The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-17


be enacted requiring those in charge
of public funds to publish at stated
intervals the sums received and pur-
poses for which they were expended.
! tail, so that the public might know
where every dollar collected is spent
and for what purpose. This would.
in my opinion, keep down criticism.
This should not only apply to state
funds, but every county officer,
school board. treasurer, municipal Of
ficer or other person handling pub
lie monies should publish in the
county paper or other medium Of pub
licity an accurate report and show
that the monies collected in his sub
law directs. and then our people
would know that their taxes have
been properly applied. In addition to
the information furnished the peo-
pie. all officers would be more care
full in handling monies, and make
equitable distribution Of the peoples
| money. All would be careful of ex-
| travagant expenditures, would more
economically administer the affairs
and make every dollar count.
In addition to this, 1 believe that
after the books of any county official
have been examined by the exam
iner that the report of such examiner
should be published, and the people
have knowledge of their affairs
both state and county. Too much
care cannot be used in handling the
public money and every safeguard
pendttures. Publicity would cause us
all to stop, think and carefully guard
, our financial system.
Safeguarding Trust Funds
Certain monies coming into the
state treasury under constitutional
provisions should be held sacred, and
be used only for the purposes for
which the taxes are paid. For ex-
ample, the constitution fixes a mill
age tax for school purposes. This
money. when collected, should be
credited to the school fund and held
intact for this purpose; and not be
borrc wed from or used for other pur-
poses, but used only for that purpose.
This might enable us to pay more
promptly the poorly paid teachers
Under our recent bond issue amend
ment, the constitution requires all
automobile licenses to be used for
the interest on bonds, the retiring of
bonds and construction and mainte-
nance of our highways. Under no
circumstances should these funds be
used temporarily or otherwise for
any ether purpose. We cannot too
rapidly build highways. nor can we
too quickly begin a system of main
tenanee that will take care of the
roads we build. A system should be
devised by which all funds directed
by the constitution to be paid for
specific purposes should be held and
used only for that purepse and any
law which permits the temporary use
of these funds for other purposes
than those fixed by the constitution
should be repealed, and these funds
should not be used for other purpe ses
in anticipation of revenue.
Education
me most important matter with
which you VIII have to deal is educa-
ton. While this state has made great
strides in the education of our pee
pie, much remains to be done In order
that every boy and girl may be given
an opportunity in life. An educated
citizenship is the greatest asset of
any commonwealth. The people of
this state have shown their desire
fer system of education that will
carry the school to the remotest cor
ner of the state. We now have a
state school tax of 8 mills levied by
our constitution, county tax OF 4
mills and a district tax cf mills for
our elementary schools, and even
with this some communities only
have five-month school, This
should not be. All our schools should
be open and free at least seven
months in the year.
Every dollar should be made to
count and all duplication, overhead
expense and extravaganza should be
discontinued. We are all committed
to public education "and no backward
step She be taken" For many
years since the establishment of the
county high schools by Governor
Conner. which marks his administra-
ton as progressive, under each sue
ceeding administration our educa-
tionaI interests have advanced. We
musti so forward: in order to- do this
we must economic in every posi-
bic way to guarantee longer terms,
ample pay for teachers, Proper equip
ment and buildings.
The first monies spent should be
for the education of our people. Our
system should be carefully scrutin-
lied, and every unnecessary expense
eurtailed, every duplication abolished,
and from the elementary school to the
university. our system should be so
related and connected so as to make
one HARMONIOUS whole. To do this
will require exhaustive study. care
full investigation, thorough knowl-
edge of the entire system in order
to administer the funds to the most
possible good.
The beginning of education is in
the elementary school and this should
be our first care. The country school
must not be neglected, for from these
elementary schools come our high
school and college students, and the
better schools, the more pupils, and
all in carly life must be given a
start. l am informed by our state
superintendent that much more
money will be needed in developing
our elementary schools. Every per-
son should contribute something to
this great work. l, therefore, recon-
mend in order to give more money
to the elementary schools, that a law
be passed levying per capita tax
of 81 upon every citizen, black and
white, male and female, between the
ages OF FL and so years. to be used
as fund to provide seven-month
schools in every school district; that
| this should be compulsory and that
no exception be made except that al
| ready made by the constitution of
the World war veterans, and they
are entitled to this and every other
consideration we can give them. This
fund, when raised, should be so held
and distributed as to give In poorer
and remote sections a school in keep
ing with more favored communities
This would raise a fund of more than
one million dollars for school pur.
poses, and every person would then
be contributor to public education.
I believe that every patriotic citi-
zen would gladly pay this amount
per annum, whether owning any
property or not, if he knew he was
| carrying to all the people an oppor-
tunity to equip men and women for