The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1919-04-25
GOVERNOR ROBERTS HAD THE
CONSTRUCTIVE FISCAL MEAS
uREs PASSED.
NEW LAW AIDS CONVlCTS
An Extra Flve-MlIl Tax for Schools
Was Provided for Which viii In
sure Seven Months Term
In Rural Schools.


The Sixty.first General Assembly of
Tennessee, which closed last week,
placed on the statute books some of
the most important constructive legis-
lation in the history Of the state.
Until all the acts have been printed
and the people Of Tennessee have an
opportunity to study them, and to see
them in operation, 1t will be difficult
to determine Just what effect the new
laws enacted will have. SO far as the
taxation and assessment system OF the
state Is concerned, the legislation Of
1919 Is almost revolutionary. and had
the complete programme OF Gov. Rob
grts been carried out, as II was orig,
inally planned, this state would have
teen in the forefront 90 far as laws Of
this nature 60
The governor lost control OF the Leg
islature in the closing weeks, and his
programme was only partly carried
out. AS the matter now stands, the
farmers will be fully taxed, but the
failure to pass the two remaining bills
Of the programme leaves large loop.
hole for the big tax dodger.
The failure to pat over the bill to
uncover hidden property for assess
rent and to provide for the assess.
ment and taxation Of the amount Of
business done by the corporations In
the state will relieve them of heavy
burden, but, as feared by the execu
tive, will result in still heavier bur.
den being placed on the farmers and
the small taxpayers Of the state.
So far as tho governors platform is
concerned, he got almost an even
break. He was able to put over large
part of his assessment and taxation
plan, which will result In increased
revenue to the state; his ideas in re-
gard to the penal and charitable insti.
tutions OF the state were carried out
almost in toto by the Legislature. I'm.
proved conditions for the betterment
OF the convicts and the insane we're
provided for, and the old convict lease
system was practically done away
with.
So far as an antiJfee bill concerned,
which Gov Roberts promised the peo
rle of the state to have enacted, Ten
nessee is In the same old condition
The antifee bill which passed the Sen
ate and eliminated all the sheriffs OF
the state from its operations never saw
the light OF day in the House, due
largely to the activity of the lobby
against it and the known fact that II
was favored by the governor Even
had the Senate bill passed, ii was pal
pably unconstitutional and 1t was felt
that 1t was hardly worth while to bur
den the statute books with 1t.
With the exception Of the Memphis
charter fight, the hardest struggle OF
the session was on the question oil
woman's suffrage II Is reported on
good authority that at least two mem
bers OF the State Supreme Court be-
lieve that the bill Is unconstitutional
and when called into consultation with
Gov. Roberts before he signed the bill
80 gave 1t as their opinion. At one
time the governor was strongly disin
ciined to sign the bill, but the women
pleaded with him to allow 1t to become
law, and to let the courts pass on II
later.
The legislation In regard to the
states charitable institutions is un
doubtedly an improvement. Under the
new acts these institutions will be un
der the control Of board OF admins
tration and their management will be
more centralized so that the details Of
work In connection with all OF these
institutions can be more closely cen
tralized.
The concentration of the work Of
the old board Of control In the hands
OF general manager is expected tc
work many economies.
The assessment and taxation plan Of
the administration. which makes the
state railroad commission the supreme
authority on all questions OF this ma
ture, is now being worked out, and an
nouncements of the organizations Of
the board as an assessment and suuali
cation body can be looked for within
the next few days.
Radical reforms we're made in the
public school system of the state. Al
extra five-mill tex for schools wa:
provided for, and this will insure
seven months term in rural schools
throughout the state. The reaction
airy element In both House and Senate
made q hard fight against appropria
tisns for the state normals and the