The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-06-10

HERALD, MONDAY, JUNE penny to it's compensation whether the increases were allowed or refused. It had no disposition, neither had the goY- erhor of the state, to do aught but en- force the law as It Is written on the book. That this course was not pursued. that no protest was ever uttered to the effect that these parties cited were being re- qured 10 pay more than the law exaeted, manifestly justihes the conclusion that they realized no legal defense existed. The conclusion. therefore, inevitably follows that failing to have any legal defense to the proposed increases another method must be adopted by which exemption from liability could be secured. What was that method? The reports of the meetings of protest and the public speeches and the commments of the press answer this ques- ton. A crusade was to be commenced against the payment of any more taxes, however just and legal, all undervalua> tions were to be ignored, the law was to be fiouted and nullfied, and to accomplish that conspiracy the plea was to be urged that Jefferson county already paid In the aggregate more taxes than any other county; that the money raised was to be used in the payment of extravagant, use less. ana WaStelui dpplbplidllouSs lndN other counties were not paying their just share of taxes and that the payments of the amounts demanded would jeopardize and retard the business interests and pros perity of Jefferson county. To further carry out thls conspiracy the governor of the state and the taxing authorities were 10 be denounced as cruel and rapacious opprossors who had singled out Jefferson county in spirit of hostility and unfair at l. her people, destroy her industries and re- tard her development.
 Masters of Special Privilege
 This was the plan which certain mas ters of special privilege-the representa- lives of millions-eonceived, and which they believed was best adapted to secure their exemption from taxation, and this plan they have faithfully carried out, Pub lie meetings have been held, indignant protests recorded, speeches teeming with abuse and vilifieation of the governor and the taxing powers of the state delivered, the board of revenue besieged by an im- mense committee urging them in effect to prejGdge all causes and to violate their oaths. Prejudice has been aroused and the public mind infiamed, and before this storm of public disapproval it was sup posed that the governor and the taxing au- tHOAllieo Nnutu qudll anu A1iht anu q public sentiment so hostile and bitter be created that courts and juries would sur render to the selfish demands of the rep rese natives of big business. The selnsh motives which inspired the movement were to be concealed and the public impressed with the conviction that those who were leading the movement were acting as dis interested philanthropists who had entered the contest alone to protect a helpless public who did not have sense, money or interest enough to protect themselves.
 This is the scheme and this is the con- spiracy. But the great masses of the peo- pie of Jefferson county are intelligent law abiding and patriotic. They pay theii debts and their taxes and observe the ob. lgations of citizenship. They know that behind all this seemingly popular move ment these meetings of protest, these speeches of denunciation. are carefully concealed the powerful but sinister figures of the masters of big business and eorpo- rate wealth, who behind the scenes. with unlimited money at their command, direct and control the setting of the stage and the entry of the actors.
 States Duty Matters Not
 ''It matters not that the state is facing almost the largest deficit in it's recen his tory. that boys and girls are being turned away from our greater institutions of learning for want of proper buildings and equipment, that the elementary and high schools are suffering from the inability of the state to pay the appropriations al- ready made; that the old soldier must be deprived of his just pension which in honor and good faith the state justly owes; that the state treasury Is empty and the state authorities are forced to borrow money to pay current expenses. It Is more important In their Judgment that dividends to the stockholders Of our great corporations be increased than that the state should receive the small pittanes Of taxes which the law exacts. It is loud ly proclaimed that the collection of these taxes will retard the growth of Jeffer- son county. Ii will be rather difficult tc make the public believe that the prosper ity of the great county of Jefferson is builded on so weak a foundation that the payment of the small amount due the state by those who are best able 10 pay and who receive the largest benefits from good government will impede it's progress or retard It's development If the present tax rate is unjust or unfair the leaders of this movement should seek redress through the legislature, and not the board Of revenue, who have no authority but to enforce the law as it is written in the sta ute. They have mistaken their forum.
 If the allegations which they make arc true they should present a petition 10 the next legislature, backed by the same com mittee. composed as its correspondent de- clares, of millions of dollars and the tall ent of Birmingham, and humbly petition that body to exempt the representatives of big business and the larger corporations from this unjust and unfair taxation. which they assert Is bankrupting their county and preventing it's development.
 Basis of Protests
 ''It is remarkable that not in n single speech or protest is the claim made that the state has exacted from these gentle men or their associates more than 50 per on it's merit, or increase the property On the contrary the whole movement is predlcated on the theory that the court should not decide each individual case on its merits ,or increase the property of the individual thnt is undervalued, but should try the county as whole. that the taxes ought to be assessed not against the individual but against the county, and each man to be inc sole judge Of whether his property is undervalued or not.
 q therefore assert that never before in tho history of the state was a movement
 U3M