Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1912-10-24

Z NOT NQnSiuCT II UIAENAC1nAN " nOAA ~ WI
stitutional convention unless they have
reasonable assurance of fair election of
delegates and "a convention that will be
controlled by the people instead OF the
interests
Personally, l earnestly desire a new
constitution for this state, progressive
and not reactionary, and that at the
earliest moment practicable.
/ Delinquent Tax Law.
In this connection I will discuss for a
moment the delinquent tax law passed
by the last Legislature.
The effort OF some OF my political op-
position to charge me with Comptroller
Dibrelrs iniquitous administration of the
delinquent tax law is political dishonesty
| Let us look for moment at the facts:
For II good many years the state has
been compelled to bid in at tax sales
real estate where nobody else would buy
it. The state could not get rid of these
lands, because the law was defective and
good titles could not be made. Land
bid in for taxes, therefore, accumulated
on the state year after year. 1t was
agreed by everybody that no taxpayer
should be permitted to avoid his taxes
in this way, and that the state should
have relief from this situation. 1t seems
thot The Comptroller then requested At
| torney-General Gates to draft a bill that
would enable the state to make title to
these lands bought for unpaid taxes,
and thus enforce the payment of the
taxes. The Attorney-General drafted the
BILL it was introduced in both houses,
passed without opposition and was
signed by the Governor
The intention and purposes of this bill
were good, but the evil has come through
the manner in which it has been en-
| forced by the fee-grabbing subordinates
of the Comptroller. The Comptroller has
, brought hundreds OF expe4nfse suits for
| the collection of frivolous amounts. The
law did not compel the Comptroller to
bring suit for all delinquent taxes, how
ever small and insignificant, but it simply
| authorized the Comptroller to bring suit
| in such cases as he found it advisable
or necessary.
| dare say that nobody anticipated for
moment that the Comptroller would
bring a $40 suit on an Scent tax, as he
| did in Maury County. 1t is the fault of
the Comptroller, rather than the law.
Of course it may be said that such dis
erection should not have been vested in
the Comptroller. And yet it is neces-
sary to vest in nearly all our public Of
ficials great discretion as to many mat
tiers. For example. 1t is within the legal
discretion of the Governor to pardon
each and every man in the penitentiary
and jails of the state, all at the same
time, but the people do not expect this
discretion to be thus abused; nor did
the Governor, Attorney-GenerAl and
members of the Legislature expect the
Comptroller to turn the statute into an
engine of oppression for he benefit of his
subordinates, unless, perchance, some of
those who, afterward appointed tax at
torneys, like Harry Swami and Hoyt
Stewart, may have had an inkling as to
what was to Happen.
Instituting limited number of suits
in each county upon the largest delin-
quent taxes, and notifying the other de-
linquents, world have avoided the neces-
atty of bringing hundreds OF suits.
1t is very certain, however, that the
next Legislature will either deprive tho
Comptroller Of the power to bring frivol
Gus, degrading suits, or elect Comp
troller who will not abuse his discretion
in this respect.
Dibrell has denied asking the Attorney
General to draft this bill, but tnc Attor-
ney-General stateO that he not only re-
quested him to draft the bill, but after
ward asked him to explain 80 me the
necessity of such a bill, and to ask me
to sign it. This, however, General Gates
did not do.
Labor Legislation.
My platform, two years ago, declared
in favor of the fellowservanty lava
law to make the employer liable in dam
ages for the death or injury of an em~
ploye as the result of the negligence OF
his fellow workmen. l urged the passage
of such a bill in my first message to the
Legislature, and, subsequently, in spe-
cial message The Joint Legislative
Board of Organized Labor was kind
enough to print my message in their BIZ
ennial report, and speak of it in terms
of praise. | did everything within my
power to secure the passage of the bill
and greatly regretted it failure. 1t is q
measure of long-delayed justice to the
laboring man, and it is difficult to I'M
derstand how men can run on a platform
containing such a pronouncement, an
every man in the last Legislature did,
and then vote against the bill. The pas
sage of the bill in the Senate was an
arranged piece of hypocrisy, in my iudg-
ment, ,as certain Senators TOOK no inter
est whatever in the bill until it had
already been killed in the House. The
failure of the bill to become law is not
chargeable to any one party as members
OF all parties voted for it and against it.
My platform again declares in favor
OF this measure and ] will support it as
vigorously as | did before, with strong
hope of its enactment.
workmen's compensation act was
favored in the Regular Democratic plat
form two years ago, but this time they
have quietly dropped the subject. My
platform favors the creation OF com
mission to consider the whole subject of
workmen's compensation and to report
their findings and the draft of a bill to
the succeeding Legislature. This is the
course that has been pursued in several
other states, and is the one favored by
the labor organizations in Tennessee, az
| am informed. The investigation and
report of such commission would be a.
necessary preparation of so difficult,
complex and important question. While
my platform omits @1y reference to the