The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-10-23

into the Station in Seoul at 5 o'clock"
service have striven to the utmost Of
my ability to protect the citizen of the
state In mans highest right, namely,
the right to his life. l count as one OF
the strongest evidences of the growing
respect for law and for the rights OF
man that there has not been a single
lynching In Tennessee since my inau-
guration. Much credit Is due to that
patriotic body OF men and women who
organized law and order league, and
who have been actively promoting the
cause of Justice OF close organization,
and especially by bringing the leaders
OF the two races together for the pur-
pose of cultivating better feeling be-
tween them. The southern white man
is the negro's best friend; he needs the
negro, the negro needs him. SO long
as justice Is meted out to the negro
in the courts and elsewhere, the feel
Ing between the races will constantly
improve and each race will be CORE |
spondingly benefited.
Child Welfare.
'There IL crying need In Tennessee
accurately defining the rights Of chill
dren and OF parents and the scope OF
each of the state institutions dealing |
with children, providing proper restfic- |
tons and regulations for admission into
these institutions. Tor their transfer l
from one to another, and especially for
their education and development while
there for more comprehensive plan OF
home finding for such children as should
go into homes, together with a follow
up system, under which the rights of
every child would be safeguarded dur
ing its minority. The home is the best
institution ever devised for the rearing
of children. Tennessee's system is
the home for the feeble minded is os-
tablished. as II soon will be, one class
OF our unfortunates. heretofore neg
lected. can be provided for In a humane
manner without very great expense TO
the state. There should be at least
two women on the board whose serv-
ices and duties would Mt all times be
with respect to all the insti- q
tutions where children are cared for,
Creation Of Tax Commission.
'"rhe legislatures OF 1915 and 1917
undertook to remedy some OF these de-
fects by a bill designed to accomplish
the reorganization OF our taxing system
but in every case the effort made was
10 pass bill comforting upon tho gov
ernor the power to appoint the menu )
Ders OF the state tax commission. While
he republican party In its platform ,
had demanded such a bill, the Iegisla- /,
lures were unwilling to confer such ,
covers upon any governor. My recon-
to the legislature OF 1871
was to- enact a law creating a state
AK commission to be elected by the
people and answerable alone to them. !.
{ needs no argument TO convince them. :
I needs no argument to convince the 4
,itizen that the power TO tax Ia the i
power to destroy, and when the gov =
,rnor has the power to name officials
Who have the last word in fixing the
Imount Of tax which the citizens must
'ay an opportunity for building up 4
'olitical machine In given which might
empt the official TO promote his own
Imbition at the expense OF the people |
During the terms OF Gov. Hooper
nd Gov. Rye, the expenses OF the state
government exceeded its revenues by
bout $3,OOO,OOO. In January, 1919, the
tate was running into debt At the rate
( nearly $4,000 day. II was necessary
o devise means to reorRanize the tax
ng system so as to remedy the defects II
eretofore pointed out. and also to raise
evenue sufficient 90 meet the rtlnningI
expenses OF the state government. IL
'as determined that expensese should
Q reduced wherever possible; accord
Ugly. offices were abolished. consolida- II
Ions we're effected and departments
therefore, not self sustaining were made
0 by the statute. The law regulating
he different departments collecting
svenue were amended so as to increase
ne receipts in considerable amounts. A,
or the nrst eight monts OF 1918 the a,
'surance department collect ed S5s2.477. sS
or the same period of 1920 this de- n
artment collected yDD2, 36s. Substantial "a
'creases are shown In the receipts OF IA
arious other departments OF the state n
overnment. After expenses had been m
~ out wherever possible, without Inn
airing the efficiency OF any Of the de- 10
srtments. and afters increased revenue In
adj been provided wherever possible. II --
ppeared that the receipts were stili or
sufiicient 10 merit the expenses W
In obedience 10 the demands OF the =,
emocratic platform heretofore quoted. w
I'd reiterated In 1915. chapter Of the =,
Us OF 1919. was passed. which pro- AZ
ded Tor the assessment OF the lntan- IN
Die properties OF many large corpora M
pns doing business IN this state, when ~
'opertieE had previously escaped taxa V,
on Tor lack OF statute to provide the ~
ethod and agency for their assess M
ent. chapter ]. acts OF 1919. was ike NO
ise enacted. making the railroad com ce
ission a state hoard OF equallzatiop. m
I'd giving II all the powers OF a state M
commission. This course was taken
cause ny 10 doing there was a de- W
ded saving OF expenses IN Imposing y
csc new duties upon the railroad VI
inmission. whose members were al Oh
ady on salary. ana had an ONCE force
1is commission was elected BY the
ople. and was entirely free from ex-
utive Influence. Since ~ was required
assess the public utilities. II was
eIned wise and lust that il should -
70 pass upon the Assessment OF all II
her kinds OF hssessabie property IN
e state-there would then he a unity
purpose. continuity OF action. and
general harmony in assessments
iere all assessments passed unner
. review Of one board, which could
obtain where two or more boa rds .