The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-16
New Taxation Measure Fayorably Considered by Committee on Judiciary Yesterday
STRONG OPPOSITION PREPARES TO STRIKE
 AT JUDICIARY BILL
Part of Investigating Com mittee's Recommendations Also Will Be Vigorously Contested
By HUGH W. ROBERTS

Montgomery, July 15.-tspecial.) The bill of the legislative recess com- mittee on taxation which contains pro- visions for the remodeling of the sys- tenn of taxation in Alabama, was con sidered favorab1y this afternoon by the house committee finance. This bill md the revenue bill, without mate rial amendment, will be reported Sat- urday.
 The indications are that while the work of the recess committee on taxation will be criticized and to some extent stren- uously opposed, it will in a comparative sense, escape very lightly There is no question but that serious opposition is preparing to strike at the proposed bills of the recess committee on judiciary, and that section of the report of the investi- gating committee which would abolish the convict lease system. and combine with the convict bureau, the highway depart ment, and the office of state prison in- spector. It is now considered question: able as to whether either will weather the storm which is brewing.
 McCOrmack ArrlveS
 George B. Mccormack president of the Pratt Consolidated Coal company and the attorney of the company, John II Bankhead Jr., of Jasper. reached Mont gomery tonight, and tomorrow, reinforced by other representatives of the corpora tions which work convicts will appear before the house committee on prison and penitentiary.
 The opponents of the Idea of working convicts on the roads are coming in re- sponse to an invitation of the commit tee and will state their conviction that the lease system is less humane than others, and it could not because of it's money producing attribute be in wisdom abolished.
 In addition to these gentlemen, the fea- ture of the Investigating committees re- port will encounter the opposition of Governor Henderson, his following in the house and throughout the state, and others strong virile and resourceful. Those who have espoused the idea of working convicts on the road will. how ever, meet their opponents in strong rivalry ,and while the outcome is prob- le matical, there is no question but that the struggle by both camps will be viz orously and gallanty sustained.
 The opposition to the work of the re- cess committee on judiciary is perhaps stronger and more firmly organized than that which opposes the enactment Of the accomplishment of the other com mittees. All-of the judges and solicitors whose offices the bills of the cont mittee would abolish, and all their friends are preparing to storm Mont gomery, the capitol and the legislature next week. This opposition drawing strength from every county of the state, and exerting pressure on every repre- sentative is formida ole-so formida blc that on account of the division in the committee which framed the bills and the split in the legislature, itself it is considered probable that it will be able to win, or else achieve more than a part victory.
 Will Meet Opposition
 While Chairman Weahley will be able to obtain a favorable report for his tax bills from the committee of which he Is chairman. there Is no question but that he will encounter stiff opposition on the floor. Complaint is heard regarding that feature of his bills which would eN empt cotton mills and hydro electric plants that which would reduce from , to 1 percentum of the gross receipts. the amount of license tax which muni- cipal could levy against public utility corpora tions, and that which would make the members of the state board faction of the legislature will in com. ef aIa h,,t ba elo