The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1910-06-29

vision for the convenience of the
voters should be made. Registrars
should be provided for each militia
district, or the tax collector should
be compelled to visit in person on
some fixed or advertised days before
each primary or general election for
the purpose of affording each voter
this facility without extreme incon-
venience to him. 1t is proper to add
that by the census of 1900 SO per
cent. of the population of this state
resided in the country, a large pro-
portion of them many miles from the
court houses"
Other Recommendations.
The prompt payment of teachers is
next urged by the governor. He
again recommends ansamendment to
the constitution authorizing the is
suance of about 100000 of bonds,
the proceeds of which may be used
to create permanent loan fund for
the payment of teachers salaries, to
be returned to said loan fund the
last of each year when the taxes are
collected.
A better taxing system is urged by
the executive. On the subject he
says: Bearing in mind now that to
the taxpayer is our first and highest
duty, let me say that in naught is
reform more needed than in our tax
levying methods. The present sys-
tenn is old, cumbersome, crude, mad
equate and unjust. No principle of
oh
reverence and care than that which
says that all the burdens of govern
ment shall be borne equally by the
beneticiaries. 1t is just as necessary
that there be equal obligation and
duty as that there should be equali-
ty in the distribution of benefits. No
one who has given the matter exam
ination will argue that the burden
of taxation is equally borne by the
citizens of Georgia. Instead, the
greatest of inequalities exist and will
continue to exist until some method
by which this burden shall be equal
ly distributed has been adopted"
The governor is in favor of cutting
down expenses in the office of the
state railroad commission, and The
! News believes that the people of
Georgia are ready to agree with him
here. On the subject he says:
1.-The sovereign people of Georgia,
in the election which chose your hon
orable bodies, adopted, through their
representatives, a platform which
contained the following expression of
their will:
We are opposed to unnecessary
offices which levy additional taxes on
the people, and we ask the legisla-
ture to scan carefully Georgias pay
roll to the end that all sinecures be
cut off. We especially favor a reduc-
ton in the membership of the pres
ent railroad commission from five to
three, and the abolition of the office
of special attorney of the same
II respectfully renew the recon-
mendation made in my first message
that this mandate of the people be
made effective"
Biennial sessions of the general
, assembly are favoreI in the message.
He declares that only about one-half
dozen states in the American union
now have annual sessions of their
law-making bodies, and the senti-
, ment of the people of Georgia ap-
J pears positive to the effect that this
{ state should be freed from the ex-
pense of yearly sessions, which are
calculated, also, to burden the peo-
pie with unnecessary laws.
Other Things Coming.
In conclusion Governor Brown
says:
Rather than make this message
too voluminous l have deemed it wise
to postpone the discussion of some
matters which I shall bring to your
attention few days later.
And now, in conclusion, allow me
to repeat the assurance of co-opera-
ton with which I closed my first
message to your honorable bodies.
Our powers and duties, it is we'll
, known, are different, but associate.
You occupy the dual status of being
the crystaliZation of the sovereign
; people and the agents of the same to
whom they have delegated duties
which they have made mandatory.
l am the executive of their will as
written upon the statute books by
you. The executive cannot enact
law; he cannot repeal a law; but,
with the instruments of authority
placed in his hand, he can enforce
the laws you enact Let us, then,
hold ever in mind that the protection
of society, equally, impartially, firm
ly, discerningly and completely is our
paramount duty to the people of the
state"