The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1876-02-02
LETTER FRoMHo .JE sTARNE'

LETTER FROMHON. IT, H. STARNEs
To the Editor of the Morristown Gazette;
don't wish to become troublesome,
but hope you will bear with me
and give me another place IN
your columns, fer an answer to the
would-be honorable McGonigle's notori-
Gus letter, although it doesn't deserve
common notice. However, / personally
know him to be an aspirant for the place
/ have lately occupied, "a seat in the
Legislature).
Now, sir, he commences by saying
that ''poor man values and loves his
dog, equally as well as he does his wife
and children"
Asyou know, have no wife; but l
hope should ever be so fortunate as to
get one I want to get one that care
more for than do for dog; and if the
would-be honorable McGonigle's esti-
mate of woman's nobleness is not above
that of a dog, wouldn't he make noble
citizen, much less that of q representa-
liver Mr.. Mac will be mistaken, if he
thinks he can ride into the Legislature
on big yellow dog! He has taken the
wrong side of the question, and will get
to stay with his wife that he has no
more love for than the CANNES.
Mr. Nc speaks as though the citizens
of our town controlled the Thirty-Ninth
General Assembly. He is barking up
the wrong bush. They are very willing
that Mr.. Mac continues his rail-splitting
and fox-hunting, as they have not the
least doubt he would be more in his
right element than to have seat in the
next Legislature. The citizens of our
town, and have no doubt great many
in the country, are willing for you to
wear your home-spun jeans, as it is more
durable for your rail-splitting, fox-hunt-
ing, etc. / would advise you, Mr.. Mac,
as you have so much fine land and 1t
takes such a quantity OF jeans to make
on grass so they will grow you more
wool. So it win not take more than
the wool off of twenty head to make you
a suit; and we will try and protect them
provided you pay your dog tax on first
notice. have no doubt it was a very
lucky thing that Jack had a good dog
when Mr.. Mac called in his absence.
So hold on, Jack, to old Tray, and pay
your tax, as he is so good to watch for
you. Now, Mr.. Mac, come to the front
and step off on the right foot, and go
for the man who is in favor of educat-
ing the poor children of our State, by
using the dog tax as school fund-alsO
exempting one dog in every family.
Now, Mr. Mac, / am a poor man my
self, and / am |. better friend to the poor
man than you are. but if the poor men
of our country prefer to pay the tax on
the many worthless dogs that the rich
man, as you say, can and does do with
out, instead of killing them, it is their
own lookout; and from your version of
the matter, you would destroy the many
good men of the country who pay the
revenue, and let those go free who
keeps so many worthless dogs, pays no
revenue, and cares nothing for the pro-
lection of the sheep of the country.
Now, Mr. Mac, who pays? and from
what source does our revenue come?
From men who make their living from
fox-hunting? or, the honest farmers of
the country? Sir, you know who am,
and that don't live In town, nor do i
go to theatres often, and should choose
TO go to theatre instead of fox-hunt-
ing, l certainly have that privilege.
Every man has capacity and standing
in society, and any man can tell Mr..
McGonigle's if lie prefers the company
of dogs instead of better society-he
must have that privileges the old
woman said when she kissed the cow,
every person to their own taste
Now, Mr. Editor, you sec from Mr..
McGonigle's letter, that he would like to
have the privilege of being our next leg
islator. He might succeed in some
county where he is not known, but
when the good citizens and voters of
old Hawkins go to the polls to vote they
want an honest man. Not one like Mr..
Mac. who puts flour in the ends of the
barrel and corn meal in the middle and
sells to the Woodworking farmer and
mechanic as all flour. Does he remem-
Der when he made money in that way?
One would suppose he could afford
something a little finer than jeans. He
says but few sheep have been killed in
Hawkins county. 1t is only necessary
to refer him to the statistics on that sub
iect, and he can satisfy himself as to the
number. Ask the energetic farmers of
our county why there is so little atten-
ton given to sheep growing, and the
answer is because we have no prOtec-
ton from the many sheep-killing dogs
throughout our county. Why has Penu-
sylvania and Kentucky so many more
fine sheep than we have? Because they
have dog law Had not the poorer
men. as Mr. McGonigle calls them. bet
ter have more sheep and fewer dogs?
IF the rich man can do without dogs
although they have more property to
protect, why not the poor man? Does
the would. be honorable representative
want to keep them always poor? AT
two cents per meal it will cost twenty
one dollars year to feed one dog. In
vest it in sheep, it will buy at least ten
sheep. Don't any man, with common
reason, SEQ who is the poor mans
friend" Ali well may be desite n5thing
more said about this matter, but | want
the good people to fully investigate IL.
Now, if Mr.. Mac expects to get the
good citizens of old Hawkins TO vote for
him next November, he must show him
self more worthy than he has heretofore.
or he will step down and out. Now,
Mr.. McGonigle, from your name think
YOU are q poor excuse, and not worthy
Of notice; so Iwouid advise you, If you
write anything more on the dog law, to
sign your name. for we want to know
who you are and where you originated
from Don't stay behind the curtain
any Ionger-come out If you do have 10
wear Jeans, and front the judge and
jury. and see that your clients gets JUS
tice done them in the premises.
s1'N 90 JoHN T. STARNEs.
~ a8s