The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-08-18

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vArHEN the school tax amendment
w was first proposed in the leg
;sl.+ure the friends of the measure
had in mind mainly the betterment Oh
nublic school conditions in rural dis
tr;cts where the revenue was mani
testify made
Will Be of Large quate 1or
Benefit to Birmingham educational
needs. The
state constitution does not permit the
voters to levy special taxes for school
purposes, and this fact has accounted
for the poor facilities in many coun-
ties and the consequent high percent
age of illiteracy in Alabama.
II was to reform this deplorable
state of affairs that the champions OF
the amendment submission bill labored
in the legislature of 1911 and again in
the legislature of 1915.
The bill developed a good deal OF
strength five years ago and, under the
able and aggressive leadership OF
SYDNEY j. Bowie, who deserves to be
known as the father of the anti-illit-
eracy movement, it came very near
passing. But another strong agitation
was necessary. All the educational
forces of the state got behind the
measure and last year it was adopted
by decisive majority.
This amendment is to be submitted
to the people for ratification at the
general election in November, and the
vote should be practically unanimous.
While it's promoters sought prl-
marily to benefit remote and back
ward communities the amendment will
prove of large benefit to Birmingham.
1t gives each county the right, by
vote of the people, to levy special
tax of three mills and each district in
the county birmingham constitutes
a district in the meaning of the law
the right to levy an additional tax of
three mills. A great number of coun-
ties will lose no time in availing them
selves of the provisions of the amend
ment. Eventually all will levy special
taxes, for the people will come to feel,
as Mr.. Bowie put it in a recent dis
cussion of the amendment question,
that a tax should not be considered
burden but an investment.
But whether or not the counties and
districts where illiteracy is prevalent
are quick to levy school taxes, 1t
may be assumed that Jefferson county
and Birmingham will make haste to
act.
This is what it will mean to Bir-
mingham: The county levy, now one
and one-half mills, increased to three
mills, would give the city as its por-
ton $4,000 a year, and the addi-
tional three mills levy for Birmingham
would yield, it is estimated, $500, 900 a
year. With total of $450,000 as a re-
suit of the amendment the school sit
uation here would be as nearly ideal
as it is distressing now. The schools
would be absolutely free, the munich
pal government could use the money il
now appropriates for schools for other
purposes and, best of all, there would
be money enough left to pay inter
est on a $4,000, 900 bond issue for new
school buildings. And no matter how
the Mcdonald suit goes Birmingham
would have its needed new high school
edifices, and all the other school
buildings that had been planned.
Under the direction of Superintend-
emit of Education w. F. Feagin an
active campaign for the amendment
ratification is now in progress. JEFF
ferson county is being organized and
by September 1 every voting precinct
in the state will have its amendment
organization. Alabama now has the
opportunity to redeem herselfNsnd the
greater the majority for the amend