The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-06-20
TAX CASES MUST BE TRIED ON MERIT
 BEGINNING JULY 8 Board of Revenue Votes in Favor of D0cketing MT.
 Aliens Whole List
$25,OOO,O ,OOO TOTAL
 INVOLVED IN ISSUE
Each Member of Board Makes Speech Explaining His Position-Final Vote on Question Was
 Three to Two
They are doeketed.

By a vote of to the list of tax assess ment increases for Jefferson county, filed before the board of revenue about two weeks ago by Capt. ]. Y. Allen, county back tax commissioner was docketed al 12:SO o'clock yesterday afternoon. The in- dividual cases will go on trial on then merits beginning the second Monday in July-the sth. The increases total about 25oo in number and amount to approxi- mately 5000 GOO.
 The vote stood:
 No-Messrs. Rogers and Going.
 Yes-Messrs. Vines. Haigler and Love- lady.
 MT Lovelady said: T have gathered all the facts could. I'm not going to dodge my responsibility. I was elected by the people to enforce the law and my con- science tells me that docketing these cases is the only way I can do it"
 MT Haigler said: T believe Jefferson county is now paying more than her share of the taxes of the state. but I have studied this matter closely and as l un- derstand the law there is merit in these cases.'
 MT. Rogers: q believe the two men who have just spoken, and any other man who may disagree with me on this ques- tion, Is as honest in his convictions as am in mine I think these cases should be completed before they are docketed.
 MT. Vines. q realize I am on the un- popular side of this question. But I can't get away from the belief that there Is merit in these cases. I've tried for two weeks to find a loophole."
 MT. Going: q am sorry the members of this board could not get together and vote as a unit on this important matter. believe there ought to be equalization all over the county before we docket the cases.
 Aliens Views
 Ten minutes after the vote was cast Captain Allen said: q never felt any ap- prehension in the matter I couldn't con- ceive how the board of revenue could re- fuse to docket the cases if they had merit, and neither could I understand how they could think the cases did not have merit, :"
 When the vote was taken there were perhaps dozen men in the room besides the board of revenue members and several newspaper men. Among them were Capt. J. V. Allen. Forney Johnston. Percy Clark and others. The balloting began at 12:15 o'clock and lasted about half an hour.
 The board went into executive ses- sion immediately after converting at 10 o'clock yesterday morning. Back Tax Commissioner Allen waited until rd ha1 n n h n among themselves. In the meantime MT. Aliens attorney. Forney Johnston. put in an appearance and about II o'clock MT. Going, president of the board, came out of the room and said that they were ready to hear Mir. All len and MT. Johnston. MT. Allen and MT. Johnston were closeted with the board but a few minutes. About half hour after they came out the mem bers of the board filed out into the open court room and announced they had made up their minds.
 Going Makes Announcement
 "Gentlemen." said President Going, q believe we are ready to wind up this question"
 Let MT. Allen understand that we docketed these cases because we couldn't get out of it," put in Dr. Vines.
 MT. Lovelady took the floor
 T want to make my position in this matter plain before the public" he stated, land cast my vote. Each of us has made up his mind on his own conscience. I have no criticism to of fer of any mans position, either on this board or otherwise Men can diff fer and be honest in their different convictions.
 'Thfs is a great big matter. It con- cerns the public. I am not going to dodge my responsibility. I was elect ed to represent the people and enforce the law. I got all the facts on this matter that I could and have come to the conclusion that there is merit in these cases and they should be dock eted
 T am acting as I see my duty. What am doing means something to me. It may mean the loss of some of my friends; if so. I am sorry. I vote to docket the cases.
 However. I want MT Allen and the taxpayers to know that we have and will continue to deal fairly. Tn the trials of these cases the taxpayer will be given the benefit Of the doubt in every instance. The results of my &C., ton may be burdensome. I would love to see a hasty change in taxation methods and system in this state. Once this taxation law was all right. when everybody knew everybody else and what they were worth. Now it's out of date and It is a physical impossibility at this time for this board to know the real merits in all this list of cases submitted by MT. Allen"
 Haigler Explains Vote
 MT. Haigler sat next to MT. Lovelady and he succeeded him to the floor.
 ''I have thought over this matter a good deal" he said T have been ad- y hom I could find who was able and willing to give me their advice and I have studied the matter closely myself Jefferson county is now paying more :han her part of the states taxes. However, as I understand the law, if there Is merit in any of these cases we are required to docket thep. I am sat isfied there is merit in the cases sub mitted by Mir. Alien and I vote to docket them"
 Mir Rogers came next
 "Dr. Vines suggests" he began. that one side should not monopolize every thing. I want to say that I know MT. Haigler and Mir. Lovelady to be as honest in their conclusions as am in mine. We may differ as honestly as we agree. I believe these tax assessment increases submitted by Commissioner Allen should