The Atlanta constitution., 1898-12-12
plunkett'S hetter

| The registered voters of DcKalb county
| are about 3O0Q-the prospects now are that
there will be 1,50o tax defaulters If the
books are closed at the usual time.
This state of affairs exists not because
the people wish to dodge their tax, but be-
| cause they have not the money and cannot
! get it. Land is no security to borrow mon
ey and the more one mas at inns llihe
I the worse he is off If the thing keeps on
| as it is the great moncyed monopneS VIII
| only have to keep their agents at the couh-
| ty seats to watch for tax sales ana lhcy
| can soon own the whole country. rms Is
serious and should put thinking men 10
| devisng some plan by which farming lahds
would be counted as good security. IL va"
| collecting laws is the matter it should be
| remediod at once and the present lcSlSld-
! ture should drop everything and accomplish
| this before they adjourn. If farmers couid
| put up their lands collateral it would
| solve many questions-they could build
manufactures then upon the cooperative
| plan and the splendid sites for such indus-
! tries would not pass out OF the handS ol
| our own people. AS it is the farmers can 90
| nothng-they are truly at the mercy Oh tle
| money sharks.
This brings me to remark, as | have re-
| marked before that we have had too much
W-making and too much theology and we
| must call halt and get back to old times,
| or the country is surely gone. A great
many people may think that eventually
| things will right themselves by enough OF
! the folks awaking to the dangers OF the
| trend and falling behind the procession in
| its wild career and bidding it TO proceed
| without them. There is no consolation IN
| this. The widest herd of buffaloes that ever
! rushed over a preCipce left few behind as
! witnesses of the great destruction ana TO
! Grievc over the passing away of their KIND,
| but the country is lonely and they are 100
.tsltr1
| lures and rehabit the range.
From my very earliest recollection | have
! lived in mortal fear of the Roman Catholic
| church. and it has always been my desire
to see that church overcome. ! have begun
| to doubt the wisdom of such a position. l
! haze seen so many departures ana 50 many
wrongs under the wings of the other
churches that | surely surprise myself in
turning toward Cathology as the only thing
with a firm foundation in the matter OF
crceds and especially in the matter or
! methods. AS sure as the world stands the
| methods of our churches are not what they
used to be and just as sure is the fact that
we are being ruined by the multitude OF
''hclps" that they have attached to them
eaives. 1t is plain talk and it is strange
talk as coming from one who has always
felt as | have felt, but before heaven, |
believe if things keep on just a short while
! longer as they are going the poor man VIII
| have to fee to the Catholic church if he
would retain that position even in his own
home that it is natural FOR men to desire.
We must get back to the church without
| the adiuncts or We must drift into a land
| OF skepticism infidelity and ruin.
It WOud never do to pass along without
| having something to say about tn" negro.
! The great talk now .s-in our settlement
! that the nero Is going TO lose his right OF
suffrage This ticllles us and we like to
| t.l Z I,,tt W.. tf In fIiG' The