The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1912-08-02
RP0WN VETOES TIPPINS BILL
.o,rrRNOR ASSERTS HE WAS
o,,-r,N MANDATE BY PEOPLE.
,a,,ates It's Passage Was a Political
Move, and Points Out There Was
M Such Haste Year Ago.


,r1ANTA.-Gov. ]. M. Browns
.+o message to the legislature on
Wednesday on the Tippins bill deals
u4+h the situation without gloves.
%oIding that he has direct man
,ato from the people to veto the Dill
~ IFS massage by both houses with
Ont having been to them for rat1hca-
tion he also makes the inference that
~ nos showed through the Legislature
nth great speed and put up to him
CIV action in an effort at political
embarrassment. He asks why it
Was not as pertinent an issue while
the legislature was in session dur
mo his predecessors term of office as
il is now.
The governor lays great stress on
the fact that the bill, if it becomes a
statute. will prohibit the sale of
many remedies especially designed to
alleviate suffering humanity; that
+bat alone is sufficient to merit its
massage being blocked. To the sug-
gostion that another Legislature
might remedy that admitted evil he
answers that a year would be alto
eetber too long to have such an abb
surd restriction in force.
The revenue loss to the state in its
now deplorable financial condition is
gone into analytically and fully. The
loss of over 100000 annual reve-
nup, with the teachers salaries now
disgracefully in arrears, with no i'm
mediate prospect of their payment,
he points out as being an exceedingly
serious matter.
The near beer revenue, he points
out, is derived from the city counties.
One hundred and thirty-one counties
of Georgia will have to bear their
pro rata share of the extra taxation
to make up this deficit. These coun-
ties, as it is, contribute not one cent
of the 100000 which would be lost
by the adoption of the Tippins bill as
q law of Georgia.
The enforcement of the law by the
chief executive of the state he also
treats of. He asks if it is expected
that every time a man illegally buys
a 25-cent bottle of beer the governor
must personally see to his arrest,
prosecution and conviction. If the
Tippins bill carries with it the usurp-
alton by the governor of the duties
of county officials why not deliver all
laws into his hands to enforce in de-
tail?
He points to the present prohibi-
ton law, quoting its keynote clause,
which, he asserts, if enforced would
serve all that is aimed at by the
Tppins bill.
Again he states that when he serv-
ed notice on the voters of Georgia
that if elected he would veto any
prohibition measure which came to
him without their direct approval
the Tippins bill was then drawn up
and awaiting passage, that the people
knew this and knowing it and his
stand they returned him to power.
In this connection he says:
Il must repeat that which I stated
time and again during the campaign,
that l read no governmental text
book greater than the Constitution
and know no obligation more bind |
ing than the ascertained will of the
people. This state and government
are theirs, and if they wish to as
sumo any responsibility for loss of
revenue or other self-privation it is
within their sovereign province so to
do. There is no repulsive force so
marvellous, yet so compelling, as the
institution of the people. There is
no greater mandate than their voice
as spoken at the ballot box; and l
will add that the white voters OF
this state know that this bill was on
your calendar when I made the
pledge above referred to and they |
voted for me with that knowledge.
Hence, l dare not trife with the peo-
pie. The pledge made is my COM
pact of honor with them. Like Jep-
ina OF old, I have opened my mouth |
unto the Lord, and 1 cannot go
back
There is food for thought in the
above for every executive or other
oficeholder in the land. While al
ways performing his duty Governor
Brown has ever been considerable of
the people, and he has grown in
strength and favor with the masses
as result.
Governor Browns message has
been widely read and commented up
On as strong document. He states
the reasons for his veto in clear and |
terms.
Friday was fixed as the day for
The consideration of the governors |
veto.