The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1914-10-02
SOUTHERN GOVERNORS PUT THE
PROBLEM UP TO COGRESS-
MEN AND SENATOR'S.
SLATON STATES HIS ATTITUDE
In No Uncertain Terms, and Senator
Smith Takes Exceptions. Former
Urges Passage of the Latter's Bill.
Recent Campaign Recalled.


Recent Campaign Recalled.
| WASHINGTON, D. C.-The play
full pastime of passing the buck
was the main occupation of the con-
ference today and tonight between
the governors of the cotton states
and the representatives of those
states in congress.
The governors at conference this
afternoon primed themselves with a
resolution which stated that the
states have no power to act in the
emergency The members of con-
gress fought this idea tooth and toe
nail and publicity was taboo.
Newspaper men were excluded
from all conferences, including one
tonight The meeting was occupied
for thirty minutes in discussing
whether the meeting should be open
or closed. Representative Tribble of
Georgia moved that members of the
press be admitted. This was strenu-
ously fought by Senator Hoke Smith
and others. The debate grew so heat
ed ia One stage that a panic-stricken
speaker shouted:
keep EN- Out"
eff you let these New England fell
lers in here they'll magnify our little
differences so much that they'll pick
our scheme all to pieces. For God
Almigthys sake keep them fellers
QUIT"
Representative Tribble gave later
as his reason for wanting newspaper
men admitted that false information
had previously been given out re-
garding the cotton question. AS an
example, he said that committee
had been appointed to look into the
constitutionality of a federal law
limiting the production Of cotton.
This committee, he said, had voted
two to one against the constitution
aIity of such law, but press notices
given to newspaper men by senator's
stated that a committee Of five had
voted unanimously that such a law
would be constitutional.
The differences were no greater
than this:
The members of congress wanted
to pass the solution to the states; the
governors refused to accept the
duck" Governor Slaton of Georgia
spoke SO vigorously that no closed
door could deafen the sound of his
voice.
SlatOn Stands Pat.
''This is the first time in history
that a member of congress has issued
an invitation to the governors of the
states to come here so that you could
tell us what to do We can tell you
how much we can do, what condi-
lions are in our states and what our
constitutions forbid doing, but you
need not ask us to advocate to our
legislatures any plan which we know
is unconstitutional, which is opposed
to the laws which we have sworn to
uphold. No matter what this meet
| ing decides / shall stand by my con-
victions."
Though Governor Slaton declined
to be drawn into a speech at the
Geogia luncheon today he spoke out
in meeting tonight in the most Wig
orous fashion. He stated in reply to
question from a member of con-
gress that before leaving Atlanta for
Washington he asked the attorney
general Of Georgia various questions
/ as to the power of the states to hand
| lie the cotton situation and that the
decalogue included every suggestion
that was made since he has been in
| Washington The attorney general
told him positively, he said, that the
| Georgia legislature has no such func-
tions; that it cannot issue currency;
! that it cannot reduce acreage; that 1t
cannot levy a special tax to buy cot
ton nor could the individual counties
| in any way deal with the situation,
| for greater restrictions are placed
the counties than on the state.
Senator Smith Replies.
In mis- speech of half an hour or
more Governor Slaton referred by
indirection to a publication in the
! Georgia press coming from members
of congress that the matter is now
solely with the states, to which Sen
ator Hoke Smith took exception, say
ing that he had thought the states
in a general way might do something.
This aroused Georgia's chief execu-
tive to a vociferous speech which re-
called the recent Georgia campaign.
Governor Slaton said that he had
been to Washington once before and
had found nc disposition on the part
of cogress to do anything for the
lcotton growers, that to the contrary
congress was disposed TO discourage
any suggestions to help the cotton
frmer, and that he (the governor
had stated in the press that congress
was trying to shift the responsibility