The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1920-07-06
The One Big Need.
From the Jackson Progress-Argus.

The state of Georgia is very sick in a
financial way from what one reads IN the
jpapers. The state has been bled for one
purpose and another until the symptoms are
becoming acute and the specialists are now
being consulted 1t is hoped to save the
patient, though to do so 1T is agreed there
must be some cutting" done.
| Governor Dorsey advocates tax reform.
This is no doubt most desirable. Taxes
ought to be equalized as far as IS humanity
possible so that every man may bear MS
lust portion of this burden. Tax reform,
Thought least all we have ever heard
of-works only one way, upward. You
hardly ever hear of tax reform downward.
There is now talk of raising the constltu-
tional limit of five mills.
Joe Hill Hall of Macon advocates reform
of another kind He takes the position that
the legislature is too extravagant and that
appropriations ought to be pared down to
! fit the income Though not a member of
the present legislature Mr.. Hall is contrib
uting some interesting articles to the press
on Georgia's financial problems. When he
was in the legislature Mr.. Hall won for him
self the name of the watch dog of the
treasury" He could always be found
against extravagant appropriations.
Georgia is not a pauper state by any
means. Neither do the people want to see
any legitimate institution suffer- through
lack of support. The people are liberal in
their attitude toward the educational and
eleemosynary institutions. They favor
progressive policy in education. They rec
ognize the fact that all of the states insti-
buttons for higher learning, as well as the
great cause of the common schools must be
literally supported. Neither would they
vote to take away dime that goes to sup
port the large number of unfortunates at
the state sanitarium at Milledgeville. The
people of Georgia want to see the pensions
of confederate soldiers and their widows
paid promptly. They want the state tuber-
culosis sanitarium to have all the money it
needs. Likewise all other deserving insti-
buttons should be supported and encour
aged.
| But-and here's the rub-there is a feel
ing that the legislature creates too many
offices and fills them with high salaried office
holders; that the state is already burdened
with departments; that the state is living
beyond its income. Unfortunately for Geor-
| gia certain politicians with pet schemes to
nurture have the habit of appropriating
more money than the income will justify.
Any man or set of men does a foolish thing
to vote money with no funds in sight to pay
the debt. No business man would do it.
| One great trouble with public business is
that it suffers for lack of business leader
ship.
Tax reform is all right. But the thing
Georgia and the entire country needs right
now is old fashioned economy. When dol
lar is voted for any purpose there ought to
be dollar in sight. to pay the appropria
ton. Georgia needs to get away from slip
shod methods of doing business and conduct
its affairs on strict business principles, with
the interest of the taxpayers receiving first
consideration. When this is done perhaps
there will not be any need for tax reform.