The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1898-04-13
GAMBLER TELLS
OF some LEAKS.
REPLYING TO ATKINSON SAYS HIS
SALARY Is ONE OF THEM.
The Judge Is Neglecting His Duty or
Has NOne. Some Fees Which
the State Might Get.

Hon. Allen D. Gamblers second speech
of his campaign was delivered at Dalton
to tremendous audience, which was
enthusiastic from the start to the finish.
1t was most gratifying reception for
Colonel Gambler. In the course OF his
remarks he addressed himself TO some
of the things that have been said by
Judge Spencer R. Atkinson on the
stump.
Among other things he said that his
letter of announcement had said some
things that had mortaIly offended
the little political ring that thought it
could elect governors and state house
officials without consulting the people,
and Immediately following the return of
Governor ". !. Atkinson and his party
from Mexico there had been conferences
in the Kjmball house and elsewhere,
which finally led to a declaration that
Gambler must be beaten at all hazards.
Then Judge Spencer r. Atkinson was
broughtou., followed by Senator Berner's
abrupt plunge, and the colonel ironicaI-
ly observed that they were both doing
the work required of them with an in
dustry which showed whether or not the
politicians who had put them in the race
were lacking in judgment,
lie spoke of the several planks in his
platform, and discussed the state tax
rate at some length He said that his
original suggestion that the present rate
was ITO high had been received with so
much applause by the people that
Messrs. Berner and Atkinson had not
only attempted to appropriate it to them
selves, but had actually began to charge
that he did not know what he was do
ing when he advanced the idea. He
said he had never proposed any special
plans TO reduce the tax rate but had de-
cided that it should 60 no higher-that
it was time to put on the brakes. He
thought the best way to do this was to
stop the leaks which exist already, and
to exercise such wise economy in future
as to keep the rate within the reasonable
ability of the people to pay.
But Spencer Atkinson says there are
no leaks" continued the colonel land
he has deted me in several of the
speeches made by him before my official
duties permitted me to take the stump
to name any. Well, judge, I'll name
one. II your constant Campaigning and
speech-making during the past two
months has not been dole at the expense
of the duty you owe the state as railroad
commissioner, then there is a very con
siderable leak in the $4,000 a year you
are receiving as salary. And if you are
neglecting your duty-h ldIng on to one
office while running for another-you
are not fit man to be governor. Take
your choice. But whether You are neg
lecting your duties or not you know and
L know and the people know that you
are using that $500 which the state
pays you for the purpose of furtherng
your personal political interests, and of
defeating me for governor. l think you
will not dispute with me that this con-
stitutes leak, and that the taxpayers
are entitled to little better return for
their money"
The colonel said he had the highest
personal regard for some Of the men who
had been appointed to the railroad com
mission, and he said also that during
the first few years of the existence of
that body the members uuquestionably
earned and deserved all the salary they
got, but that since tie work of the de-
partment had been systematized the
original conditions had changed, Last
year, he SAID the commission had met
on only twenty ghC out of the 365 days,
and the three members had each recelv-
ed nearly 800 a day. While a mem
Der of the state senate ten years ago he
had worked and voted in favor of
bill which proposed to take the power of
appointment ava from the governor
and to elect the railroad commissioners
directly by the people. He favored
such measure then and he favored it
now.
He called attention to Judge Atkins n's
repeated declarations that the salaries of
safe house officers should not be re.
duced, and hes1id that in the main he CO.
incided with that view But at the same
time he though that the state house
officers should do the work entrusted to
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