Crossville chronicle. [volume] (Crossville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-05-02

CoHle dIHiOot W d uedu SLdNOSClll. w
are no longer able to hold our own SON.
and daughters, much less attract 9th
ers within our borders.
POPULATION.
North Carolina has now passed US il
population. the gain in Is years belnf
263. 600: Alabama has also passed US
the gain IN rs years being approx
mately 300. Georgia and Tennessee
were close together in population 2t
years ago. but now Georgia leads 10 by
SOS. 900.
Our percentage of growth during the
past decade was the lowest in the his.
tory of the State, and in actual mum.
bers the smallest in 60 years, except
the civil war period. And what is
worse still, practically all the growth
was in the towns and cities: the State
increased 8 per cent, but the rural pop
ulatIon only showed an increase of 1-2
per cent, against a rural population in
crease of ii per cent for the whole
United States.
WHY.
Our Constitution was made with lit
tie thought Of the wonderful changes
that nave taken place. but we have
now learned that we must develop our
natural resources, and turn the raw
materials of field and forest and mine
into finished products.
The city of Philadelphia alone pro-
duces four times the manufactured
products of our whole State; Chicago
SIX times as much and New York City
eleven times as much as our entire
state.
THESE CONDITIONS HURT.
They a;'ect adversely every man,
woman ami child in the State. They
lower the llue Of every foot of land;
they lessee the opportunities of labor
for employ '"ent, of the doctor tor pa
tients. of tle lawyer for clients of the
farmer, t. merchant and the banker
for custom crs.
NOT go IN OTHER DAYS.
1t was not always thus. For q hun
dred years Tennessee marched at the
head of the procession, and 1t Is high
time she was resumlng her righttul
place in the great slsterhood Of States.
WHAT CHANGES?
The advocates OF CONSTITUTIONAL re-
form are not urging specific amend
ments. These are for the delegates IN
the Convention and the people at the
polls to determine.
But many needed changes Will occur
to every thoughtful mind:
l. One will think of fewer elections
and longer terms of office, without the
right of succession. Then many be-
lieve we have too many officials, and
that two or more offices could be
merged, with increased efficiency and
lessened expense.
2. Legislators should certainly be
ineligible to hold offices created by
themselves.
3 Acts of the 1915 legislature cover
2, 700 pages, of which about 500 are de-
voted to general legislation and some
2, 200 to special legislation, a rapidly
growing evil that can only be treated
by constitutional revision.
4. Our Constitution should be 80
as to encourage immigration,
agriculture and new industries.
5. Criminal prosecutions cost too
much. In January. 1916. bill of cost
was certified from Shelby county TO
the State COMPTROLLER for payment.
10000. in case where
there was no trial, simply . consent
verdict entered, eth . short term Of
Judge Jos. G. Higgins.
Of the Court of Civil Appeals. esti-
mates that by reforms in our criminal
procedure the State would save 500,
700 per annum.
s. The Supreme Court should be
1iven the power OF impeachment. 80
that the judge Of an inferior court |
night be removed from office without
IN extra session Of the legislature. at |
\ cost to taxpayers Of Thousands Of
1Ullars.
Z. State, county and municipal |
ponds should be exempt from taxation.
At present we receive no taxes there
from, and we have destroyed the home
iemand, their best market, hence are
.orced to accept what strangers in dis
ant cities will pay Us for them. In a
single refunding issue. it was said the /
State lost $500, 900 because her bonds
we're subject to taxation. U. S. bonds
ire exempt from taxation.
8. But the greatest needed reform
# all is our VICIOUS system OF taxation.
We have and do actually enforce double
md TRIPLE taxation. The state Is even
low face to face With serious financial
difficulties. There is imperative ne
essity for tax reform. In general,
'isible property IS overtaxed. while in
'isible property is undertaxed.
In 1914, the Democrats. the Rapub-
leans and the Independents all con-
emned our taxing system. The result
vas an able Tax Commission. They
pent weeks visiting throughout the
tate. consulting citizens, officials and
Institutions, some $50 IN all; and this
commission came deliberately tn the