The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1917-07-26
VOTE AGAINST
The constitutional Convention on Saturday, July 28th


and in unequivocal statements:
First. What does your League pro-
pose to strike out of the present Constitution?
and
Second. What new provisions do you
propose as amendments to the Constitution?
Section % of Article of the Consti-
tuition provides that, all property shall be
taxed according to its value, that value to be
asCertained in such manner as the Legislature
shall direct, so that taxes shall be equal and
uniform throughout the State. If this pro-
vision is not fair one, why? If this is not
fair, how are you going to amend the Con-
stitution so as to make it fair?
6. "Said article and section exempts
the crops of farmers from taxation, using this
language: The direct product of the soil in
the hands of the producer and his immediate
vehdee may be excepted or exempted At this
time, when the cost of living is so high, do you
propose to add to the cost of living on all the
people by taxing the farmer on what he raises
on his farm thereby forcing him to sell his
produce higher?
7. I'm statement issued in your
campaign in 1916, you suggested that this
provision exempting the produce of the soil in
the hands of the farmer is unfair and should
be stricken out of the Constitution. That
statement was suppressed and has not been
repeated this campaign. Does the secret pur-
pose still exist in the minds of the people back
of your League to add to the difficulty of pro-
ducing food for the people, at this critical
time, by the imposition of tax on food prod
ucts that are at present exempt?
8. "You have suggested in statements
and interviews that our tax laws are unfair.
1t is but fair to the people Of Tennessee that
you state unequivocally and in specific terms
what you conceive to be unfair in tax provi-
sion that requires that taxes shall be equal
and uniform throughout the State.
But if you answer that property is not
so taxed throughout the State, then | ask you
in reply if it is the fault of the Constitution.
8. 1T is commonly reported that your
purpose is to have inserted in the Constitution
you are seeking to make provision author
izing the Legislature to exempt corporations
from taxation just as in the case of the Mobile
& Ohio Railroad and the bank at Memphis
and especially those that will hereafter come
into our State to establish manufacturing es-
Establishments for the purpose of inducing such
concerns to come into the State. Is manu-
featuring concern worth having and worth
doing business which can not pay the same
taxes as are imposed on other interests of
the State?
TO- IF you answer and say that you
propose this plan and that it is because we are
behind other States in manufacturing, as you
have said we are, please answer what manu-
featuring enterprises could exist in Middle or
West Tennessee other than those we have;
what raw products may be found in these sec
tons to convert into articles of use, and
whether or not the proximity of coal, raw ma
terial and capital does not control the location
and operation of manufacturing enterprises
IL. IF you deny the proposition to be
inferred from the foregoing answer and seek
an argument, state why it is true that East
Tennessee is dotted with factories.
IL. IF you object to the County Court
SYSTEM tell us if you propose that the County
Court, composed of the Justices of the Peace,
shall be abolished If so, what agency shall
perform the functions Of the County Court?
Is. "Is it not true that more malad-
ministration may be found among the central
lied bodies acting without check or balances?
If you say the County Court is too unwieldy,
state if it is not true that the Legislature,
under the present Constitution, can exercise
its power and reduce the number of Justices
of the Peace in each County to, say, ten or
twelve?
IA. eff you refer to the criminal costs
of the State, and you say, believe, that Judge
Higgins, Of the Court of Civil APPEALS, says
that the costs can be reduced 100000, and
you speak OF the bill OF cost OF Sl,6O0 from
Memphis last year, was not this bill of cost
held up in the Comptrollers Office because it
was illegally taxed, and was this not one of
the items in the impeachment trials of Judge
Edgington and Gen. Estes?
Is. "Do you insist that you need a new
Constitution to remedy this question Of cost?
If you say no, why did you put this in the
little pamphlet that you are sending broadcast
to the voters of Tennessee? Did not the Leg
islature of 1897 pass what is known as the
Jarvis law, which deprived many poor man
of his justly earned witness fees, as well as
the Sheriffs and Clerks of the State of their
fees? If you can take witness fees from
some, can't you take them from all under the
present Constitution"
The foregoing questions were asked Chairmi
Iorter, as above suggested, by Senator J. A. Cler
and published through the newspapers But
ne present time no direct and unequivocaI answ
been given to them. The reason is obvious. II
n0ters of a Convention do not want the people