The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-10-10
STA STATEMENTS E siIz ON FLOOR

Many misleading statements were , made upon the floor of the house in the debate regarding the amendment. One outstanding example of unin- formed criticism was to the effect that the $10000 900 contingent appropriation made by the legislature of 1919 for common schools had not been released As a mater of fact, it had not been re-
 leased, or any part of 1t, for the simple reason that the law made it available only during the year beginning Octo- Der 1, 1920, and during that year less than one-third of the total amount. It is therefore, obvious that if the gov ernor had heretofore attempted to re- lease the appropriation he would have been in defiance of the law
 Another outstanding example of un- informed criticism was to the effect that the governor is partial to institu- tions of higher learning; that he is disposed to be unfair to the common | schools. Let the truth of the matter l be spoken by the figures as follows: {: 1 There is an existing contin- gent appropriation available
 during 1920, 1921 and 1922 of ................ .s1, 0o0,o0O | There is an expected increase of revenues for school pur-
 l poses resulting from in creased assessment of real and personal property. in- cluding county and district levies, and an increase of poll taxes for 1920 1921 and 1921 of .....,....... 5000, 900 Total ........... .s6 900. 900 l From the general fund the governor in his amendment proposed to all the higher institutions - 350.O00
 Leaving for the common
 schools 5,650, 900 A total of ............ S6, 900, 900 Who vii undertake to say that such | suggestion involves discrimination against the common schools? It re- quires no mathematical genius to dis cover in the governors suggestion the simple fact that for every dollar pro posed for the higher institutions six teen dollars were reserved for the com I mon schools-16 to 1? If that division is branded as unfair" the common schools should welcome the brand" Perhaps the higher institutions might be justified in charging unfairness. but certainly not the common schools! HAS MET NO DEFEAT The governor did not meet his first defeat" It is a matter of congratula- | tion among his friends that he has yet to meet his first defeat in political l or legislative battle. That is a re-
 markable statement, but it is literally true It is also a remarkable fact which l am in position to state as
 absolutely and literally true. that Gov l ernor Kilby has never directly or in- | directly. used the patronage or power 1 of the executive office for. or against
 any measure before any one of the three session of the legislature that have
 marked his administration. Unfortu- i nately. however, some of the unin- formed friends of the common schools l brought defeat to cause dear to both l the governor and themselves in that. by refusing the pittance to the colleges and normal schools, they thereby re- 1 fused additional help to the common schools. That is result greatly to be deplored.
 Governor Kilby is friend of educa- tion in all it's phases His administra tion in this particular brings tc memory the administration of Cover nor Conner, who did so much for the upbuilding of sound system of edu- cation, and that of Governor Hender-
 son whose sound business principles began the reduction of the states in deDtedness- And Governor Kilby has done ms work against odds unknown eo governor Conner, who began his ad-
 ministration with a large accumulated
 surplus-a relatively plethoric treas ury, whereas the present administra- tion lound serious deficit. devised the ways ana means to convert this deficit : into surplus and is using this ayaila | ble urplus under the laws enacted in 1s1sAand 1920 for the upbuilding of,the states institutions of every Character Let credit be given when credit is so literally due.
 Yours very truly.
 H. F. LEE, State Auditor