The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-16
by RICHARD F. LUssIER

ceived by all other county officers of
said county
Voters, and more particularly deposit
tors in savings banks, will be interested
in proposed amendment No. to the
state constitution. 1t is a matter of vi
tai importance to them, and ii is an
amendment that will meet with much
sympathy in Birmingham, owing to the
recent failure of the Jefferson County
Savings bank.
Proposed amendment No. g. IL adopted
means the placing of saving deposit
ors on the same basis as the persons
with check accounts. The amendment
while brief, is one of the most important
OF the six. 1t follows:
PROPOSED AMENDMENT NO. 8
The constitution of Alabama be and
the same is hereby amended by repeal
ing and striking out OF the constitution
section $50 of article 10 of the consti-
tuition, which section is as follows
Holders OF bank notes, and depostors
who have not stipulated for interest
snail. for such notes and deposits, be en-
Titled in case of insolvency, TO preference
OF payment over ali other creditors; pro-
vided, this section shall apply to all
banks, whether incorporated or not"
During the days of the 'carpetbaggers"
reign in Alabama a war debt was sad
sressive municipality has been burdened
with the paying Of interest on this debt
ever since to the exclusion of public
funds for the general benefit OF its citi-
zens. Proposed amendment No. t. If
adopted. will not add a cent Of taxation
to the city Of Selma, but will merely re-
apportion the distribution of the taxes to
the effect that the city will get more
out of the public funds, while the "war
debt will get less, The amendment fol-
lows:
PROPOSED AMENDMENT NO. 4
The city of Selma, in addition to the
taxes 1t is now authorized and empow-
cred to levy and collect, shall levy and
collect annually an additional tax Of two
tonths of one per centum upon the value
OF the property therein as fixed for state
taxation, to be applied exclusively to the
maintenance of public schools therein,
and shall levy and collect annually a fur
ther additional tax of one-tepth of one
per centum upon the value Of the prop
erty therein as fixed for state taxation,
to be applied exclusively for public school
buildings therein and improvements and
repairs thereon, or to the payment of
Indebtedness contracted for the same by
the city of Selma, or to the maintenance
of public schools therein or to any one
or more of these purposes; provided,
that these taxes shall be IN lieu OF all
other city taxes now required to be lev
led or appropriated by the city of Selma
for the support of schools or for school
purposes
The fifth amendment also merits the
most careful consideration of the cleo
torate. If adopted it means that in the
future the state legislature shall meet
every two years for a session of not more
than 50 days. Many will say, judging
from the fiasco of the last legislature
that the legislature can do enough harm
meeting once in four years without
doubling the dose. On the other hand,
the state of Massa chusetts elects a leg
islature senate and a governor every
year. and also has an annual session
of the legislature of about four months
durat ton, and the Bay State is generally
accredited with being the best governed
commonwealth in the entire country.
Here is the amendment. Read it care
fully and then make your choice:
PROPOSED AMENDMENT NO. 5
The Legislature shall meet biennally at
the capitol, in the senate chamber, and
in the hall of the house of representa-
tives, on the second Tuesday in Janu-
airy, 1919, next succeeding their cleo