The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1910-05-11
Mr.. SHAW REPLIES TO Mr.. IRWIN
Would-Be Senator Tells the Senator He Thought He
Knew More About the Income Tax Than He Does

FORT GAINES, Ca, May ED
;tor of The Dawson News: Please
rive me space for the following ar
+icle from the last issue of the
blade and Bludgeon, in reply to Sen
o+or Twins recent communications
in The News criticising me for ad-
vocating an income tax:
"SenatOr Irwin Has a Spasm."
Senator John R. Irwin has bounced
down upon the editor of this sheet
tbrough the columns of The Dawson
News and has shown to the world
how little a supposed statesman
l,nows about measures which come
before the people. We forgave this
sonator Just as soon as we read his
article for being opposed to the in
come tax. We thought that he knew
that the reason why Thomas Jeffer-
CON and every other democrat of note
favored an income tax was because
if would be levied upon net in
come of those who had more than
e. 600 per annum as clean pickings
after the years business had been
wonnd up. We supposed that he
knew that 5000 net income was the
lowest amount mentioned for taxa
lion. while many have held that it
should apply to incomes of $4,000
or more. We didn't know that he
believed that old story about the fell
low calling at every potato hill with
neck measure to get peck of those
Guessed that he thought that one bar
rel of syrup of each three of four
would have to be delivered to Uncle
Sans warehouse. We just couldn't
ouess that our distinguished sena-
tor thought that from each hens
brood or sow's litter that two, three
or more would have to be subtracted
and delivered to the tax-gatherer to
comply with the requirements of the
income tax. We knew that the cor
poration mongers and plutocrats
we're peddling such dope, but we
never dreamed that a senator from
the Eleventh district of Georgia
would swallow it. 1t is hard to have
the finger of scorn put in your face
because you have advocated a meas
ure which would make the Rookie
fellers, Morgans, Ryans and GuggeE-
heimers come across with their part
of the expenses of running this na-
tional government, but there is at
least one consolation for us, and that
is that this same finger of scOrn will
have to be placed in the faces of
Folk and LaFollette, Ex-Governor
Johnson of Minnesota, William ],
Bryan, Grover Cleveland, Hoke Smith
and Tom Watson, who have made
life study of political economy.
Senator, there is not a farmer in
Terrell county who would have been
fooled by those fellows as you claim
that you have been They know that
this tax is aimed at the big rich of
the country, and that it has been adj
vocated from the days of Jefferson
until now by men who love the peo-
pie and who have wanted to lift
some of the burden of governmental
expense from the shoulders of the
masses and place it upon the should
ers of the classes. They Know that
it would make Rockefeller, who owns
more property than the state of Geor-
gia is worth, fish up a roll of bills
big enough to choke a calf; but they
also know that no farmer, merchant
or blacksmith that you mention will
be taxed in Terrell county or any
other county should such a law be
written upon the national statute
books.
Yes, I've fought hard, been obnox-
ious, and considered mean by some
because of my support of this income
tax. / did hate to see the only thing
that has been offered to relieve the
poor from paying all, or practically
all, toward the government through
the tariff system defeated. l did
hate to see the legislature of old
democratic Georgia fail to even con-
slider it. Colonel, I want to call your
attention to the fact, sir, that every
ploW point, every other farm tool,
every pair of breeches or shoes rep
resent in its place on the shelves to-
day Just such venomous tax-gather-
er as you have depicted, which is
levying tribute as high as two to one
on every farmer, merchant and black
smith of your county and mine. |
lust couldn't help but want to pass
mat income tax, which would pull
TWO millions a year from ROckefel
ler's rock-pile to keep up that use
less and needless navy in times of
peace that you speak of instead of
letting all the tax be levied as now,