The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-30
LET JITNEYS ALONE. PERCY'S ADVICE TO
 SENATOR FAREWELL
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cry form of invested capital. Blrming- ham has long enjoyed excellent street car service and 1 greatly regret the loss which seems tc me inevitable TOT those who own our traction lines. The Alabama Power company has done i great work In this state tThe coal operators never complained when the Alabama Power company entered the field as 8 competitor1 When 1 was In the legislature 1 opposed all exemp- tions from taxation. l believe with the exception of some insignificant ex- cmr tons in favor of individual house. holder, that every taxpayer in the state big and little. rich and poor. should 1ear the burdens of taxati on In exactly the same degree. The en- terprise that cannot prosper in Ala lama without being relieved of it's que share of the burdens of govern mont will not prosper anyhow and exemptions of this character create In me minds of many taxpayers restless ess and dissatisfaction. But when concern like the Alabama Power com pany has come into the state and in- vested millions of dollars under a leg islative pledge of exemption 1t docs not seem to me that a man of honor can consider for moment. regardless of the necessities Of the state the breach of our plighted agreement. The shareholders of this company will not. in my opinion, receive the customary return on their investment in a quar- ter of a century. l would do anything that seemed to me reasonable in my power to assist this enterprise, but l W would not protect this or any other capital at the expense of the great mass of the people of the state.
 Reduce Traction Burdens
 
 to the corporations now paying for street franchise privileges. In reply I would say that I would reduce the burden eN- acted of street railways in proportion to the diminished value of their franchises. Ism it a mistake 10 assume that we must tax every occupation from the boothlaclt to the railroad? And, as a matter of fact, ought not the revenue of the state and of the cities in 1t to be derived to n far greater extent than 1t now is from those who own the tangible property of the states There are men in this community worth millions of dollars who never give dollar to charity; who never give q dollar to community enterprise. A large amount of community work is done by the combined effort of wage-earners and sal- aried men who haven't any accumulated property. This community work should he done out of the state and the city treas ury. 1t should be done in larger meas ure and with great efficiency, and we should see that the large as well the small property owners contribute their fair share to all matters affecting the welfare and the progress and the pros perity of the entire community. Very truly yours WALKER PERCY
 Letter From Hartwell
 The letter from Senator Hartwell which called for the foregoing answer from MT Percy follows
 Hon. Walker Percy. Birmingham:
 My Dear Mir. Percy-Your letter of April 14 addressed to MT. John B. Weak ley, chairman of our finance and taxa ton committee. has been carefully read by the writer with great deal of inter- est, and what l am going to say to you in reference to 1t 1 do not want it accepted in the spirit of criticism, because what am trying to obtain Is information.
 "I agree with many of your sugges- tions regarding the regulation of the jit- ney, but what I want you to write me Is definite plan of regulation and tax alton, one, as you suggest, that would be fair to the corporations now paying street franchise privileges and one that would be fair to the jitneys. Your letter Is T splendid article but it does not contain any of this information. and what our committee Is trying to arive at Is a prac- tical law of equal rights Sincerely yours,
 HARRY T. HARTWELL."