Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-06-02
DIR. w. p. BURT REPLIES
TO B. M. BLACKBURN
Abbeville,

To the Editor of The Journal:
Mr.. B. NJ. Blackburn has contributed to
the "joint debate column" several letters
urging the defeat of Hon. Dupont Guer-
ry for governor. His alleged arguments
against Mr.. Query are manifestly unfair,
but fortunately have proved harmless. No
one seems to have seriously considered his
fiatulent Nominations. This, in a large
measure may be attributed to the fact
that these periodical ebullitions are trace
able to Authorizations resulting from a
chronic case of cacoethis scribendi, fact
well known to most of his acquaintance.
But there may be another reason why Mr..
Blackburn has made his pen work over
time in this campaign-why he is so vio-
lently opposed to any change in the pres
ent order of things-changes likely to
interfere with prearranged political states
and the distribution of political patronage.
think can prove that Mr.. Blackburn
has been a beneficiary in at least one
case of extravagant expenditure OF the
public money-oi1e of many such eXpendi-
lures which have resulted in greatly In
creased taxation and treasury deficit.
The legislature of 1898 appointed joint
committee to draft a general tax law for
the state, and to report the tax law
agreed upon to the fall session of 1899
OF this committee Hon. r. L. Wight was
chairman. Hon. w. A. Dodson, president
of the senate, and Hon. John ID. Little,
speaker of the house, and others were
members. am not able to say how many
days during the summer of 1899 this COM
mittee incubated upon this important
measure, but / do know that when the
legislature met in the fall of 1899 bill
of expenses was rendered, amounting to
s., 195, which developed considerable OPP
position, but was finally ordered paid. See
special appropriations, warrant No. 1868,
December IA, 1899. OF this amount 1880
was per diem for members Of the COM
mittee. SIS to pay a porter to wait on
them. and $500 to pay the secretary, Mr..
B. NJ. Blackburn. 1t seems that this
amount ought to have been SUFFICIENT to
pay for drafting a bill that would have
at least engaged the attention OF the Leg
islature. The $3.50 would have paid one
member to investigate matters of taxa
ton $500 per day for two years. The $500
paid Mr.. Blackburn was $500 DER day for
$50 days. or about six months service.
But what was the result? The legisla-
ture failed to enact into law one single
recommendation of this committee. The
only tangible result was the payment OF
the bill of expenses. In fact. the bill
drafted was so absurd that the legisla-
ture even failed to consider it.
1t is probable, that Mr.. Blackburn would
like to get another soft snap at the pub
lies expense, and possibly fears that
should Mr.. Query be elected governor
such patent leaks in the treasury would
be stopped.
One more thought. Mr.. Blackburn in
one Of his numerous letters assumes to
dictate to we Confederate veterans how
we should vote in the approaching prima-
ny. He says we must vote against that
gallant Confederate veteran and peerless
Georgian, Dupont Query, who at the age
of II years fought in the trenches around
Atlanta.
1 commend to friend Blackburn this AK
iom: advice is always a drug in the
market, the supply being greater than
the demand" Assuming to speak for
these old brother veterans. l will say to
Mr. Blackburn that should we at any
time desire his advice we will not hesi-
tate to ask for 1t, knowing that he is not
only willing but anxious to speak (and
write) both in and out of season.
w. P. BURT.