The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1896-10-02
GEORGE S. ALCORN

expenses of the state government
had more than doubled that of Mr..
Hawkins, citing not one single item
or fact to sustain the bald statement.
He suppressed the fact that we
were then paying for two new asy-
lums, that we were defending our
right to territory claimed by Vir-
ginia, that the debt had been
funded and that all the interest was
being paid, that the old Bank of
Tennessee debt was being liquidated,
that the state was then about per-
fecting its system of charities, the
hottest duty devolving upon it, that
the population was increasing, the
state growing, business larger, and
general increase of responsibilities
that must be met.
'He cites as an item of extrava-
gance the fact that called two extra
sessions of the Legislature in four
years, and that they cost 500, PAT 80 !;
and he suppresses the fact that Re-
publican Gov. Hawkins called three
in two years at a cost of $47 525 .6S.
Or that my extra session cost 1892 a
He showed that whatever of in
fanny or wrong attaches to the back
tax system by reason of the attorney
feature, the Republican party was
the author, father and promoter of
the system and it's first beneficiary.
He showed the falsity of Mr.. Till
mans charges in connection with his
appointment to the office of back
tax attorney for Hamilton county.
He showed that the law firm of Tay-
lor & Thompson were appointed
back-tax attorneys for Hamilton
county in July 1891, but that he re-
signed the firm and turned that
whole business over to Mr.. Thomp-
son before the back-taX books were
turned over to the firm, and that he
never received either then or after
wards a dollar of fees from that
source. He noticed the small
charge that he drew his salary in
advance as follows:
"Mr. Tillman makes the astound-
ing discovery that / sometimes drew
my salary as much as a month or
two in advance, and thus leaving it
to be inferred that the state might
have lost it if 1 had absconded or
been kidnapped. He suppfesses the
fact that if l had SO disappeared the
state would not have been the loser,
but only the treasurer, whose bond
was ample. He fails to state that
almost every governor has been
guilty of the awful crime, or that, if
it is crime, every legislator since
the war, almost, ought to be hung
for committing it. And he should
have stated in this connection that
he himself was once an officer of the
State, and that he committed a
much graver offense in drawing his
salary without having earned 1.-THE
was a member of the legislature in
1873, attended less than One-fourth
the sittings and drew his full salary. )"
He defended his exercise of the
pardoning power in eloquent terms.
He said that if he was elected Gov
ernor he would never let child I'M
der II years of age cross the TIRES
hold of the penitentiary. He would
not give the snap of his finger for
office. He had had the honor of be-
ing Governor of Tennessee for two
terms, and all the Republicans in
the world could not take that honor
from him. He had responded to the
call of his people, and made great
personal sacrifice in undertaking the
race for Governor.
The speaker never appeared to
better advantage. He was in good
voice, and the great multitude were
in sympathy with him. He made a
profound impression upon his audi
ence and aroused more enthusiasm
in Maury County than has been felt
for many day.