The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-27
Big Meeting in Chamber of Commerce This
 Morning
MASSEY URGES ALL
 PEOPLE TO ATTEND
Representative Citizens Issue State ment Explaining Bill, Protesting Against Nasty Action and
 Urging a Conference

Richard w. Massey president of the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, gives out the statement which pres ently follows, setting forth the status of the revenue bill pending in the Massey has issued a call for mass meeting of business men and citizens interested in taxation legislation:
 Members of the Chamber of Com merce, members of the Board of Trade, members of the Business Mems league and all citizens interested in the ques- tion of taxation are urged to attend a meeting at the Chamber of Commerce Monday, March 27. at Il o'clock for the purpose of considering the revenue bill now in the hands of the conference com mittee of the legislature. It is important that we have full and representative attendance. RICHARD W. MASSEY,
 "President Chamber of Commerce"
 MT. Massey stated last night that he would wire the commercial bodies throughout the state, asking them to cooperate in this important matter.
 Here is the story of the revenue meas ure:
 For weeks before the legislature of Alabama convened the chief executive of the state, together with other high off cials of the state, had, in accordance with their constitutional duty, been pre- pairing a revenue measure for the sug- gestion oz the legislature, to be used by the legislature to such extent, after consideration, as that body deemed wise and proper. When the official recom- mendation as to the raising of revenues crystalized and took concrete form in what is now known as the Brooks bill," there arose storm of protest from the Tennessee river to the gulf from the eastern to the western confines of the state. Bankers, merchants and the bus- mess people of Alabama felt that the proposed revenue measure was unjust. onerous and imposed unnecessary hard ships; and deserved deliberate. careful end calm revision. Nobody Knew upon whose shoulders the blame for the pro- posed bills defects should fall Harding Bowie, and other patriotic and able cit izens of Alabama equally well known some friends of the administration; some classed as having been hostile; in an unselfish effort to avert real menace to the business welfare of the state has tened to Montgomery to aid in the effort to revise and wipe out the recognized erors in the Brooks bill. After two Or three days work the Brindley-Bowie- Harding bill was announced to the peo- pie of the state of Alabama, and they were assured, by men trained in busi- ness, in law and In governmental affairs, whose honesty of purpose is unques- tioned, that this revenue bill was fair Then this measure of 254 pages began to be criticised again by insurance men, merchants, bankers, lawyers and other people; and again there swelled tide of discontent that swept to the states ut termost confines. And then these two measures were thrown on the shoulders of the revenue committee of the house.
 The honest, patriotic, thoughtful men in the legislature who serv- ed on this committee, drawing S4 per day for ther services. and bur $4 per day for their services. and bur dened with a thousand manifold duties, undertook to consider these. and other bills, during their spare moments. They were supposed to work upon the Brooks bill, the Harding Bowie Brindey bill: and the Smith bill; and the feeling of un- easiness fingered and dwelled in the minds of the business men of the state who are interested in the matter of rais- ing revenue. which question touches every taxpayer of the state
 The committee reported. and again the business men rushed to Montgomery to avert the recognized dangers.
 How many people have realized the lack of time for the consideration of this measure, by the governor. by the state t.Ie Dt-i1 To T the members of the revenue committee?
 And 1t was intimated that bill must be passed immediately and an extra ses sion averted. The senate took up the consideration of the revenue bill as passed by the house and amendments were offered by the members of the sen ate; some of the amendments being theic own, and others framed by wel-meaning constituents. Among the most important amendments offered in the senate was the one substantially embodying the provi- sions of what is known as the Pegram bill, affecting the tax commission system of the state
 The house bill as amended by the senate consisting of gathered fragments of the Brooks bill the Brindley- Harding Bowie bill. the Smith bill, and additions from other souces including revision of the tax machinery of the state passed the senate on Friday The vote in the senate on the Pegram feature of the revenue bill was IT to IA. Spragins and other friends of the administration who do their own thinking voted for the sen ate bill with the tax commissioner fea- ture In it, and while the vote was be- ing taken the Pegram county tax com mission bill was under debate in the house and at 6 o'clock that night at the close of days discussion the gov ernors ideas az to the PcEram tax commissioner bill were supposed to have been sustained or were sustained in the house by vote of A to A. What business man in Alabama today knows and understands the provisions of the revenue bill with it's amendments as 1t has passed the senate?
 A conference committee has been ap- pointed to consider the revenue bill with all it's amendments; and who are the members of that conference committee? That committee is supposed to report on Wednesday next. and when 1t reports, one more day, one more legislative day, will be allowed for the passage of the reve- nue bill to avert the threatepci menace of an extra session What chance is there for the legislature to consldev this matter in this time? What chance of action? Is 1t not time for the people of Alabama to ston and think? Is it not time for the legislature