The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-31
rHE LEcIsLAruM,s RECORD

! ment existing nowhere else in Ala bama. Perhaps it is natural that leg islatures, being human, should do the things that they should not have done and leave undone the things they should have done. Nevertheless, it is not sufficient that any body of men should too faithfully typify human weaknesses and not sufficiently dis play the sturdier attributes of the genus homo. Theoretically, legislators are picked men, and the public, even though often disappointed, is to be pardoned for expecting something little out of the ordinary from their lawmakers. Alabamas legislature, having had such an exceptional oppor- tunity to perform acts of construc- tive nature for the permanent benefit of Alabama, could offer no acceptable apology for failure to mint that op- portunity into Alabama's prosperity and it's own glory.
 The delay on the seaport enabling act can scarcely be attributed to the deep study that is being given it with an eye single to the success of the en- terprise. The public welfare and the express will of the people commanded that this important matter be at tended to with the least equivocatiou and hesitation. There has been no basis on which opposition could req sonably rest, and no cause for any timidity of the friends of the enter prise. Similarly, the situation in the highway department, and the evident need for housekeeping and rerogan- ization of it's forces with a smallec and more efficient personnel, should give the legislature more concern than it has shown. The prospect of col lapse in the entire highway hope of the state should move the legislators to immediate and decisive action. That the playing of politics is not confined to the commission, but is rampant among the subordinates of the com mission becomes more apparent. Should something not be done about this?
 The legislature has made a mess of the state tax machinery and the state revenues. Evidently serious and we'll informed attention has not been given this important subject. There are evi- dences that, the influences of those private interests that have been active at Montgomery have been stronger than the public demand for various legislation. This is true with respect to the working out of Hater-power policy of the state to protect this lead ing resource. It is true with respect to the problem of grade crossings, in. which the legislators have only too apparently heard the voice of private greed rather than of the public safety. It is true with respect to the loan shark bill, which is a legitimate curb upon private rapacity. What adequate apology can be offered for the stifling of this bill in committed?
 The refusal of the senate to approve the measure exempting cotton mills from taxation for a period of five years after their establishment is com. mended, for tax exemption is fal- lacy. It does not attract cotton mills. The attractions which bring cotton mills must be fundamental and perma- nent, not superficial and temporary. North Carolina, which has offered no exemptions since 1862, leads the South in the establishment of new mills. When the legislature killed the pro- gram of advertising the genuine re- sources and industrial opportunities of Alabama, it killed also the best me- dium of appeal to capital to come to this state. Let the legislators review their record to date, and let them ask themselves whether they have done their duty by the people they were elected to serve.