The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1920-11-04
GOV. A. II. ROBERTS
VISITS Upton COUNTY

Gov A. H. Roberts spoke in the
courthouse in Coyington on Friday
afternoon to a crowd that more than
filled the circuit courtroom and was
listened to with undivided attention
during his speech of more than two
hours. The speaker was gracefully
introduced by Judge R, B. Baptist and
at the beginning of his speech the
governor paid a high compliment to
Judge Baptist as a judge and a eitl-
zen. Gov. Roberts launched at once
into a discussion Of the state police
bill. He told of many instances
where innocent parties owed their
lives to this law, while the state had
been saved thousands Of dollars in
property
The next issue discussed by the
governor was the taxation question.
He discussed this deliberately, showed
the great need Of an equitable tax
system when he was first elected gov
ernor. read from the platforms, both
Democratic and Republican of 1918,
IN which it was urged that a law be
enacted that would equalize the as
sessment Of all property so that all
the taxpayers should pay their just
proportion Of the taxes. He showed
the inequality Of the old system, some
counties paying far less than their
just proportion at the expense Of
others.
y l..,-Az made n 4Yimnpous and
convincing defense Of his tax laws
and exposed with telling effect the
fallacies Of his opponent. Col. ALI
TAYLOR, who advocates the repeal of
them and a return to the old system,
with some amendments, the effect
Of which, he said would be to further
embarrass the financial condition of
the state and handicap the public
schools of the state. TIE governor
nade an earnest and eloquent plea
for the success Of the State and nat
onal ticket, especially for Capt Cor
don Browning, Of the 9th congressional
district, against whom the Republi-
cans are concentrating all possible in
fluences. He pleaded earnestly for
the league of nations, declaring its
ratification would mean peace and
composure of the present unrest and
speedy return to normal conditions
in this country while its rejection
would break the pledge made with
our brave and daring soldiers who
sacrificed their lives to make liberty
secure and to promote the civiliza-
tion of the world.
Gov. Roberts went into detail or
the tax question and produced figures
Of different counties to demonstrate
where Upton county had previously
/ been paying on a valuation Of q
cents on the dollar, while counties Of
East Tennessee were paying on Ia
! 16, and 20 cents on the dollar. The
] state had been gradually adding 10 iis
! indebtedness. until over four million
dollars had been added to the floating
indebtedness of the state during the
past three administrations. He also
showed where certain corporations
which had been escaping taxation haC
been placed on the tax books to pay
their just debt to the state.
Gov. Roberts said that the new ta1
law would also mean that every chile
in the state would have opportunity
of receiving at least seven months
I schooling a year. Some counties al
present only had three months school
He was enthusiastically applaudet
when he appealed for the support O
Cox for president and Hubert +
Fisher for congress.
Gov. Roberts has spoken here be
fore, but Fridays speech was pro
nounced as the best he has yet made
befare Upton county audience,
There were many ladies in thu
audience who heard the governors
speech with the greatest interest anC
he was given a cordial Misunderstanding
by many prominent citizens of botl
4 saves after the speaking