The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-08-21
EXEMPTIONISTS WIN
 FIRST FIGHT IN THE SENATE ON PASSAGE OF THE REVENUE BILL
tContinued from Page one)

percentage of taxation, if he should fird that the present per cent rate is more tha,, sufficient to defray the expenses of gov ernment
 montgomery. August 2O.--(Special. 1.-The hght on the revenue bill began promptly at 10 o'clock. as had been scheduled. A, least an hour was lost in preliminary skii- mishes, the question of whether the bill should be considered by the senate IS u committee Of the whole consuming most of the time.
 Finally. by a vote of IS to 15. it was de cided that the bill should be considered h, the senate. The question of postponement or the Dill until the numerous senate amendments, ll0 in number, could be printed and distributed among the mem. oers next came up. Senator Lusk fn. Vored postponement, and he was aided in HIS enorts by Senators Hill Lewis and others, but the motion was lost, and the senate agreed upon the immediate con. sideration of the measure.
 The first amendments to the bill pro. posed by the committee on finance and taxation, were adopted without opposi. t'on, and no fight came until subdivision of sectiond of the bill was reached This section provides for the exempti,r rom taxation of certain property to tt selected by the head of each family wbicI
 
 not to exceed in value sl5O: one yoke ot oxen, one cart or wagon, and other house. hold property
 Lusk Fights Exemptions
 The committee amended the section sc al to include in the list of exemptjons n, property holders. in addition to one yoke UT oxen, one mule or horse"
 lhls amendment was finally adopted put not before Senator Lusk had made what he claimed was his only speech of the day on exemptions.
 senator Lusk stated in the beginning that he thought the provision exempting yoke or oxen from taxation was a good place to begin his fight against exemp. tions.
 lie then made lengthy appeal against exempting milionaires from taxation and assessing the poor man who had no more than a yoke of oxen, or a mule with which to till his land. He declared his unalter- ape opposition to all exemptions for the rich man, and in conclusion quoted sey- eral Biblical injunctions.
 'I am casting my vote in the fear of the Almight Lord who rules this uni verse" he said.
 He then spoke of the benefits to be re- ceiyed by the merciful and the vengeance to fall upon the heads of the rich who oppress the poor
 The amendment, exempting one mule or one horse, as well as one yoke of oxen, passed without much opposition.
 Several Amendments Skipped
 The senate then skipped the various aniehoments relating to exemptions of large industries, such as cotton fac tories, water power companies and shlpbuilding plants and next took uu the amendment to section 13 of the oill.
 The section in question reads: "The rate of taxation for state purposes shall be .65 of l per cent per annum on the assessed value of the taxable property within this state"
 The committee amendment contained the additional provision:
 And all other property of everv character in the state not herein ex- pressly exempted shall be subject to taxation"
 Senator Lee of Etowah opened the