The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1908-05-27
GOVERNOR SMITH IN DAWSON

Some of the Things He Admitted, and
Some OtIle1 That He Did Not
Even Attempt to Explain.
After few preliminary remarks
Governor Smith, in his speech in
Dawson, took a copy of The Dawson
News containing a page published
by the Terrell County Joe Brown
Club, and proceeded to discuss and
explain some of the issues therein
mentioned.
He first took up the question of the
cotton rate from Dawson to Savan-
nah, and pleaded ignorance of the
fact that the rate is Z II cents per
bale higher than when he and his
Commission commenced business.
He promised in his first campaign to
reduce rates rather than increase.
Why has he not done so? Why has
he permitted the freight rate raised
and from $4,000 to $2,7O0 a year
added to the cost OF marketing the
cotton crop of Terrell county? This
money for increased freight, as ev-
cry one knows, comes from the pOck-
cts of the farmers.
We now state to the Governor, as
proof of the fact, that all the cotton
buyers in Dawson say it is true, both
the depot agents; also Chairman Nc
Tendon and Inman, Akers & Inman
say it is true.
He failed to explain why he didn't
reduce the rate on cotton fifty cents
per bale, and was quiet on the sub
ject of that $4,000,000 which he was
going to take away from the rail-
roads and give US.
He then took up the question of in
creasing the tax on fertilizers. He
said that no law was passed increas-
ing the tax from 10 cents to 25 cents
per ton, but admitted that he recon-
mended the passage of such a law,
and explained, or at least asserted,
that it wouldn't have hurt the farm
ers, as they could have purchased
their fertilizers just as cheap, any
way
He failed to go into the merits of
the immigration question, or to ex-
plain why free passes were allowed
to immigration agents when nobody
else could get one, and in explaining
about his prediction on the cotton
crop admitted that he predicted
that Georgia would make considera-
bly, more cotton than it did make
The Governor admitted RESPONSE
bility for that two-cent mileage book
FOR FIRMS AND CORPORATIONS
and their employees, and ADMITTED
THAT THE FARMER COULDN'T
BUY ONE OF THEM, assert
ing that the farmer doesn't need
that much transportation at one
time, as the book is for 1000 miles
and costs $4,000. He said, though
that he saw to it that the farmer and
others of the general public could
get a 500 mile book at "a cents
per mile. He didn't snow why he
failed to secure mileage book for
the general public at the same rate
as he did for the firms and corpora
tions, nor how his conduct in thi
matter had been in keeping with hi
original doctrine of EQUAL RIGFTS
TO ALL AND SPECIAL PRIVI-
LEGES TO NONE.
He admitted also that passenger
fares for the general public had been
increased on several roads from 2 "a
cents per mile to . y cents per mile
and attempted to Justify his conduct
by asserting that it became necessary
to satisfy the railroads, and that Joe
Brown was not responsible for the
original low rates.
The Governor then left these unin-
viting themes, and waxed eloquent
on his favorite subjects of niggers
railroads and rings, and among Other
things declared that he had made
the railroads pay $574,0 goo more tay
than they had ever paid before Ht
was especially severe on the l.. & n