The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1910-07-13
SHAW'S ABLE 'SKEETER BILL
FORGOT ABOUT FARMERS AND
HIS PROMISES TO THEM.
Sole Effort at Legislation Was to Pro-
teCt Himself and Other Drum
mers From Mosquito Bites.

merS From Mosquito BITES.
Editor of The Dawson News: In
1906 E. R. Shaw canvassed Clay
county for the legislature, and was
elected over a splendid citizen who
did not canvass the county or even
ask a voter for his suffrage. Shaw
made house to house canvass, and
promised great things for the agri-
cultural interests, and spread him
self in opposition to free passes; yet,
the first act of his when the legis-
lature convened in 1907 was to ac-
cept a free pass and drum all over
Georgia on it, travelling side by side
with drummers selling goods in COM
petition with him who had to pay
their fares, this being we'll known
and admitted by him. 1t is believed
that this pass Melted him more money
than his pay as a representative. He
travelled in southwest Georgia, where
mosquitoes were bad, and probably
that fact is what caused him to lose
sight of his promises and fail to offer
any bill, during his two-year term of
office, in the interest of the farmer.
But the mosquitoes pestered his own
hide, which was so tender that he
introduced his mosquito bill, which
won him fame. / attach the mosquito
bill with all of the amendments that
were offered to it by other legisla-
tors, and print it below so the pub
lie can get a specimen of his states
manship and draw their own conclu-
sions as to the record he made and
what the legislators thought of it.
"a Gin -,
the house, but passed into oblivion as
1.-The great mosquito farce" of the
age.
A number of good bills intro
duced by other members of the leg
islature received the required num-
Der of votes, and were made into
laws But, to read the Blade and
Bludgeon, they were all due to Shaw.
Il done it ALL" 1--WE" Just didn't
have anything to do with it at oil.
This should make the authors and
supporters of these bills feel little
and insignificant
With this public record and to
now try to "snap" into the senate
in violation of the new primary law
(Which was passed with his help and
vote to prevent "snaps"), and swing
ing on to the one-county idea, which
Governor Smith made plain was con-
trary to the public interests (for the
same reasons given in McAllsters
recent card in the newspapers) it
looks like he has sold out to the
gang" who have the barrel and who
are catching at straws for their con-
tinued existence McAllister is to be
commended for his open fight for
clean politics, and for law and JUS
tice to prevail. Shaw says several
other districts are making just such
fights for the gang, who, it looks
like, have bought him and his ad-
visers in Clay. But it is to be hoped
that every district will rise up en-
mass and defeat these men like the
Eleventh district intends doing to
the man who neglected the interests
of the farmers to legislate against the
mosquito and save his own hide If
they do, two years from now we will
have the cleanest political state in
the union, and Senator McAllister
will have the full credit of routing
the gang"
But there are some good folks who
are fooled yet Are you blind?
Farmers, you can see from the mos
quito bill that Shaw had made up
his mind to stop at nothing less than
$3.50 a day hotels, $45 per month.
Therefore, in his mind, it is all right
for the mosquitoes to eat up the
guests Of any hotel charging less than
$l.5O How many of you reading this
will be able to pay the price, and not
be at the mercy of the pests? The
masses of the people stop at $1.00
per day hotels. Was he a friend of
them? you naturally ask.
1t is told that Shaw liked to have
talked the whole legislature to death
explaining his mosquito bill, the esti-
mate being four to six times to each
member of the house of IT'S mem
bers. He imagined all were for his
bill as to get rid of him they prom
ised to help him, but not a vote did
it get but his own. He expected a
unanimous vote for his "Skeeter
Bill, and no doubt a handsome bou-
quet brought in on silver waiter
for his noble efforts in behalf of the
farmers(?)
In conclusion I will say that I am
for McAllister, and so certain am |
that he will carry Clay county that
If he fails | will agree to walk to