The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-12-25
By FRED II. GORMLEY Montgomery Bureau The Age Herald, 22I-2 First National Bank Building

e2I-2 First National Bank Building
 Montgomery, December 24.-tspe- cial.)-Declaring the people of Ala bama have won a complete and last ing victory over the Alabama Tax Dodgers league" which "paraded be- fore the public as the Alabama Tax Payers league" Governor Kilby is- used a formal statement Saturday in which he said the decision of the su- preme court this week in upholding the two-year assessment sections of the revenue act of 1919 had estab- lished the states credit and had pro- vided a means for the protection of the states obligations.
 It was typical statement from the pen of the governor. It declared that Alabama need no longer fear that state warrants will be hawked about the state and offered to the highest bidder. when creditors will be forced to wait months for their money and when the states institutions will be forced to exist on paltry sums.
 Governor Kilby predicted that the day will come when every citizen will commend the legislature of 1919 for writing the revenue law which es- tablished system whereby justice could be done property owners with out laying upon the state a burden never intended by the constitution of Alabama"
 investigations following the issu- ance of the statement developed the fact that the Alabama Tax Payers league has been defeated in every effort which it included in it's pro gram formed at the state convention here early in the year. The first pro- posal was to force the governor to call an extra session for the revision of the revenue law. Governor Kilby declined to call the legislature at the time.
 The next proposal was to change the tax laws when the governor did call tine session. The session was held in October and representatives of the Tax Payers league formed the so- called agrarian bloc with the inten- tion of blocking legislation until the tax adjusters had been abolished. After several days the bloc was broken and all important legislation was enacted. The tax adjusters were not abolished
 The third proposal was to bring proceedings for the invalidation of the tax assessment sections of the revenue law. The proceedings were pol tue tllle court day held that the legislature acted within the scope of it's authority, that the sections will stand and that any taxpayer had the right of appeal for each year as was insisted upon by Harwelf G. Davis, attorney general
 The fourth proposal was to stop the construction of the state prison near Montgomery. which Is being done by convict labor. No such suit has ever been brought. In building the prison the state has acted within the scope of the authority conferred by the code according to Governor Kilby and the board of control.
 GOVERNORS STATEMENT
 Governor Kilby's statement regard ing the decision of the supreme court on the tax assessment case follows:
 Tt must be source of pride to the great majority Of the citizens of Alabama to know that they have won a complete victory over the small band of men who organized the Ala bana Tax Dodgers league and par adec themselves before the public as the Alabama Tax Payers league.
 At this holiday season 1t must not be out of place for me to congratu- late the people who declined to join In this movement to upset the laws of Alabama; who thought more of tho progress of the state and it's insti- tuttons than they did of the few pal try dollars which the state was ob- taining legally in taxes under a law legally enacted and legally admin istered and who stood loyalty by the men whom they entrusted as their representatives in the legislature of Alabama.
 Ely the decision of the supreme re foh Ri defeat Of the Tax Dodgers league was administered and the credit Of Alabama was written on charts throughout the nation. No longer need Alabama fear that there will come a time in the immediate future when the state warrants will be hawked about the country and offered to the highest bidder, when lawful creditors of the state will be forced to wait months for money which rightfuly belongs to them, when the states educational institutions and its charities will be forced to exist or paltry sums, sums to which no member of the Alabama Tax Dodgers league would dare limit his own family.
 AS a sovereign state Alabama is now solvent. It's obligations will be met as they become due. Its credit will be maintained. This is a time for rejoicing among those who have felt the embarrassing position the state has held In days gone by and I believe the day is not far distant when every citizen of Alabama will commend the acts of those men who composed the legislature of 1919 and who wrote revenue law which pro- vided. for the equitable assessment of Oronerty for taxation at aa near SC per cent of it's reasonable cash value as could be done by mortal man and which established system whereby justice could be done every property owner without laying upon