The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-15

zens we recognized the law as our resort. Accordingly, appeals from the raises of the State Tax Commission were made to the State Courts, and the raises of the County Back Tax Commissioner were re- sisted before the County Board of Revenue. Orderly, Legal Action of Our Board of Rev
 venue
 The action of this Board, composed or men representing all sections of the County, was deliberate, dignified and In every way worthy of the confidence reposed in them by the people who had elected them to office. Although assured by eminent lawyers that they had the power to refuse to docket these raises. and with precedents set by Boards of Revenue of other Counties sustaining this opinion. our Board of Revenue voted to docket the cases and hear them on their merits These hearings were in open court and consumed nearly two months, the County Back Tax Commissioner as well as the defendants, being allowed full time to present the evidence and make arguments in each case tried. As tEe result, 1889 raises. aggregating s2,586,0 ,036-about ten per cent of the s25,000000 demanded by the County Back Tax Commissioner-were de- clared to have. been established; and our citizens returned to their activities and duties which had been interrupted by these prolonged hearings, with the belief that the decisions of the Board as Court would be respected by all who stand for the observ- ance of the law.
 Our Right of Local sef.Government at
 Stake
 In this however they were mistaken On the heels of the announcement of the comple- ton of the hearing of these cases by the County Board, the State Tax Commission returned to Jefferson County, by order of the Governor for the purpose, it is stated, of re-docketing cases in which the Board or Revenue had declined to order raises. The plain English of this is that the decisions of duly elected Board, with we'll defined legal powers, are to be ruthlessly set aside, and to that extent at least, local self-govern- ment in Jefferson County will cease to exist Right here we ask you lberty-loving peo- pie in the other Counties of Alabama how YOU would receive such an infraction of your rights of local self-goyernment, with the stigma 1t would place upon you and the men whom you have elected to office? In servile submission, or with firm, cour- ageous resistance to the bitter end?
 Our answer is the same answer you would make We shall STAND UP for our rights. And not only that we shall use every honor able means to revive and modernize the clumsy, obsolete system of taxation which is the excuse for such abuses of power. A Movement Begun to Revise Our Obsolete
 System of Taxation
 The Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, which created the committee signing this ad- dress to you, has appointed another and very able committee to consider and suggest legis- lation that will reform our present system of taxation. In this work they solicit the cooperation of every patriotic citizen of Alabama. All communications addressed to the Revision Committee of the Birming- ham Chamber of Commerce" will be care fully considered.
 We Welcome Legitimate Increases in Our
 Tax Values
 Tax values fairly established are the best evidence of the growth and prosperity of a