Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-01-09
STATE LEGISLATURE
To MEET TUESDAY
IN MONTGOMERY

MONTGOMERY, Ala, Jan. s.
Alabama's legislature elected in No
vember and composed entirely of
Democrats. with three exceptions,
will begin it's quadrennial session at
the stroke of IL noon Tuesday.
| All will be serene in the senate be-
cause there is no fight for leader
ship. James E. Ellis, of Selma, will
be elected president pro tenn OF the
senate and will preside in the absence
of Lieutenant Governor Charles S.
Mcdowell. But in the house of
representatives four persons seek to
be speaker and have been making
active campaigns for the honor. 1t
is probable that this fight will con-
tinue into the Democratic caucus.
The candidates for speaker are J.
| Lee Long, of Butler, Charles B.
Werner, of Tuscaloosa, Hugh d. Mer-
rill, OF Calhoun, and r. J. Goode, Jr.,
of Wilcox. Mr.. Long probably has
shown more activity and claims to
have a sufficient number of pledges
to elect him. However, friends of
Judge Morrill, and Mr.. Werner have
shown great activity in recent days
and have declared that the battls will
not be a one sided one. Mr.. Goode is
hopeful that a deadlock will force
the selection of himself as speaker.
Agitation now is in favor of a
recess of the legislature after not
more than twelve legislative days.
The proposal is not to attempt the
passage of any important administra-
ton measures until the adjourned
session which will begin about July
vernon elect w. w. Brandon is
requesting an adjourned session in
order that ass committees may
make Investigations during the sum-
mer and prepare recommendations
for submission to the legislature at
the adjourned session.
Tax Question
Governor elect Brandon has al
ready announced that he believes a
recess committee should Investigate
the various departments of the state
with the view of abolishing useless
Offices and he will make this sug-
gestion to the legislature. Abolition
of such offices was en- important
plank in the platform on which Gov
ernor Brandon was a candidate.
Taxation and revenue are a per
ennial subject of legislation. This
year it is probable that this subject
will be the absorbing one. Judge
Brandon is committed to the aboli-
! ton of the tax adiusters which were
| created by the legislature in 1919.
| He has announced that he will pro-
pose a return to the old system
whereby assessments were made by
the tax assessors,
| But information in recent days IS
| that the next governor will not per
nit tax assessors to make assess
ments which will meet their own
ideas, ideas which may be sub
ordinated to their political future,
| but that the state tax commission
will have power and authority to re-
view all assessments of the tax as
| SCISSORS.
The story is that the tax commits
sion will keep in touch with the
| situation in the various counties
through field agents, who will go
| into the counties and make in
dependent Investigations for sub
mission to the tax commission. If
| the tax commission is convinced by
these Investigations that the tax as
sessments are too low or too high
it may set aside the assessments and
make new assessment in con-
formity with the ideas of the state
taxing authorities.
FavOrs Tax Commission
1t is also we'll understood that
Governor Brandon will favor the
creation either of a larger tax COM
mission or of the position OF ad-
visor to the commission, which will
be filled by a tax expert, person
so we'll versed in the subject of taxa
ton that his report can be acted
upon by the tax commission,
Governor Brandon has already in
formed his friends that he will favor
the retention of the budget system
created by the Kilby legislature. This
system Is given credit for the sue
cess of the present administration in
financing the state government.
Under its operation the state has re-
! tired all floating obligations, has re-
| tired portion Of the states bonded
debt, has placed the state govern
| ment on a cash basis and has caused
! the expenditure of less than the