IL
there ever is legislation of definite
character on the subject much red
tape will have to be measured out in
the States before the heirs or legal
representatives OF the rightful own
ers can get justice and their money.
But justice Is apt to come some day,
though 1t is well understood In legis-
lative circles that 1t will require hard
ticks to convince the ruling powers In
Congress that the bill should pass.
Recalls Notable FiIibuster.
II was the same way. when the d.
rect tax bill proposition was before
Congress. There was memorable
filibuster in the Fiftieth Congress
against that measure. former Cover
nor Oates of Alabama having taken a
leading part when he was In the
House In the matter. That was In the
days when the rules were lax. and
filibusters were common.
1t is learned on the best OF avthori-
ty that a charge has been lodged
against Marshal Judkins of the Mid
die District OF Alabama to the effect
that he should not be appointed be-
cause he has reached the age OF 70
years, commonly referred to az the AL
lotted time of man,
Well. the talk here is that the mar
shall has pleaded guilty. He admits
| that he has reached the SEVENTEEN
milestone Of life, and In talking the
matter over with Attorney General
Wickersham and other high officials
OF the Department of Justice, Mr.
Judkins has been compelled to admit
that II Is through no fault OF his that
he has reached that period Of his ex-
istence and is not ashamed of It.
The friends OF the marshal, how
ALL = 1T
ton that they are rejoiced to know
that so far as they can discover there
is no other accusation against the man
who Is up for consideration, and who
admits from the word go that he
would like to hold on to his job.
Senator Johnston was so struck with
the absurdity, as he put 1t. OF this
charge that he could not help bring
ing Just a bit sof hunor into play
when he referred to the matter at the
department. while there with Mr.. JUDI
kins to tell the powers that be In thar
temple of justice, that II q man was
to be showed aside simply because he
had reached the age of 10 not much
encouragement would be held out in
any of the walks of life for any one
to try to live to be TO-
Hopes to Attain Same Age.
You. Mr.. Attorney General said
the senator. mo doubt expect to live
to be 20. l hope some day to be able
to say that am 10, and when I get
to thinking of myself / really be-
lieve that l would be a much more
valable senator at that age than am
now''-all of which is said to have
impressed the officials up at the de-
partment. II 1t did not cause them to
smile broadly.
As Senator Johnston vicws the mat
ter he thinks this age charge is the
| only one that can be brought against
MT. Judkins, but when a lot of Re-
publican politicians want to get a man
out and put another in his place. they
are mighty apt to find some excuse
through which they hope to accom-
pllsh IT,
In making a plea for his re-appoint-
ment, Mr.. Judkins himself has told
the high officials that when he was
an assistant district attorney he was
very well satisfied. and that he would
then have preferred to remain in that
| office; but II was thought that he
would fill the bill as marshal, and he
accepted the appointment. He also
told them that he believed he had
given satisfaction as marshal. and he
points to the Endorsements now on
] file at the department from judges
and lawyers In the district as proof
positive, he declares. that they want
him retained.
walker Has Other Strength.
The hackers of Mr.. Judkins assert
that his competitor has no such in
dorsements from the bench and bar
| but they are forced to admit that
Barker and Thompson want Ben Walk
err appointed. and they are waiting to
see IL they will be recognized, or the
marshal be permitted to keep on at
tending to his duties.
Senator Johnston says he has no
definite information as to just when
action will be taken on the BirminE-
ham postmastership. although II is his
home city. At the postoffice depart
ment they are not disposed to tell
much. II anything. about the matter.
The senator has an idea though that
Joseph Bowron Is slated to succeed
Postmaster Carter. in spite of the
fact that all the reports are that the
latter's friends have not given Up
hope.
Representative Underwood, who has
been favorable from the start to the
retention of Postmaster Carter also
| inclines to the opinion that Bowron
will ultimately land in the place. Mr..
Underwood thinks it's a queer situa-
ton. Bowron as postmaster. he says,
will not be politically worth the flip
of a coin to jos Thompson, and yet
the latter. had to take him up be-