The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-10-19
DRAINAGE DISTRICT
 PROVISIONS SOUGHT
Mobile Seeks COnstitu- tional Right To Build
 Bridge Over Delta
TOWNS WILL ASK
 TAX RATE RAISE
Voters Will Pass On Measures At General Eelction In
 November
State CapitaI Bureau)

MONTGOMERY, Ala, Oct. 1S.- (Special. .)-Although little has been said in Alabama about the general election which will be held November 4, there is great though silent inter- est because of the seven constitutional amendments which must be ratified or reflected by the voters at that time. The amendments were proposed by the leg islature last year.
 Chief interest throughout the state will be in the amendment giving the legislature authority to form drainage districts and to provide for the issuance of bonds protecting the investment Tn such drainage. This amendment IS Tn tended to make available means for the retaining of thousands of swamp and overflowed lands which would be excellent for cultivation. Estimates are that two million acress of land are now in swamps and under water and that much of it could be made productive by drainage.
 The drainage amendment is import ant because the supreme court recently held the state drainage law to be un- constitutional. The decision stopped work in Fayette and Lamar counties where large section was being re- claimed and where q bond issue had been sold for the purpose of financing the project. Until the constitution grants full authority for the issuance of bonds against the property work cannot be resumed. This same aMend- ment gives Mobile and Baldwin eoun- ties the right to form districts for the l construction of roads and sea-walls. The provision, however, cannot be made 1 to apply to any counties except Mobile and Baldwin. Before any drainage dis trict can be formed under the pro- visions of the amendment majority of the persons directly interested in the plan must approve it.
 Another amendment of statewide in- terest provides that all persons who served the nation between January i, 1917, and Noember II, 1918, either in the army or navy shall be exempt from the payment of poll taxes. A temporary exemption was granted three years ago but it expired October 1 and soldiers and sailors cannot vote now unless they have paid their poll taxes. The amendment provides for the per petual exemption of the exseryice men from such taxes. No opposition to this section has been indicated.
 A third amendment that has created great interest in the state gives Mobile county the right to create a bond issue for the purpose of constructing a bridge across Mobile delta the debt never to ex- ceed six and one-half per cent of the value of taxable property in Mobile coun- ty. The amendment applies only to Mo bile county and business interests of Mobile have appealed to the voters of Alabama to ratify the amendment.
 Would Permit Bridge
 The amendment is proposed as the only method whereby Mobile can con struct the bridge and thus relieve tour ists of a heavy assessment levied against them in crossing the bay. At present tourists are either required to cross the bay on boats or to make a long detour. Mobile seeks the right to pro- vide direct line for those who have business or pleasure in Mobile This amendmnt provids that no bonds shall ever be issued by Mobile county until the voters have approved the proposal at the ballot box.
 Mobile county also is the only county interested in amendment known as num- Der three. This amendment gives gov erning authorities of the county the right to make an exetra levy of one IlItn or one per cent Tn taxes Tor pub lice school purposes. This levy would be in addition to other levies authori- zed by the constitution.
 Authority would be given to Thorsby, Piedmont, Greenville, Roanoke, Green boro, Calera, Florida, Opp, Evergreen, Fayette, Clayton and Clio to levy q tax rate of one and one-half per centum and Alabama City to establish q tax rate of three-quarters of one per centurn if the voters should adopt an- other amendment. The amendment ap- plies only to the towns mentioned in the proposal and the lcvies cannot be made until the approval of the voters at the ballot boxes.
 Walker county asks authority to levy q special road tax of not more than fifty cents on each one hundred dol lars by another amendment. The voters of the county must authorize the spe- cial tax before it can be levied if the amendment is ratified.
 Three school districts in Lawrence county. by another amendment ask authority to levy special tax of not of paving for school buildings already more than five mills for the purpose constructed or to be constructed Each school district would be required to ap- prove the special levy before it coGld