The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-07
Local Taxation" Theme of Night Session of Educa- tors Held At Jefferson Theatre
GOV. HENDERSON IS AMONG SPEAKERS ON
 IMPORTANT TOPIC
Ford Speaks for Farmers
 and Bowie Tells of Inter- est Aroused In Educa- tional Matters In Alabama

tiOnal Matters In Alabama
 Local taxation" was the topic of the meeting of the Alabama Educational as socation last night at the Jefferson thea tre. pr. c. c. Thach of Auburn. presi- dent of the association, presided and the speakers were Gov. Charles Hender- son, O. F. Ford and Sydney J. Bowie
 The legislatu ture has conferred upon the people the right to levy local tax for education" declared Governor Hender- son. 'The question is now up to the voters of the state, for the legislature has done all that was in it's power to aid this cause. With the right kind of effort on the part of leaders in the vari- ous sections of Alabama, we will be able to make rapid strides in educational mat ters and bring Alabama up to her right place as one of the leaders instead of one of the last as at present.
 PAID OUT VAST SUMS
 Alabama has within recent years paid out vast sums of money from the state treasury for purposes of education. The amount has really been out of propor- tion to the income, but the extreme ne- cessity of the case caused the legisla- tors to make these appropriations. In the future, however, through local taxation we have another method which will en- able the people to secure adequate edu- cational facilities and plenty of teach CTS without cripplng the activities of the state along other lines I believe the legislation enacted in Alabama along these lines last year will result in wonderful stimulus in educational mat ters and I am optimistic over the out look for the future of our schools for this reason. The issue is up to the peo- pie and am certain they will meet the emergency"
 SPEAKS FOR FARMERS
 o. P. Ford president of the Alabama Farmers union, struck popular chord with the educators when he declared that the farmers of Alabama were in favor of the local taxation programme. The farmers of this state are fully alive to the importance of an educated citizenship" said MT. Ford. We need trained and educated men on the farms of this state and the changed conditions which now confront us make the old methods of careless farming impossible
 .'The farmers of Alabama are in fla vor of local taxation and they are will- ing to back up these campaigns for more money for schools.
 There has been great improvement in the educational facilities in the rural districts of this state within recent years but conditions are still far from satisfactory. The beginning has only been made. We must make Alabama what she should be, a state that in the matter of an educated citizenship stands up among the first.
 We have the natural resources, but ourselves and if our children are to be benefited, we must provide the proper educational advantages. The real solu- ton of our agricultural situation lies in providing plenty of good schools for long terms with capable teachers in the rural districts"
 BOWIE EXPLAINS FIGHT . Oyuney J. bOWle pdlu d lIiUutc u thc state department of education and to the educational leaders of the state whose fight had resulted in the adop- ton of the local taxation laws. He de clared that the fight had been long and hard one, extending over great number of years Mir. Bowie declared that the legislature had acted in a pa triotic manner in passing the laws, but the fight was only half won. The rest of tba hot iS to ba a tha nOlS in November, he said.
 MT. Bowie told of the difficulties con- fronting thes franers of the constitutions in 1875 and 1901 which had made it inn possible, and maybe unwse. for them to unlock the doors by which the people could increase their tax rates. The pro- visions of the last constitution by which the people by three-fifths vote could levy an additional tax for educational purposes of 1 mill, had been in a ma jority of the cases eagerly accepted by the vote of. the citizens of the various counties. MT. Bowie pointed to the fig ures in many states where the levy for district taxes alone, in addition to state and county purposes, sometimes amount ed to as much as 20 mills.
 GUILTY OF MISNOMER
 We are guilty of misnomer when we speak of the contributions to the education of our children as in the na- ture of tax or burden said MT. Bowie. ",fhe fact is that money appro- priated to this purpose represents the highest and most necessary form of in vestment
 Before the war every railroad in the south represented local capital. Today it is just the reverse. Ever since the war. We can remember when every iron furnace and practically ever ore bed in the state was owned by local citizens. Today the great majority have passed into other hands. The same is true to less degree of our coal mines and to some extent even of our large banks. The bonds which have been issued by our state and counties and municipal ities are practically all owned outside of the state. A large proportion of the tax values of the state, even as repre- scented by lands and buildings, is paid by nonresidents. Our bank deposits are pathetically low in proportion to popu- lation. We have gained, and we are gain ing, it is true, but we have gained and we are gainging, at slower rate than other sections of the country and every year sees wider and a widening mar gin