The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1917-06-19
ONE MORE WEEK AND
THEN THE LEGISLATURE
KNOTTY FINANCIAL PROBLEMS
WILL FACE GEORGIA SoLoNs
WHEN THEY CONVENE.
NO MORE WRESTLING
WITH JOHN BARLEYCORN
Demon Rum Seems to Have Been
Disposed of For the Time Being.
Equalization Tax Law Will Be
Under Heavy Fire.


Equalization Tax Law Will Be
Under Heavy Fire.
We will have with us one week
from tomorrow, June 9th, the
Georgia general assembly, gathered
from Rabun Gap to Tybee Light, to
make and unmake the laws of the
land and settle the destinies of the
state.
After four sessions in the last two
years to wrestle with Demon Rum, it
is likely the solons, at the coming
session, will consider the Demon suf-
fciently wrestled with for the time
being, and in this session will de-
vote their attentions largely to mat
tiers other than prohibition.
1t is likely that this session of the
legislature will devote itself, in con-
siderable degree, to the financial con-
dition of the state.
Question of Revenue.
The fact that the estimated reven-
ue for the state for 1917 is already
$435,000 behind the appropriations
already made for 1917, and the furth-
er fact that this session of the leg
islature, as all sessions which have
ever met in Georgia, will want to
try its hand at appropriating, makes
it imperative that some attention be
paid to this rather strained status
of the states business affairs.
Legislatures for the last eight or
ten years have cut off sources of
revenue, and the time has about ar
rived when some legislature must,
perforce, try to find new sources.
What these sources will be cannot be
foretold, but it is certain that a tax
on soft drinks will be one of the
remedies offered.
To Repeal Tax Equalization.
The absence of the prohibition
issue" will mean, more than anything
else, casting about by fathers of
other isms for strength enough to sue
ceed to prominence. At this stage of
the game it looks as if the fight to
repeal the state tax equalization law
will, most likely, be the dominant
feature of the session. Brother C. M.
Taylor, of Monroe county, hasn't
spared time or effort since the last
session shaping things to lead the
fight against the present law, and
there is CONCEALED strength enough
showing now to almost conclusively
write the obituary of the act as it
stands in advance of the meeting
That there will be a fight against
repeal goes without saying, but that
it will be another such fight as the
one made to put it through original
ly is not to be expected. One, vote
put it over then, and common re-
port says a taxicab was used to
bring in that vote in the very nick of
time.
What method of handling the tax
problem and the untaxed property of
the state has not been so much a part
of the "repealists' " campaign as has
the effort to get rid of what is on
the statute books now. Representa-
tive Taylor has announced his will
lingness to get behind and aid in
the passage of some new and more
harmonious form of tax equalization,
but is unyielding, as he says the 9TH
ers of his following are on the ques-
ton of repeating the present law.
New State Senatorial Districts.
The proposition to redistrict the
state in its senatorial subdivision
will likely stand at least second in
Importance in the activity of the ses-
sion. That proposition will carry ar
arrangement increasing the number
Of districts IN the state to 81 instead
of Al, and the bill has been design
ed to leave, so far as possible, the
present districts undisturbed. The
plan, however, has worked out uni
formity of three counties to each dis
trict in the state, save one, which
will be composed of Fulton and De
Kalb. So far there has been heard of
practically no opposition to the prom
osition.
The bill does not make any
changes in the Eleventh district,
which is comprised of Terrell, Clay
and Randolph. If the bill passes. as
now seems likely, the districts will
be as follows;
1. Chatham, Bryan, Effingham.
2. Liberty, Mcintosh, Tattnall.
3. Toombs, Appling, Jeff Davis.
4. Glynn, Camden, Charlton.
5. Ware, Clinch, Coffee.
6. Echols, Lowndes, Berrien.
7. Brooks, Thomas, Grady.
8. Decatur, Mitchell, Miller.
9. Early, Calhoun, Baker
10. Dougherty, Worth, Colquitt.