The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1898-04-07

county levies are, upon an average,
about equal to the state levies. Thus
the people Of Georgia paid in 1883 II
taxes to the state and counties, when
cotton, eur chief product, brought
10 Ia cents per pound, less than
"a, ooo, 900, and In 1897, when it sold
az low as 4 Ia cents, they paid nearly
90, 100000, and we are confronted
the present year with much higher
rate. A few years at this rate Of in
crease will mean to many people com
unless checked, public bankruptcy.
In the last two months more property has
passed under the sheriffs hammer In the
payment of taxes than ever before in an
equal period, and to my own knowledge
farmers have to prevent the sale OF their
property under tax Il. fas., mortgaged
their mules in order to get the money with
which to meet the demands Of the tax
gatherer. In the name Of Justice and hui
mainly, let US put on the brakes. The rto-
pie who pay the taxes are entitled to as
much consideration as those who get the
benefit of them state is only an ag-
gregation of individuals and the business
of the state should be managed on the
same principles that a prudent husineaa
man manages his own private affairs.
Pensions and Public Schools.
Az long as his business prospers and his
assets Increase, he may suffer his expen-
ditures to increase, but when hard times
come and his values shrink. he must put
on the brakes and curtan as far as possible
his expenditures. He is obliged to feed and
clothe his children. but he can cut Off lux
uries and superfuities. So with the state.
She is obliged to support her schools and
asylums and meet her meritorious pension
roll and public debt, but she can take care
to assume no further liabilities than she
now has and economize in every way pos
states credit do justice to her needy and
deserving veterans and keep UP TO their
present standard, and even improve the ef-
flciency of her schools. I myself was for
nearly four years Of blood and suffering q
confederate soldier. I have been shot in
battle in defense of Georgia and the right
ana would suffer my right arm to wither
before would do an injustice to my needy
comrades in arms. who though reviled and
spit upon by some who never smelt burn
ing gun powder. are still my brothers and
dearer to me than any other living men
too have been poor boy struggling for
an education. when there were no free
schools. and my heart goes out to the chill
dren of my state, and / am the last man
to deprive them Of the advantages of .
common school education and the only
limit would put to the school fund would
be the ability Of the state to pay.
with the exception of the Georgia farmer.
the Georgia teacher is the hardest worked
and the poorest paid man In the state. In
stead of cutting down his salary, would
II possible, increase it, and pay him his
earnings at the end Of each month when
due. But still. while doing this. would
stop the leaks. IL any existed, in the treas
ury. and put on the brakes and see to It
that the annual increase in the tax rate
stops and thus avert the ruin which the
constantly increasing rate Of taxation for
the last fifteen years threatens the farmers
and the working people Of the state, who.
after ALL have to pay all the taxes and bear
all the burdens of the government.
What the Legislature Can Do.
I am aware that your governor cannot
alone accomplish all these reforms, but he
can do something by his influence and the
veto the people have wisely given him.
Retrenchment must begin in the legislature.
AL T ra~x4
to 1t that you send to the legislature none
but men who know your burdens ana are
willing to tighten them, not men who for
the sake of political preferment would
bind heavier burthens upon you and bank
rupt at once you and the state.
as to Bankrupting the State
NY distinguished competitor Mr. Berner.
D fond OF saying In his speeches that he
would bankrupt the treasury of the state
before he would take q dollar from the
pension fund.
My friend talks wildly. The people mist
be bankrupted before the treasury becomes
bankrupt The state in it's sovereignty can
tax the people to confiscation before the
treasury becomes bankrupt. There is no
limit to the power of the legislature to
impose taxes. and it could by exorbbtant
taxation practically confscate the homes
OF thousands Of the taxpayers Of the
STATE But / am a confederate sol
der and repeat 1 have been shot
down on the field of battle. have been
MANNED for life. I am pensioner under
the law and l can speak for the soldier,
for the hero and the hero's widow as
my friend is pleased to call them
The hero and the hero's widow do
not want you to bankrupt the treas
ury for them They do not want you
to confiscate the homes and the farms
OF their neighbors to pay pensions t.
them. They do not want the burden
OF taxation, now well nigh intolerable,
increased for their benefit. We will
take care of them and see to it that
none want or go to the poorhouse, but
we will not bankrupt the treasury to
do so. The men who faced death on
the field Of fire and blood are too
brave and too just to demand such q
a1.i f{0a m {x%n