The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-06-13
MUST BE INCREASED TO
 AVOID SESSION
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(COntfnued from Page Oneb estimated by the Russell Sage founda- t1on. the average assessment of prop erty in 1919 was 24 1-3 per cent of the cash h valuation. The proposed increase of assessments would bring the per ccntage up to 34 1-3 per cent, which is g 2-3 per cent less than the percen- tage fixed by law.
 Now. if the taxpayers of the state are willing to pay even that part of the amount of their lawful taxes, we can pay the appropriat and avoid an extra session of the legislature if they are not willing to do so, an ex- tra session will be necessary. I earnestly hope they will rise to the occasion and meet the situation as full grown men and patriots should do.
 MUCH MISAPPREHENSION There is a widespread misapprehen- sion/ concerning the appropriations made by the legislature of 1919, com rared with those made by the legisia- ture of 1915.
 When it is considered that the pur- chasing power of the dollar is only about one-half of what it was four years ago, it will be seen that the ap- propriations for the present period or four years are considerably less than tEose of the former period, while the business of the state has increased CT ormously.
 The appropriations are by no means adequate for the proper conduct of the ljnstitut tions of Alabama. School teach- CTS are paid less than common labor CTS Only a very remarkable and praiseworthy sense of duty to the school children keeps them in the serv- ice None of the state officers is over
 paid, with an exception here and there. to which I have heretofore called at tention, and most of them receive less than is paid men of equal capacity in private business. Our institutions of higher learning are paving less for professors and instructors than similar institutions in neighboring states. All of them are in need of buildings and equipment that the appropriations will not begin to provide for.
 The Boys Industrial School at East Lake Is an industrial school without | industrial tools. A magnificent oppor- 1 tunity is being lost there from lack l of equipment. an opportunity to train | for useful service and good citizen | ship thousands of boys who without l training will be turned out upon the world without an even chance, to slip l back Into sinful ways and perhaps into | lives of shame and crime. I wish some | of these tax-dodging organizations l would take look at that school be- | fore they go further In their work of educating grown-ups to avoid their civic duties.
 l The hospitals for the insane are un- able for want of funds to provide the comforts which would lgo far towards
 the amelioration of theI condition of the helpless inmates.
 | And so it is with all the institu- tions and wards of the state, except l the convicts, and they themselves, not | the taxpayers. are paying by theiT own | labor, which is right and proper, of | course for the tolerable conditions sur l rounding them.
 l TAKE AMAZING STAND I Under these conditions is it not amazing that many of our leading citi- l zens merchants. bankers, professional and business men of standing in the community should organize and com | bine together to avoid their just req sonable and lawful obligations to the 1 state? These organizers are now pre- | pairing a propaganda of preJudice TOT the resistance of our laws Tor the regal assessment of property, using tactles very similar to those employed against l the income tax with the difference that i then they said revenue shouio De raised by increased assessment of ad
 
 I One of the attorneys arguing before | the supreme court against the Income l tax, stated to the court that the proper
 way to get revenue for the state was I to raise the assessment of real and per
 sonal propery to 100 per cent. | Alabama is making no demand on l any taxpayer except that sanctioned l by law. I promise all taxpayers that 1 the power of the state will be used 10 prevent the assessment Of any per sons property at more than the iawfu
 rate, and at the same time mus promise the state government that all | power will be used to force the tay dodgers to bear their share of thf I burden of government.
 | As I have said, the avoidance of an extra session of the legislature de- ] bends upon the taxpayers. IT the1 1 submit to the law there will be nc extra session; if they resist the law an extra session will be unavoidable In the latter event rhe logical action ] would be a raise of the assessment tc l 30 or 100 per cent with an automatic i, increase of all taxes accordingly.