The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-12

yet, In all cases, With the l1gnts pelote
 me, have tried to do the right. fsf Tax Values
 1 The law assessing intangible value has reached a large amount of property | which has hitherto escaped taxation. me | South and North railroad, which mas l bonds, stocks and securities amounting 10 sSi,O00 per mile on which interest is paid, | had an assessed tax valuation of SSo,VVt
 per mile. This was against the roadned
 and rolling stock, leaving a large differ
 ence between the physical value and the
 actual value. The Birmingham Street
 Railway, Light and Power company was
 paying taxes upon the roadbed and the
 cars and the power plant But the iran | ch1se of both of these corporations, given | by the city and state, the largest part ol
 their worth and just as much a value as
 a horse, or land, were escaping taxauoh' | From this class of property, this in I tangible tax law encompassed a tax value
 of more than s23,000,0o0 the annual tax | of $150000, on which amount is new rev | enue, annually paid into the state treas | ury.
 The insurance companies which hitherto paid on basis of 1 per cent now pay on
 a basis of per cent. This puts Alabama | more on a parity with other states lh which they do business. This yields an
 increased revenue of s1oo,OO0 per year. Tax Commission Law l The law creating the state board of tax
 valuation, which is composed of three
 DIembers appointed by the governor, With I out placing any unjust burden upon any property of the state, has added Sll5,-
 0c0,0O0 ad valorem value to the tax values of the state. While the workings Of this law and the commission are comparative l ly new, the value to the state is incalcula- 1 ble; and when this board has succeeded
 in encompassing all the properties which I have hitherto escaped taxation and l capitalized the value of the state up 10 | to the proportion of 50 per cent, which
 accomplishment is the wise purpose of
 the law, the state revenue will be great l y increased.
 1 The Treasury
 | The constitution authorized the legisla- | ture to pass a statute enabling the state | to borrow on notes to the extent or | S300,000 The legislature of 1889 passed an | enabling act authorizing the borrowing
 Of $100000. This statute should be amend | ed so as to give the state authority to borrow the constitutional limit of s30O,- o0O as sometimes it might be convenier for the state to have this authority. it Is true that in December, 19O6 there was s1,2S3, S06 more available cash in the
 state treasury than in 1910. The only question is, was it wisely expended? Ev cry part of the state has received the benefit and the usufruct cannot be meas ured. It can be likened to the ingather- ing of a flowing stream, the further It goes the more useful it becomes. This
 money as a benison to the state will go on forever.
 Immigration
 The census shows that some of the very
 test farm lands of the state have de- creased in population This requires care
 full investigation and remedy. I suggest
 the new method of farming; change from the old all-cotton plan to diversified crops.
 MT. Ward of Henry county at a farm
 CTS meeting, when immigration was be- ing advocated, well said that the class of immigrants we wanted were those to whom we would be willing to give our daughters in marriage. meaning those who would be easily assimilated into our body polite I have always thought that what we need was the watchful
 care and protection of our own people and that in time the natural increase would meet every demand. I would dep recate any proposed immigration that would mean an influx of non-assimilabe laborers to be- used to beat down the serv- ice price of our own people.
 Good Roads
 The people voted an amendment to the constitution authorizing state aid in the making of good roads. I think this
 most important question, and I know of no more obsolete idea than "any old road is good enough" Aside from the time killed because of bad roads, comes the wear and tear on vehicles, mules and horses. A number of the counties
 have made marked improvement in their public road system. Every county should follow suit, and the state should lend such encouragement and aid as your wis dom may dictate.
 State Home for the Governor recommend an appropriation for buy ing or building home for the governor, and reasonable contingent fund for it's furnishing and keep.
 The legislature passed law establish- ing the tuberculosis commission and pro- vidng for a sanitarium. On account of the condition of the state treasury the
 execution of this law was delayed. How ever, for quite awhile the commission
 under the direction of Dr. Sanders of the
 state board of health has been seeking a proper location for the sanitarium. Tuberculosis Commission The legislature also passed law cre-
 ating an epileptic colony when the gov ernor should deem the money available | for such purpose. For reasons set forth | in this message regarding the state treas l ury the establishment of this colony has not been made, but I feel sure that it should be done at the quickest possible | time.
 Military
 Under the federal law and federal help | the National Guard of the state has as- | stunned much more important functions. In every case where the state has re-
 quired their services it has been splendid | ly rendered.
 Anti-Trust Law | I refer you to the report of Attorney
 General Garber in his recommendation
 for comprehensive antitrust laws, and
 will call your attention to the fact that
 Alabama has but little protection along | this line.
 l The Strike of 1908 1 At the beginning of the labor strike that occurred in our mineral district in
 1908 there was an unfortunate disposi-
 tion to violate the law I am thankful that the strike was settled and I con-
 gratulate all parties concerned upon
 the wisdom of that settlement, and on the improved conditions and the restor-
 ation of the price of labor in the Bir- mingham district All labor in that
 district Is now employed and there is | demand for more. The conditions of
 labor are greatly improved and the
 business and property of the mineral
 district, secure within the law, has an
 outlook of harmony and peace and l III f-. l. nI..