The Johnson City comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1916-1917, 1916-07-20
WOULD GUT
TAXES DOWN
col. KING COMMENTS on CONSTI-
TUTIONAL CONVENTION
HOPES FOR A BIG VOTE
If DEFEATED WILL BE TWENTY
YEARS BEFORE REVIVED


IAN improved constitution wou,t
certainly reduce the tax assessment
rate in Tennessee and at the samt
time equalize the property taxes,
said Col. Sam l.. King, of Bristol
while in this city. Col. King owns
property in Bristol, Va, as well as
in Bristol, Tenn, and he states that
the difference in the rate between
the two cities has made a great diff
ference in the valuation of their real
estate, Il am heartily in favor of
holding constitutional convention, >
said he. Then Col. King asserted
that here are many changes needed
in the Tennessee constitution in order
to bring this state up to it's proper
place. I'VE are behind in many re-
spects," stated the visitor "and | am
anything but proud of some of the
conditions which exist in this state
as he result of an antiquated consti-
tuition. | do OF believe a word of this
talk about vested interests directing
the movement for new constitution,
but if | did I'd take off my hat to
the vested interests. 1t has been eX-
aiFN RI ,.t,S,.l II.
of the state will have an
opportunity to reject each and every
one of the amendments which may
be formulated by the body of the
peoples representatives elected for
the purpose of drawing them up.
With such system prevailing, | do
not see but what the will of the ma
jority will rule and heretofore this
has always been satisfactory"
Separate ballot boxes and separate
tickets will be used in voting for or
against holding the constitutional
The election will take
place at the time of the general cleo
ion, August 8. Non-portisan organ
cations are being perfected in the
iifferent counties throughout the
state to explain the purposes of the
aud the need of a new
The Constitutional Con
lention league of Knox county has
the counties composing
he first and second congressional
districts Their efforts are meeting
With great success and leagues are
icing established throughout East
Tennessee as a result of their efforts
"The people of East Tennessee are
ust beginning to realize that this
movement is not a cloak to cover up
he designs of any group of polite
ans is the assertion of one of the
nst widely known politicins in this
section. He continued: There has
)een talk of politics and trusts and
'ailroads in connection with the pro-
)osed election. I know of no reason
Why there should have been this talk |
,xcept that the movement has enc
nies who started it for no good pur
pose. When people ask who is be-
lind the move, just tell them that |
holders of fee offices, and those who
nope to hold such offices, all who
lave been fee grabbers and those
who are their friends are fighting |
against it, and so far as | know, ev-
,ryone else is for it."
Every effort is being made by those
Interested in tn development of the
state to secure a large vote at the |
election. An official of the Knox
county league said Tuesday hat the |
biggest obstacle which friends of the
have to contend with is the
ignorance of the voters as to the i'm
portance of the coming election. IF
the convention is voted dow at this
time" asserted one man, "it will be
twenty years before the people of the
state progress enough to revive the
There is every rason for
holding the convention and none
against it."-Knoxville Sentinel.