The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-07-23
CARTER NAMES
new COMMITTEE
Organization Selected to Sc
cure Favorable Vote for Con-
stitutionaI Convention.
WILL MEET ON SATURDAY
Gov. Roberts Points Out Nu-
merous Defects in Present
Taxation System.

TaxatlOn system.
Senator f. T. Carter. temporar,
chairman OF the state constitutions
convention conference. has appointed
state executive committee, In com
pliance with instructions voted II
Nashville recently. Senator Cartel
has written each of the appointeel
and asked that they meet In Nash
Vile Saturday at o'clock In thu
afternoon. The mission of the execu'
tive committee will be to secure 9
favorable vote Sept. 4 for a constitu'
tional convention.
The committee follows:
East Tennessee--Capt. T. #. Peck. OF
Etowah, former commissioner OF agri-
culture under the Hooper administra-
ton; Malcolm McDerinott a lawyer oi
Knoxville. and c., f. Milton, editor OF
the News. Chattanooga.
Middle Tennessse-O. X. Holiday
former fusion leader OF Cokevllle; w.
c. Birthwright, secretary of the Ten
nessee Federation Of Labor. Nashville.
and Joseph Campbell. a manufactures
of Tullahoma.
West Tennessee-Senator i. E. Gwin.
of Covington. Judge James A. Malone,
Memphis and Charles a. Miller, OF Boil
ivar. who was secretary OF state years
ago.
Proclamation Issued.
Governor Roberts has issued tho fol-
lowing proclamation setting the day for
the election:
Whereas. Chapter 1888 OF the acts of
the general assembly of the state OF
Tennessee OF 1919. approved April II.
1919 authorities to people to decide by
vote whether they will call a constitu-
tional convention and provides for the
announcement of the result; and
Whereas. section 4 of said act makes
II the duty of the governor to issue a
proclamation to the several commits
sioners of election or other proper of
GERS under the law OF the state and
counties thereof, requiring that such
election under said act to be opened
and held for the purposes therein
named:
Now. therefore, 7, A. II. Roberts.
governor of the state of Tennessee, do
hereby authorize and direct the state
board of elections and the several
county, boards of elections In all the
counties Of Tennessee. =. open and hold
the election provided for in said act
within legal hours Mt all voting pre-
cincts in this state, on the first Thurs
day in September. 1919. being Septem-
Der 4, 1919, making due return thereof
as required by said act.
"All state ond county election Off
GERS in this state shall take due notice
hereof, and of said act, and govern
themselves accordingly.
TN testimony whereof I have here
unto set my hard AMI caused the great
seal of the state of Tennessee to be
affixed at the capitol in he city of
Nashville on the 18th day of July, 1910"
tSigned) A. H. ROBERTS, Governor
Ike B. Stevens, Secretary. of State.
Governor Supporter,
Speaking Of the state constitutional
convention, Gov. Roberts stated that
as an individual he, intended to give
the measure his unqualified support
in the campaign for its adoption.
One of the primary reasons for a
convention is the need to cure some
of the Ills in the present tax sys-
TEN. He stated that it was impos-
sible for administration officials to
correct prevailing. inadequacies in
the system which permitted financiers
to escape payment of income taxes
by investing their money in other
states. Many corporations in the
state, he said, were sending their
wealth to other states in the country
for investment solely for the purpose
of escaping income levies in Tennes-
see. One of the purposes of the pro-
posed convention Is to remodel the
existing. laws in a way that would
permit the collection of income taxes
from Tennesseans on their invest
ments and incomes from other states.
In his discussion Gov. Roberts re-
ferred to the encumbrances to leg
islative progress existing under the
present constitution and declared
that the general assembly has been
prevented in the past from enacting
constructive legislation because prac-
tically all of It's time has been taken
up with the consideration of purely
local measures. All local laws should
be considered, he declared, only by
county courts, which would relieve
the legislature from sacrificing its
time in the enactment of this class
of legislation. He cited several local
bills which came up for consideration
and discussion at the last session of
the legislature and said much time
needed was lost from the enactment
of laws of statewide importance.
Anderson Talks
Every we'll informed person admits
that the constitution of Tennessee
should be amended. or that we should
have an entirely rev constitution. The
last constitutional convention was held
In 1870 right after the Civil war. Judge
A. o. p. Nicholson, who was delegate
to the convention, in an address dcliv-
cred right after the convention assem-
bled admonished the delegates that be-
cause of the uncertain condition pre-
vailing at the time the convention |
would not undertake to make any inn |
portant changes because he said |
everything that convention did would |
would have to be Changed or be done |
over within ten years.
Not only ten years have passed. but |
half a century has gone and our old |
worn out constitution is still in exist |
ence to retard the growth and pros
Derity of our state Experience has |
The constitution as it has not been |
amended single time since 1870. II
we could have. a constitutional conven-
ion and II it should provide a simple,
eNpedient method, so that the people |
Gould, from time to time, at their
pleasure, amend their organic law. the
convention would be worth while even
( 1t did not amend the constitution In
my other particular.
The convention of 1870 made very
slight changes in the constitution
which was adopted in 1884, so In reality |
We are operating under a constitution |
which was adopted IS years ago. No
,ther state in the union Is so lax on
he question of constitutional reform,
Is is Tennessee"
r. r. Preston's View.
T. r. Preston, when interviewed, said:
I have expressed my views SO much
m this question that the public knows
am in favor of new state constitu-
ion. Every person well iNformed ad-
nits that the constitution should be
Lmended, or that we should have a
lew constitution. l intend to do all l
an for it."