The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-05

HI He also called upon the legislature to give favorable consideration to H the cereal beverage bill. the bill providing for the substitution of tax N records which have been stolen or lost and other measures which he in < cluded in his call
 Chief interest In the message cen \, tered about the provisions for the sale of cereal beverages and the sub stitution of tax records. In his state- ment regarding cereal beverages, Governor Kilby presented a brief in support of the measure prepared by Victor H. Hanson of the Birmingham News and a copy of correspondence with Dr. w. E. Crumpton, president of the Anti-Saloon league, in which Dr. Crumpton declined to prepare a brief in opposition to the sale Of cereal beverages. but insisted that the enactment of such a measure \ would be violation of pledge made ' by the governor and a majority of the members of the legislature prior to the meeting of the legislature in regular session in 1919.
 Claims No Pledge Made Governor Kilby's reply insisted that he never made such a pledge, but instead agreed to make the pro hibition laws stronger, which he de- clared he had done. He said there was no reason why cereal beverages should not be sold in Alabama now as they are notwithstanding and harmless and other drinks containing higher trace of alcohol are now sold legally Tn all cold drink stands of Alabama.
 He insisted that it was not right for any persons to oppose the sale of 1,,tx. .t-s- ri, ta manufacturers were formerly en- gagged in a business which has been outlawed. Tt indicates a spirit of prejudice and vindictiveness that is unjust and not at all creditable to those who hold and harbor It," said the message. For example, MT. Brooks Lawrence, superintendent of the Anti-Saloon league of Alabama. told me in 1919 that he had no ob- jection to these cereal beverages and that in a year or two when the brewers have become duly penitent and assume the proper attitude on their knees. or words to that effect, he would not object to their sale In Alabama.
 One of Biackest Pages
 Referring to the theft of the tax records in Coffee county, Governor kilby branded it as one of the black est pages in the states history and requested authority to substitute rec Is,Srds wien such ocUu-rene:5 ant re ported.
 During last winter one of the blackest pages in Alabama history was written" said Governor Kilby's message regarding the organization of the Tax Payers league and the theft of the tax records of Coffee county. "The assessment of taxes for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1921, had been about completed to the satisfaction of practically all of the tax payers of the state, there be- ing not a single appeal in & majority of the counties and but very few in any of them, when general busi- ness depression set in. At such an suspicious time when there should have been a call by every good citi- zen to stand true to his state, q number of unpatriotic persons started a campaign of agitation, having for it's avowed purpose reassessnent of tue tax values of property through out the state.
 Systematic Propaganda
 "A systematic plan of propaganda was established for the undermining of confidence in the method of admin istering the tax law, law which permits more appeals to the tax payer than any law ever enacted in Alabama, thus seeking to destroy the taxing machinery All sorts of mls- representations and demagogic ap- peals to the prejudice and passions of the people have been resorted to. with the natural result that some good people were made to believe that grave injustices were intenton- ally done them in the matter or prop crty assessment. One cannot contem- plate the effort to destroy the state in this particular. without being re- minded of the German propa ganda promulgated during the war to weak ep our faith in ou- country and to divide our allegiance to the fighting .men, a crime which during the war was punished by death.
 Tn my opinion the logical result of this propaganda was found in Coffee county. where thieves broke into the tax assessors room in the courthouse at Elba and stole the rec ords of assessments. The fact that they took every book or document referring to the assessments would clearly indicate that the thieves were coached as to the legal effect of the documents or books, or were men who had such information. Notwith- standing a wide belief among the best element of citizenship of the town and county that certain we'll known men were either guilty of the theft or counseled 1t. and in spite of the extraordinary efforts on the part of the state and county off cials to bring the thieves to justice, the persons who committed this out rage and their advisers are still at large. evidencing how well the prop uganda had borne fruit of anarchy in that sectionP
 Should Expose Traitors.
 Governor Kilby said the right thinking people of Coffee county owe to themselves and the state the duty of exposing the theft If possible and of bringing to justice "the traitors in their midst who have struck this cowardly blow at the vttals of their government and brought disgrace to the county and shame to all decent people of Alabama"
 He said 1t was necessary for tho state tax commission. at great ex- pense, to duplicate the tax records with the consent of the good people of the county. but that some promi- nent persons, he was advised, had used all influence and effort possible 10 prevent the cooperation of the people. realizing there was no pro- vision in law for the substitution. < He declared this was the reason for asking for law which would per nit the substitution cf county records.
 Reviews Former Conditions.
 Referring to the provision for the amending of the boycott and black
 fCoatinuea on Page seven.D
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