The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-10
EVERY PLEDGE
Of CAMPAIGN
IS REDEEM MED
Outgoing Governor in Final
Message to Legislature
Asks Lawmakers to
Take No Back
ward Step
STATE CAPITAL BUREAU
THE AGE-HERALD
Montgomery, Ala, Jan. 3


g the legislature today by Gov. Thomas
ment to the lawmakers. He will re-
tire next Monday and will surrender
the duties OF the office to his sue
cessor, Judge W. w. Brandon.
Governor Ki1by devoted 131 printed
pages to a statement of the condition
of the state government after his
occupancy of the chief executives Of
flee for four years and he closed this
report with an appeal to the legis-
lature not to do anything which
would set the state backward.
In his closing words, the governor
also made a remarkable declaration
S when he told the legislature that
! never during the consideration of any
measure which he had recommended
to the legislature did he use his pat
ronage or make any appeal to
member of the legislature which
went beyond legitimate argument in
support of his proposal.
Il desire to record here fact
which may occasion surprise to some
who have protested to believe that
undue pressure was brought to bear
at certain critical periods" said Gov
ernor Kilby's message. Never at
any time nor under any circum
stances did / directly or indirectly
influence or attempt to influence any
vote or support for or against any
measure before the legislature by the
use or promise of patronage, by sup
port for or against any other meas
ure or by any other means whatever
except only such argument as | was
able to advance for the measure I'M
der consideration. / make this state
ment not only in justice to myself
but in justice to the members of the
~I-4,
Appeals for Progresss
Governor Kilby's conclusion of his
message which contained his appeal
To the legislature not to permit the
state to take a backward step dur
ing the next four years follows:
Il am not unmindful that incoming
legislatures usually look to incoming
governors for advice and recommen-
dations rather than to outgoing gov
errors Nevertheless, the foregoing
observations and recommendations,
based on the experience of four
years in the executive office, are Of
fered in the earnest hope and ex-
peetation that they will receive from
you thes same careful consideration
that I have given them, whether you
accept or reject them. | have pro-
posed in all that 1 have recommended
the continuance of progressive pro-
gram, program that calls for the
further and continued development
and expansion of the activities of
the state, especially those concerning
education, public health and the care
of the unfortunate wards of the
state Underlying that program is
the system of taxation. Your pre-
decessors built a splendid piece of
machinery for the equalization OF tax
values. That machine must be pre-
served and improved If possible so
that sufficient revenues may be Sc
cured for the support of our educa-
7 tional and eleemosynary institutions
or the execution of all plans for
progress will be impossible. There
has been financial distress among
our people during the last four years,
but it was not caused by high tax
bills Federal taxes have been high
and burdensome but state taxes are
the least of our burdens. Recent sta
tistics show that the per capita bur-
den of taxation is lighter than in
any other state in the. union
"If wise counsels do not prevail
in this legislature the whole struc-
ture so wisely prepared, by the last
legislature will crumbles and fall or
he so impaired that 1t will fall of its
object.
"There will always be the familiar
cry reduce taxes when assessments
uuired by law .Economy'-false
economy that saves at the spigot and
, wastes at the bung-'abolish useless
offices and reduce salaries when
there are no useless offices or ex-
e cessive salaries. These cries may be
popular, but, gentlemen of the legls-
& lature, they contain a positive and
serious menace to the welfare of Ala
bama and particularly to her educa-
81 tional and health interests and to
the unfortunate and helpless wards
of the state. Not only do they
threaten those interests but they
threaten our agricultural and indus
trial interests as well.
Alabama Resources
alabama is a wonderful state
potentially. Providence has been
kind to us. Nature was lavish in
her legacy of resources. We are rich
in fertile lands, in an unsurpassed
climate, in minerals, in timber, in
navigable streams and water powers,
b in everything necessary to the max
{ ing of a great state. On no spot of
: this earth are raw materials for
manufacture so well assorted, so set
apart, side by side. ready for imme-
! date and convenient use as they are
y In Alabama. 1t is as though the
Creator had chosen this section of
His universe for a test or demonstra-
ton of what the brain and the hand
of man might accomplish in the
working of His materials, selected by
Him and set apart by Him for the
purpose.
But what avails this rich and rare
array of RESOURCES If they are not to
be fully developed? And fully de-
veloped they never will be except
through the scientific knowledge
and technical skill of our own peo-
1.11 - -
day who will be the men and the
women and the builders of tomorrow
The agricultural and industrial prog
ress of the state depends upon how
we educate these boys and girls. The
costliest possession of any state is its
ignorance; we learn this from our
own experience. The best paying in
vestment of any state is education
and knowledge; we learn that from
the experience of others The states
that invested in education have
reaped rich returns from the invest
ment and they are continuing and
multiplying the investment
Now, the question is, shall we
maintain the present progress, in
crease it or decrease it? The answer
lies In what you are going to do with
your system of taxation. There is
no standing still. We will go for
ward or backward. If you follow
those who preach government by
voluntary contribution the state will
70 backward with rush. The alter
native is to stand by the schools,
stand by all that makes for the edu-
cational, the agricultural and the in
dustrial progress and give to Ala
bama her rightful place among the
sisterhood of states.
Before closing this my last gem
era1 communication to you | desire
to record my appreciation of the ac-
- Ia. le c.i 81 a In elIS-