Putnam County herald. (Cookeville, Tenn.) 1903-1922, 1920-05-13

| AnOtner vicious law that should b
repealed is the state police statute
creating a secret body of 600 mel
under the direct control of the Cover
nor. Other Visions and obsolete law
will be mentioned as the campaign
i progresses.
Adjustments
The proposition to abolish tn,
state railroad commission should
meet the approval of every either
except the commissioners. If this
distinguished body has ever rendered
a service to the public in genera
it has escaped public notice. 1t has
degenerated into mere caudal ap
pendage of the defunct theory thai
it would fix passenger and freight
rates and make the railroads steI
around. BY putting an end to this
| farce thousands of dollars can be
saved and put to some useful pur
| pose.
By abolishing its attachments the
state will also be rid of the public
utilities act, one of the most harmful
ripper laws ever passed. This, too
| is Roberts law. Under it's provis-
ions the railroad commission can an.
null the plain charter. provisions OF
street railway companies, increase
the fares at will, and thus set aside
the constitutional guarantee against
impairment of contracts.
The state board of administration,
and printing commission are expen-
may be said of numerous clerks in
the various departments, who should
be discharged and put at some en-
ployment that would produce some
thing besides expense. All state de-
partments should be put on the basis
of requiring real efficiency at the
lowest possible cost.
Law and Order
The Governor is vigorously in ia
vor of law and order and has been
prancing over the state shouting this
fact from the housetops. However
all good citizens believe in our laws
being enforced, hence he has no mo-
nopoly. have few ideas regard
ing the enforcement of law, and sug-
gest a few instances of law violation
that require attention. Section IL OF
Chapter 1, Public Acts of 1919, Gov.
Roberts pet assessment law, provides,
THAT when said Board shall have
finished the equalization of properties
as hereinbefore provided, it shall ap-
pend to the record of it's action an Of
fetal certificate signed by its mem
bers, or majority thereof, that the
values of assessments equalized by it
have been equalized, fixed and COM
puted in conformity with the standard
prescribed by this Act. Final action
must be taken and certified by the
Board not later than October /, for
the current year, and taxes shall be-
come due on December l."
The Board referred to is the State
Board of Equalization. The law was
enacted in January, 1919. The Sec
ton quoted above provides that the
Board MUST certify its assessments
not later than October 1, for the cur
rent year. That was 1919. The law
was violated and no assessment made |
at all under the new law. The State |
Board of Equalization issued long
statement, to which they attached |
their signatures, boldly refusing to
carry out the plain mandates of the
aw, and suspended it's operation for
/ year. AS result of this action no
was legally made and no
axes legally collected in 1919
state or county. For this action
members of the Board should be
and it is pertinent to in
Iuire why the Governor, in his holy
eal for law enforcement, has not
instituted custer proceedings against
hem. Let him answer.
Another thought. II this new
angled assessment law was so
wonderfully beneficial to the people;
it would perform the mirocle of
vastly increased revenues
rithout materially increasing taxes,
'hy in the name of common sense
tas it not allowed to operate last
ear? Aye, there's the rub. If this |
Nv had been allowed to operate in
919, A. H. Roberts, it's alleged auth 9
r., could not have carried a county t
/ the state for denomination. BY s
aving the law summarily and un- s
lwfully suspended for one year the b
lxpayers could not know what it a
ould DO to their purses until after o
ov. Roberts could be, as he thought 2
ould be renominated, and then the p
taxpayers who vote the II
ticket could be whipped
to line in November under the 4
'ur of partisonship aroused by the a
ltional election. But opposition has b
,peared in the person of your hum d
e servant, and the Governor must r.
wv. go before the voters of Demo- "
attic faith, defend his record and
,ht for denomination. He has made
S own bed; let him lie in It, q m
Another ugly feature of the Eat- ii
r is the fact that memb6y of the g,
neral assembly was appointed CT