The Savannah morning news., 1902-04-23
COL. ESTILL SPEAKS
Ellis PEOPLE OF DAHLoNEGA HIS
POSITION.
lust A VERY PLAIN TALK.
nm NOT MINCE MATTERS AS TO
ANY QUESTION.

rbe states Finances and the NeceS-
.ity for Giving Within Our
Meansv DweIt UDon-Fayors PEN
Sims for All Needy Veterans and
Needy widows of Veterans, but No
Others-GeOrgia Has No school Sys-
tem-One Is Needed and Counties
should Bear Their Share of the
Burden.
Dahlonega, Ga. April 22.-Col. ]. II.
rstill. the Lower Georgia candidate for
Governor, was here to-day and met a
large number of citizens of the town
and surrounding country. Helmet with
very enthusiastic reception. and was
g1atifed TO find so strong a sentiment
in his favor. In response to a request
for a talk, embodying his views on
state matters, he spoke as follows:
Just IA Plain Talk.
Fellow Citizens: / had decided not
IN make speeches in my campaign for
the gubernatorial nomination, because
7 am not an orator, and have had no
experience in making public addresses,
hut some of my friends think that 1
would be able to reach more of my fell
low citizens if 1 should make brief
speeches at the various places 1 visit.
What l shall say to you will hardly
reach the dignity of a speech. 1 shall
make a plain talk to you upon some
of the more important matters which
are involved in the campaign.
The office of GoVernor-the Office
which l seek-is the highest in your
Gift. 1t is honorable and right for any
man to seek it. l am not self-nom-
mated candidate, but was placed be-
fore you by fellow citizens, who
thought well enough of me to suggest
my name as candidate from Lower
Georgia, which has not been honored
with the governorship for eighty years.
l am a plain man, a business man,
not a politician; I am a Democrat,
who has been ever true to his party
and his people. In the days of re-
construction, in the days of Mr.. Cleve-
land and Mr.. Bryan, l have followed
the banner of Democracy. / know not
the means of corralling the voters of
Georgia in my interest, 1 have moth
ing to give, except the promise that if
l be elected, shall be Governor of all
the people and for the people.
The issues in this campaign are clear
and simple; they have, to some extent,
DeeQ pTeSeuIeU u yOuI dllSHliOll ny
the able gentlemen who are my rivals
for your SURFACES. Just here let me
say that they are honorable
men, and have qualifications
that should command your re-
spect. You doubtless know their
platforms. 1 differ with them, in
some particulars, as to what is best
for our state, but their opinions on
state affairs are their own and they
are welcome to them. There are, how
ever, in my opinion 10000 or more men
in Georgia, any one of whom has the
ability to make just as good Cover
nor as either of us. | am glad to
know, however, that all those eligibles
are not candidates.
should BE HOnorabIy Gotten.
The Governorship of the Empire
State of the South is an honor that
can fall to but few men in a genera
ton, and it should be obtained only by
honorable means. If it comes to n
man by means other than honorable,
it will be to him like Dead Sea fruit.
The office is the gift of the people, and
should be given to the candidate whom
they think can serve them best-he
who will serve all the people rather
than few friends.
There are times in mems affairs
when it is we'll for them to examine
into their financial conditions, and so
it is with states. Georgia to-day needs
such attention. If we go on as we
have been going for the past two or
three years we shall soon have a big
floating debt. Notwithstanding the
fact that the public property fund,
amounting to several hundred thous-
and dollars, has been turned into the
general fund, the state, this year. will
have to be a borrower, as she was last
Year, to pay the school teachers. From
this statement it must be evident to
you that there is something wrong
with our financiering. The truth is we
have not been keeping our expenses
within our income. If we continue to
spend more than we get from taxes
and other sources of revenue, the result
VIII be that we shall get into debt. The
DAY of payment may be put off, but
the time will come when payment will
nave to be made. 1t will be much
harder to pay a big debt than to pay
as We go along-to keep our expenses
Within our income.
DO not believe that you want the
TAX rate raised. There is no reason
why it should be raised if we admin
ister the government economically, en-
lorce the laws strictly, and introduce a
-~N ie4OTTnS.
DO not wish to deal in generalities.
nave urged for a number of years
nlennial sessions of the Legislature.
1hls change would save $4,000 a year
Ut more. l have urged that pensions
pe paid only to those who are in such
circumstances that they are not able to
provide for themselves. Now there are
persons drawing pensions who are bet
tel able to pay taxes than a big per-
Sentage of the taxpayers. If this re-
urn were made there would be saw
lug OF many thousands Of dollars an
annually.
Taxation and Prohibition.
q, mere is inequality in taxation. If
.ne tax laws were reformed so as to
III nut assessments on an equal basis
ttnioughout the state the revenue would
We. greatly increased, and, that too,
uncut making the tax burden of the
20 asi hers heavier. 1 notice that one
y. my opponents used my name in his
Ina KS in favor of making the rail-
IO aus bear greater share of the taxes.
axe axe this opportunity of stating that
favor making railroads and other
~ ~ porations bear their full share of
az expenses of the government, and
So no every individual. If the laws re-
q