Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1913-06-29
GOVERNOR SLATON
is OPTIMISTIC
Believes in Great Future For
Georgia.
"a
MAKES INAUGURAL ADDRESS
GOverncr Advocates Additional APP
pr9priations for SchoOl-Financial
Co4titiOn of State Needs Investi-
Acknowledgements Remedies.
Inauaural Address.

Yemen OF the General Assembly:
The progress of the world has beer
accomplished by the optimist He ma;
discovered new countries, buildec
railroads, united continents, estab
Ashed cities, founded institutions OF
learning, ano by his faith and courage
mas proved benefactor of his fellow
man. Never have the people of Geor
ga had greater reason to be proud of
her achievements, nor more sanguine
OF her future, than at present. In the
exercise of it, governmental functions
1t is rendering more service and con,
tributing more to the happiness of her
citizens than ever before.
Thirty years ago, struggling under
the burdens of the Civil war, our brave
and patriotic fore-fathers could hardly
provide more than the protection OF
the courts, with scanty allowance
for the education of her youth.
For the year 1918, Georgia appro.
priated $2,550,000.00 to her public
schools, of which nearly $2,000,00000,
comes directly from the Treasury. No
larger amount is directly appropriated
by any Southern State, and almost by
no State in the Union In those States
which contributed much more than
Georgia for educational purposes the
money is raised by local taxation.
This State has adopted the wise and
humane plan of working her convicts
on the roads in lieu of hiring them to
private parties and receiving the pro
ceeds of Their labor into her Treasury.
Thus she has conferred on rural COM
munities immeasurable benefits in rem
dering the markets accessible to theil
products, has made possible the estab
ment of easier intercourse with their
neighbors, has caused the improve
ment of their school, the facilitation of
rural mail delivery, and has enhanced
to an Unreasonable extent the value
of their lands. 1t is reported by the
United States Government that, in
1911, more work was done on the roads
of Georgia than in any other State,
New York alone excepted.
She has established her College OF
Agriculture, and her Agricultural
Schools in every District in Georgia
where the farmer boys may learn the
dignity of their calling, and the high
ability and education which it's intelli
gentVpursuit requires. BY the instruc
ton afforded along these lines her cit
liens are taught the scientific meth
DDS of multiplying the products of the
soil and of graduating those evils
which have ever menaced farm life. In
the increased production of corn, in
soil examination and the scientific sp
plication of fertilizers, by the raising
of meat instead of its purchase, stimu
lated by knowledge of the means for
the eradication of diseases of hogs and
cattle, our farms receive a greater
charm, and our farmers a larger re
ward for their labors.
States Finances.
desire to impress upon you with
all the force that solemn duty com
mands, that it is imperative for you tC
make an investigation into the finan
cial condition of the State, to consider
the reasons occasioning the present
situation and to take steps for the i'm
mediate correction of the evil. 1t is
not the part of the patriot to shut his
eyes to danger and to rush heedlessly
to ruin. Our wise OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
men who never departed from original
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. of the histo
ries and fatal lessons of other peoples
-endeavored by constitutional provis
ion to safeguard the expenditure of the
peoples money, and by the clearest
constitutional mandate to prevent the
incurrence of debt. They regarded the
payment of public debt as matter OF
public honor, and every Georgian has
inherited that lofty conception of pub
lie duty.
In 1884, 1890, 1894, 1900, 1908, the
people provided by Constitutional
amendments for additional classes OF
PENSIONERS, or Acts we're passed in
pursuance of such amendments. When
the Constitutional amendment limiting
the tax rate to five mills was passed
IN 1904. the sum appropriated to pen
sions was 1866, 100000. In that year
amount appropriated to Public Schools
from ad valorem taxes, was $1,000,
100000.
Now the amount appropriated tc
public Schools directly from the
treasury, is approximately 100000
While we are increasing the appro
priations on the one hand, we have
been cutting off revenue on the other
hand.
In 1908, the State received from the
hire Of convicts the sum of $3.50, 70944
In 1909 there was received from this
source the sum of $1S4,SS1.O0 or loss
Of revenue of $195, 1888. Since 1909,
Dothirs has been received into the
Treasury from this source. Taking
+be amount received in 1908 as the ba'
sis If the value OF the hire of convicts
vybieh. of course, is much less than
than they would bring now, the Treas
ury Of the State Will have lost from
tbe beginning of the year 1908 to the
end Of the year 1918, the sum OF
si,7issse.15.
7, 1907 the liquor tax amounted to-