The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-13
Alabama Press
Editors Discuss Men and Issues at
Montgomery

A0htSoHucry
Admission Star: The selection of
Judge Hugh D. Merrill of Admission
to be speaker Of the lower house of
the Alabama legislature gives assur-
ance that Justice and impartiality
will mark all of the rulings Of the
presiding officer of that body.
Judge Merrill goes to the legislative
halls equipped in every way to make
an ideal presiding officer.
Montgomery Times: Rumors have
been circulated that the governor
was opposed to the highway COM
mission. In his message he shows
that he is not, but he wants to make
Elt more useful and efficient.
Montgomery Journal: The alert
women of Alabama see in the move
to further defer taking the convicts
out of the mines shrewd effort to
continue this disgraceful convict
lease system. However much Ala
bama needs money, it does not need
this kind of blood money. The
state has repeatedly recordede its
opposition to this manner of ex-
plotting human beings for profit
and ordered the lease system stop-
ped. Time after time, under some
pretext this abolition has been post-
poned, and now that the same old
tactics are being resorted to, the
women are coming to the rescue of
these unfortunate convicts and to
the rescue of the good name of Ala
bama.
Alexander City Outlook. Gov.
ernor kilbv has issued a warning
against efforts to restore the fee
system in Alabama. 1t is difficult
to understand why there should be
any effort made toward returning
TO the fee system when so MANY
people seem to be opposed to ii.
Who is it that wants to return to
the fee system? If it is the Off
Gals, they should he given to I'M
derstand, once and for all, that tax
payers should be given little CON
sideration.
Selma Times-Journal: Governor
Brandon has no illusions regarding
the tasks that lie before him. He
knows he cannot do it all and that
ne must have the cooperation of :
the coordinate branches of the state
government. But he is of the sort
to inspire in others zeal and enthu-
siasm. He has decreed war on "use-
less and unnecessary Offices"
Power to his arm to strike wher-
ever he finds them. The parasites
who live in easy access to the state
treasury, the shirkers and the clock
watchers will find themselves in
uncomfortable company whenever
ne appears on the, scene. The legis-
lature will undoubtedly show a dis
position to meet the new governor
more than half way in the correction
OF abuses and of introducing econo-
my in the public business and in the
simplification of the machinery of
government, provided these meas
ures do not involve injury to the
public interests and setting back
OF the clock Of progress.
Montgomery Advertiser: Rec
concentrations to the legislature by
the governor will bring the average
member face to face with a uues-
ton on which he must make de-
scision and map out plan of action.
He must either declare himself a
low taxation man. and as such be
unable to support the general rec
concentrations made by the retir-
ing governor, or he must approve
the plan of progress and construc-
ton put into force in Alabama in
recent years, even if it means no
lowering of taxes, about which much
was said during the recent cam
paign. The disquieting but anthem
tic news is coming in that there has
been a drop in taxation assessment
values amounting to millions Of dol +.
lars and that some steps must be
taken to keep the states income
where it is. This is certainly no
time to follow the callous advice Of
the old member to the young mem
Der who wanted to make a popular
representative. "Vote for ali ap-
preparation bills and vote against
every bill raising taxation or assess
ments."