Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1922-06-23
SERIOUS CHARGES
.ARECONTA!NEDI IN
OPEN STATEMENT
Former Collector OF Internal Rev
enue Uses Direct Language in
Discussing Commissioner


Times s-Recorder. "A. O. Blalock
former collector of internal revenue
for Georgia, and now candidate fo
commissioner of agriculture to sue
ceed j. j. Brown, today authorizes
the following statement containing
startling allegations as to the man
ner in which Brown is conducting th'
affairs of the department:
Hundreds OF inquiries have
come to me from all parts of Geor-
gia as to reforms l intend to make
in the Department of Agriculture
if elected commissioner. In re-
sponse to these | take this occasion
to call attention to certain mat
ters which l consider of prime inn
portance.
"Our present commissioner gives
false prophecies as to the values
of our produce. While our people
are groaning under taxation and
are having their farms sold under
their feet, and at time when they
should have the most sympathetic
cooperation, the entire energies
of the Department Of Agriculture
are being used to build and main
tain a political machine, the objects
of which is the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Of
individuals rather than to serve the
purpose for which it was establish
ed.
Instead of using The great re-
sources placed at his disposal for
the benefit Of agriculture, or if
not so used turning it into the
treasury of the state, he employs
hundreds of useless officials. Huge
> sums Of the peoples monies are
paid to buy off opposition to the
commissioner and procure influ-
ence in the general assembly; for
instance, it is common knowlege
that senator, who a year ago was
threatened to become an opponent
of the present commissioner, IS
now drawing salary of S250.0O
per month and expenses to active
" canvass the state in the interest
of J j. Brown. 1t is also COM
mon knowledge that an officer of
the general assembly, who occupies
position which enables him to
count the votes cast upon the
commissioners measures, draws in
addition to the splendid sum which
the state allows him as such Of
ficer $250.00 per month and a
handsome expense account from
the funds in the hands of the COM
missioner of agriculture. His du-
ties are to work for the reelection
of the commissioner and to serve
his interests in matters coming be-
fcre the general assembly in which
the commissioner is interested. 1t
is also common knowledge that the
commissioner allows magnificent
expense accounts to useless inspec-
tors while loafing at the capitol.
1t is also common knowledge that
the commissioners farms out the
patronage of his office to people
who will out of their unearned per-
quisites repay the defalcations of
the commissioners appointees to
useless and unnecessary jobs and
who collect revenues but do not
turn them in.
"Oil inspectors swarm the pay
roll, yet oil inspection amounts to
very little. A great many inspec-
tors are drawing salaries for doing
a very small amount of work. The
public ought to get real oil inspec-
ton by competent inspectors, ap-
pointed by reason of their qualifi-
cations instead of their political
influence. They ought to get it
cheaper, and will get it cheaper
under my administration.
Fertilizer inspectors also swarm
the payroll, yet fertilizer inspec-
ton likewise amounts to very lit
tie. All fertilizers bought by our
farmers ought to be inspected, but
under the present system only a
small per centage is inspected.
This work can be organized in sucn
way as to inspect all fertilizers,
and at the same time reduce the
cost of inspection at least three
fourths. This would insure all
farmers getting tested and approx
ed fertilizers and would impose no
hardship on the fertilizer manufac-
turers.
"Oil inspection and fertilizer in
spection, as at present organized,
seems to be for the purpose of Gre
ating maximum of political APP
pointees and a maximum of sine
cure salaries with minimum OF
service rendered and minimum
of protection for the public.
"The market bureau of the De-
partment of Agriculture costs en-
tirely too much money for the
amount of service it renders. Some
individual producers no doubt have
felt the benefits of it swork, but
thousands of others have never
been reached. The market bureau
ought to be reorganized. It's serv-
ice ought to be SO broad and con-