Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-10-30
MRS. FELTON, HAS A WORD TO
TAp GEORGIA LEGISLATuR

allied position before the country. but also
remember that we must rise or fail in
progress and prosperity according TO your
dictates in legislation.
What YOU say goes. and whatever you
do stands. Then. be extremely careful no.
20 20 backwards or sideways. but always
straight forward for the right and honest
government
do hope you viii tighten some OF the
heavy burdens Of taxation this time. Per-
haps YOU arc not aware Of Il for YOU are
all doubtless very prosperous people when
at homel. but the common people are get
ting very restless under so much taxation
In the county / live in we are outrag-
eously taxed for state and county pur-
poses and we woke up 10 the fact that
the law authorizing our county commits
sioners allowed them the liberty TO pile
up taxation beyond measure. and the su-
prene court said the law was at fault. but
so long as IL was law Il had 10 stand as
Law.
great many people are as sick OF
such county commissioners and bad laws
as they ever were with the measles, with
sshecp-sanron tea TO bring out the erup-
ton for a law that made a few men dc
itators and cars in a county should never
have been allowed 70 pass the Georgia
legislature al the Offstart. Just think Of
taxation for state and county purposes
reaching I'D to S1es5 on every thousand
side OF municipal taxaticni
These supreme authClitieS. known as
county commissioners. seeing the hot
place into which they were driving the
taxpayers. and realizing the fact that a
dav OF judgment would come sooner or
later, then concluded that they would run
the county's business on a credit during
the year IsC9 50 they now call for SIS on
the thousand. and we are piling up debts
that must be settled for by another grab
and another uxase Of their sovereign au-
thority next year
spare the other counties in the state the
narrowing experience we have suffered
IN the county Of Barlow. We are bowed
ard trembling under unparalleled burdens.
hut while we must abide and remain as
q pitifuI object lesson. suffering in flesh.
bone and sinew from misplaced confidence
and unwise legislation. for PHYS sake res
cue the balance OF the 157 counties from
such an awful fate as we are now endur-
ing. after a solid year Of drouth and gen.
eraI farming disaster throughout our bOr-
ders-
And gentlemen. do something that win
amount 10 something with the school
money that is raised by compulsory tax
alton out OF a heavily burdened citizen
ship.
The town schools are generally well re-
spected but uinety-hundredths OF the
country schools are just a little better
than nothing at an.
Whenever the state assumes the right TO
put it hand in your pocket 10 extract
your money 70 educate my child. then. in
justice 10 yourself and the tens OF thou
sands Just like you. demand that the
state shall make me send my child to
school OF take its iron hand out Of your
pocket. Do you see2
Surely. there is sufficient wisdom some
where 10 discharge this plain obligation
ito those who are forced 70 raise this
school money By compulsory taxationt
Either force the indifferent parent TO
send the child to school or stop the ty-
ranny Of compelling yOu TO furnish the
money 10 educate my child when I can
decline 20 accept f.
a change is obliged to take place before
many years more Of this waste, this cast
ing OF pearls before swine. shall be allow
ed to continue. The state surely has talent
sufficient 10 surmount such a difncultyi
Unless the state can disburse this money
10 a better purpose. why not Quit the sys-
TEN and 80 after a better plan2 Where
fore should we care IL Massachusetts can
appropriate S TO Georgia's one for edu-
cation when Georgia has no authority to
make a single man or woman in her limits
accent the school opportunity unless such
man or woman IS pleased TO do II. es-
peciaIly when Massachusetts, puts a heavy
me on every parent or guardian who
q certain number OF months In the YEAR,
What's the matter with Georgia, any
how
What IS she afraid OF when confronted
with such a dilemma as thisg
II you cannot afford. legislators. to ap-
ply the remedy. then stop the taxation
and 20 back TO earlier schools. where ev-
ervboav that was able paid for their own
child's schooling. and the county raised
funds for a poor rate 10 educate the chill
dren Of the INDECENT.
And do. for heavens sake. quit sending
babies to school that are hardly weaned-
70 be paid for AT public expense. and II
they cannot acquire an English education
between the ages Of S and 10. there Is
something had the matter either in the
brain OF the pupil or the capacity Of the
teacher. and Il viii become a monOtonOus
piece OF business 10 be constantly paying
a long price for either stupid pupils or
teachers
The people who make Roadway in this
world 20 with a skip and a jump. but IL
actually looks Ike killing time" on the
taxpayers when school grades are multi
Piled until a girl or boy must start to
school at weaving time and go until they
are ready TO marry to carry out the vari-
Gus requirements and creep through the
various grades and pass out as finished
or unfinished
20 stand aloof from their own environ
ments ard see what sort OF country
schools they are afflicted with. they might
laugh like Puck. or moan like King Lear.
for Id Is all vanity CT vexatiOn Of spirit,
coupled with tax money Do something.
gentlemen. do something that viii either
give MS something for our school tax
money. or close doors and so out OF the
business. Look carefully into the book
business also. and be sure 70 put your veto
on school histories that viii make your
grandchildren ashamed that they were
born south OF Mason and Dixon's line. at
ter you are laid 20 rest with your Con-
federate ancestry-unless you look into the
history business very carefully.
i had some thought OF entreating YOU
about disnensartes child labor in facto-
ries The depot. etc. but time and space
fail me and I viii close by asking you
70 provide some police protection for coul-
try people as q matter Of supreme import
The whole lard is swarmi-g with va
grants. the streets are full n idlers. OK
conviCts abornd. women are afraid 10 stay
-@-=.--s--- - -