The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-08-10
TAX AMENDMENT, DRAINAGE ACT. RULED INVALID.
Provisions Differ From Original Act, Rules
 Davis '
(state Capital Bureaul

MONTGOMERY, Ala, Aug. B. Where an act proposing constitu- tional amendment to be voted on by the people contains in fhe provision di- recting what is to be placed on the ballot a statement different in sub stance from the amendment as stated in the act, the provision directing what shall be printed upon the ballot is void, according to an opinion furnished Saturday by Attorney General Harwell G. Davis to Secretary of State $. H. Blan.
 The question arose on a proposed amendment to be voted on in Noyem- Der, authorizing a tax levy by a num- Der of towns.
 Section three of the act, stating what should be placed on the ballot, was so wOrded as to restrict the total tax levy permitted by Alabama City to one and One-half per cent, whereas in the statement of the proposed amendment found in section one of the act no such limitation of taxation was placed on Alabama City. The attorney general in his opinion pointed out that the con- stitutiOn requires that there be printed on the ballot the substance of the proposed amendment. He held that the legislative provision as found in sec tiOn 3, stating what should be placed on the ballot, was void, as being diff ferent in substance. from the amend ment as stated in section one.
 This ruling will be followed, it was announced from the office of the secre- tary of state, in the case of another amendment to be voted on in Novmeber, authorizing the legislature to establish districts for drainage, roads and sea walls. The amendment as stated in the act provided that the provision as to walls and roads should amply only to Mobile and Baldwin counties. The provision as to what should go on the ballot contained no such limitation. Under the opinion of the attorney gen. eral the section directing what shall go on the ballot is void, and the amend ment will be voted on in such form that the road and sea wall feature shall apply only to Mobile and Baldwin counties, as stated in the amendment
 Preference Urged-Giving of pref erence in employment to Alabama teachers over the those from other states was recommended by Dr. John w. Abercrombie, state superintendent of education in a letter addressed to- day to employers of teachers in Ala bama. Dr. Abercrombie's letter fol- lowed q recent statement from the department of education to the effect that according to present indications there will be more teachers than jobs tthe next session of school.
  highway commission will meet August IA, on which date award of a contract is expected for surfacing the section of the Birmingham-Montgomery high way through the northern half of Chil- ton county, on which bids have been opened. Bids will be opened August 13 for a project in Washington coun- ty comprising p miles on the Mobile. Selma highway and in Dallas county three miles between Selma and Center vile, and it is expected that these prof ects will be awarded on August 14.
 Bids will be opened at the highway department September 17 for a project in Lauderdale county comprising one hile of earthen approaches to a bridge over ShOxals Creek.
 Reduction Expected - Commissioner of Agriculture J. NJ. Moore expects soon to be advised of material reductions in insurance rates on cotton in ware. houses duly licensed and bonded under the Alabama law. Commissioner Moore returned Saturday from Atlanta, where he conferred with representatives of the Southeastern Underwriters association, and received favorable expression as to the proposed reduction in rates on the Alabama warehouses, as result of provisions of the agricultural code of 1923 and rules of the state board of agriculture which tend to reduce fire hazards.
 Definite action is also expected at an carly date from the Atlanta federal reserve bank giving receipts of Alabama licensed and bonded ware houses the same recognition as those of federollv bonded Vya rAhouSaS