Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1919-05-19
BLACK HEARD BY
GOOD AUDIENCE
Favorite In Goverhorship Race De-
cIares Against Repeal of Tax Law
But For Amending 1t.

Madison county's undoubted fav-t
orite for the Democratic nomination |
for Governor, Gov. James D. Black,
spoke to a large and enthusiastic |
gathering of voters here Saturday af-
teTnoon in opening his speaking
campaign for the nomination which
will be made August 2, next.
The county court room was filled to
capacity with democrats from Madi-
son and anumber of adjoining coun-
les. who came to hear Gov. Black
state his position on issue which are
before the people of Kentucky today.
The concenus of opinion of nearly all
who were here was. that Gov. Black
has his race for the nomination won.
What he had to say was listened to
carefully, and his ideas on several
points wyere loudly aplaused. His ref
erence to the defects in the present
dog tax law, made quite hit, and his
eulogy to the memory of the late
Gov. James B. McCreary, in closing,
was beautiful and appreciated by all
Judge C Murray Snalt ~oduced
Gov. Black in few well chosen
phrases, referring to him as the man
who had undoubtedly saved the ticket
for defeat in 1915,
Gov. Blacks references to the new
tax law were listened to carefully. He
declared that he favors amendments
TO the law to remedy its defects rath-
er than repeal it.
He asserted that rigid economy in
the States Government undoubtedly
would bring about reduction in
taxes required for the support of the
State and pledged himself to see that
State affairs are managed on a frugal
basis.
Gov. Black found fault with the
plan outlined by Judge John D. Car.
roll regarding Kentucky's system of
of taxation. Judge Carroll advocated
elimination of real estate Nfrom taxa
ton for State purposes, proposing
that the State derive its revenue from
taxation of corporations and intan-
gible property only, and that real es-
tate be assessed for city and county
taxes only; he would relieve corpora
tions and intangible property of city
and county taxes.
In the opinion of Gov. Black this
plan would not prove satisfactory. He
contended that all kinds of property
pay OIdCC Id1AfS. SOuih
ties, he declared could not support
schools property without State aid,
and this aid could not be given by the
State unless it derived revenue form
the taxation of real estae. - F7-ss.
Gov. Black expressed the belief that
money in bank, for instance, might
be assessed at a little, more than at
present.
He declared emphatically against
the employment of extra attorneys to
do the work that he said should be
assistants and said, if the neXt.Attor-
ney General were not able to do the
work of the office with assistance al
lowed by law, he would ask his resig-
nation and appoints man in his place
who could it -.
Gov. Black gave a strong indorse-
ment to the nation and Statewide
prohibition or wartime proof of its
pointed out that it did not require
= evidence of the popular trend toward
prohibition of wartime prof to its
good results to make an eleventh-hour
convert of him to the cause.
He declared that his ambition OF
over twenty years would be fully sat
SIZED by election to the Governship.
Touching the school book question
he said he is opposed to frequent
changes in books, and that schools
should receive a portion of inherit
ance tax.
He favored non-partisan admin
istration of the schools and also 9
non-partisan judiciary.
Gov. Black said he had felt that ef-
feet of politics in the conduct OF the
States charitable institutions, and de.
clared that no political %pullo should
be allowed consideration. He saiC
that he knew that the minute he as
sumed Governorship next Monday
he would. be beset for pardons, but
that his faith in the legal ability an1
fairness IN the judges is so strong as
to create the belief that .,snot many
people are unjustly convicted oi
crime. His comment on the dog Law
was vigorously applauded, when ht
asserted that the new law needs cor
rection and that too muchs of the FUND
now raised is: used in execution So1
the law.
Gov. Blacks remarks on the taxa
!, ton question, and his closing tribute
to the memory of Gov. James B. Nc
Creary were in full as follows:
The New Tax Law. 3,
Pr1Or TO Ine 1910 dmenuiutnl " Liz
State Constitution the Constitution
provided that taxes shall be uniform
pom all property subject to taxation
and the property assessed at its fAil
cash value estima ted, at the price i
would bring at fair voluntary sale
and that an annual tax sufficient to de-
fray the estimated expenses OF tbs
Commonwealth should be provided fol
each fiscal year. But the General As-
sembly was by another provision of thu
Constitution. authorized to contraci
debts to meet casual, deheitsror fail.
ures in the revenuef but not tosexcee{
in the aggregate $500 000 The intend
ment of that provision was. think, t.
avoid permitting the state becoming
indebted beyond the sum of $5O0.00o
and as a check and stay on extreva'
CANT and useless expenditures. and.
that provision had been lived up to
the state would not be indebted nearl,
50 much as is e: -. -, :
powered by amendment to section ~
OF the Constitution, to divide propeEt,
into. classes and to deterUipa N4a'
class or cl ooou 1o1I 1>nn n11f@ Irf.n