The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-03
cA, ATTENTION ID.
 AL SCHOOL TAX.
Hewitt Urges People to Re-
 Enact Existing Law
IS VERY IMPORTANT
Says About One-Third of School Funds Comes From Tax of 10 Cents Per $1OO-Points Out
 Danger of Indifference

Owing to the fact that there has been some misunderstanding about the special school tax that will be voted on May Il. Prof. R. G. Hewitt, assistant county SUI perintendent of education, has issued Q statement in which the salient features of the school tax are set forth. Profes- ssor Hewitt explains the fact that the voting for the special tax will not mean any advancement of the present taxes, but will merely re-enact the law that has been in effect for the past 10 years.
 He states that there is no organized ef fort to defeat the tax, but that as the law requires that three-fifths of those . voting in the election May Il must vote for the tax in order that it may again be in force, there is some danger in the indifference of the voters. He urges that all the friends of public schools vote TOT the measure and induce their friends to do the same. Professor Hewitt makes the following statement:
 Section 269 of the state constitution provides that the several counties in the state shall have the power to levy and collect a special tax not exceeding 10 cents on each s10O of taxable property in such counties for the support of the public schools Pursuant to this pro- VlSlOu or tne COuSLltutlUu tue Stdle leSIS- 1ature in 1903 passed an act providing the machinery for putting the power in operation. The several provisions of this act are found in section 1851-1S60 of the code of Alabama. Section 1851 and 1852 provide for the calling of an election to determine whether or not the tax shall be levied and collected. The provisions in these two sections have been complied with and an election has been called to vote on this proposition on the May Il, 1914, the date set for voting on the run off candidates for certain state and ju- dcial offices.
 "In reading the sections above mem toned 1t will be seen that none but qualified electors or voters will be al- lowed to participate in this election and that to levy and collect the tax three . fifths of those voting in this election must vote for the tax.
 'In 1904 the people of Jefferson coun- ty voted overwhelmingly in favor of the tax, and the wisdom of their action has been demonstrated by the increase in the school term in the rural communities from five to eight months, and salary increase that has attracted much su- perior teaching force.
 Let 1t be understood that the levy ing this tax does not lay any additional burden upon the taxpayers, it merely tre-enacts the law which has been in force for the past 10 years.
 q wish to emphasize the fact that about one-third of the public school funds come from this 10 per cent tax, and that failure to re-enact the law would reduce the school term to about five months, and that its loss would be felt no less by, the cities than by the rural communities E&tks&
 x "I know of no organized effort to de- feat the law and have heard of but few Individuals who opposite 1t, but the dan ger lies in the indifference of those who would like to see the re-enactment of the law May I not then be permitted to urge all the friends of the public schools to bestir themselves from now on to the close of the election on the 11th of May in behalf of the proposed measure not contenting themselves to vote for the law, but urging their friends to do the same?'