The Savannah morning news., 1902-02-16
TERRELL OPENS IN SNOW.
FIRED OPENING GUN OF CAMPAIGN
AT CANTON.


AT CANTON.
OeoIt with Condition of Stnte's FL
Hnnccs. and Contrasts Them With
Condition of Affairs I'm IS72-Pres-
eut Rate OF Taxation TOO High.
BETTER system of Common schools
Needed and Teachers should He
H'aid More ReEuIarIS--Pens nsions
and other Matters Touched Upon.
Canton. Ga. Feb, 15.-Hon. Joseph
ii. Terrell fired his opening gun of the
campaign here to-day. The ground
was covered with six inches of snow
and the weather was wintry. The re-
suit was a small crowd. there being
somewhere in the neighborhood Of 200
people present in the Court House, of
whom about thirty were ladies. Mr..
Terrell spent yesterday and to-day
here. and met large number of the
people of this section. Judge James
r. Brown. former judge of this cir
cult. and a brother of the late Senator
Brown. was among those who called
on him.
Mr. Terrell was introduced to his
audience by James V. Keith, chairman
of the Terrell Club recently organized
in Cherokee county.
After the usual pleasantly and in
opening his speech he went right to
state issues.
Mr.. Terrell spoke in part, as follows.
For several years there has been
some division among the white voters
.ot Georgia and in some sections con-
s-orable strife and bitterness result
t from such division. The era of good
ling which now seems to be draw
iug upon us promises a speedy and
complete reunion of the white people.
5-st US not in the administration of
our party laws, do aught that may
serve to keep US mindful of our past
family quarrels. Let us rather admin
lister the affairs of the Democratic
party upon such basis as will evoke
the sympathy and support of all the
people who are devoted to the great
underlying principles of Democracy,
irrespective Of past party affiliations.
Let us for a moment consider the
present conditions of the states finan-
cial affairs and compare them with
can float our public debt at rate of
4nterest as low as any state i'm the
Union, or as the United States gov
eminent, Doesn't this prove most
clearly that the business world has ev-
cry confidence in the state government
and in the people back of that govern
ment? Such was not the condition in
1872. Then we had to pay : and even
S per cent. for money to meet our ma
turing obligations, now we can float
our debt at less than 3lb per cent. The
present bonded indebtedness is about
$1.S00.0 900. Hence, in the item of inter
est alone there is an annual saving of
about $215.000. Besides this the bond
ed de'St is decreasing by the retirement
c- at least 100000 of same every year
We are told that the tax rate, how
ever is larger than in 1872. That is
true. 1t was mills or $4.00 on every
thousand dollars entered upon the tax
digest in 1872. 1t is now 5.44 mills. or
S5.44 on every thousand dollars Why
is it higher? Solely because the people
of Georgia so wilfed and directed. The
people demanded the common school
system and voted for it in the adop-
fion OF the constitution of 1877, and
the Democratic Legislature in sup
porting that system have only been
carrying out the direction of the ,peo-
pie.
THE people demanded pensions for
the Confederate Veterans and Demo-
cratic Legislatures submitted to them
constitutional amendments authorizing
such pensions. In 1872 there was prac-
tically no school system and no pen
sion system, hence the money coming
into the state treasury from all
sources was expended in the payment
of the interest on the public debt, and
The support of the government. Were
we to so apply all the money coming
into the state treasury now, from all
sources, except property tax, we would
nave surplus of nearly $4,000 per an
mum. In other words we could pay the
interest on our bonded debt and sup
port the state government and all the
various public institutions from rental
of the Western and Atlantic Railroad.
and special taxes. without imposing any
TAX whatever upon the property of the
citizen and have a surplus of between
$4,000 and $4,000 ever year We could
pay the interest. support the govern
ment and public institutions, and pay
100000 on our bonded debt annually.
by levying property tax of 13 cents
on the 81. .000
Ihe total revenue paid in the State
treasury for the year ending Sept. 80
1901 tour last report year,. amounted
TO SS,SO4, 1873. OF this amount the fol-
lowing items resulted from the state
levy of 3.44 mills on property returns
ad valorem
On property on
dlgests ......... 81 ,S95. .435 81
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