The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1922-10-06
AUSTIN PEAY REPEATS
PLEDGES FOR REFORMS
Democratic Nominee Opens Campaign
at Murfreesboro.

~
Mnrfreesboro, Tenn, Oct Com
plete sbolition of the back tax ma
chine, a revolution in the assessment
system and the reorganization OF the
highway department were the high
peints in the opening speech of Aus
tin Peay, Democratic nomiree for
Governor, here to-day.
The speech is long one end was
weH received by the large crowd. A
few extracts follow:
/ say at the outset that ray pledges
to the people in the primary con-
strain my conscience, and none
should vote for mo in the coming
election with different or other un-
derstanding. All chat was said was
deliberately based upon my good
faith. This / say, because defeat,
if it results, is preferable to dishonor.
GOOD LEGISLATURE.
My efforts in the summer campaign
WCI0 u1ICCLCu IlOOh W IAO oOANS
ton of an outstanding and depend
able Legislature as tc my own nom
nation l am happy to state that a
set of unusually clean and high
minded representatives have been
nominated by the Democratic party
These will control the next General
Assembly.
TOO MUCH LAW.
My conviction, often stated, is that
wo now suffer from too much law.
The next Legislature will distinguish
itself by declining frivolous and tri-
vial legislation. It's attention should
be chiefly devoted to careful and
discreet review of existing statutes.
Those should be promptly repealed
which serve no useful purpose. Many
Of them merely plague the people and
worthless laws now cucumber the
statute books. The truth is that we
have set up in this country an au-
tocracy of law until the citizen is
living in a founder of uncertainty.
1t is impossible in the limits of
this speech to discuss administrative
details and all features of an official
programme. The larger matters can
sRly be mentioned. / repeat that the
vanities and notoriety of the govern
orship do not interest me, and that
certain ideas and reforms are respon-
sible for my candidacy. 1t is my am
kition to set to the world in Tennes-
see an example OF economical gov
ernment.
SOCIAL MOVEMENTS.
Our country has been recently
overrun with social movements.
Ideas and movements of all kinds
have been seeking and finding ex-
preston through governmental chan
nels The resulting expense has been
enormous an1 the effect upon our
plainly deteriorating. The
fact is that government in recent
years has largely departed it's true
sphere, and that it is fast degener-
ating into household Regulations.
STATE FINANCES.
The annual cost of the government
in our State has jumped in 20 years
from $2,50O,000 to more than $13,-
7e0, 900, and still an annual deficit
occurs. This deficit during
the present administration will run
between $1,000,000 and $2,0O0,O 900 |
In each year. Our tax reform has
aot corrected the trouble. Our fis-
cal plight is as bad as it ever was,
and the business of the State is thor
sughly demoralized. Debt has become
70 common as to be ignored. Gov.
Faylor publicly stated when a note
for $1,000,00O that he did
aot know the State owed the money,
Ind he had been in office nearly
rear. Wherever l went in my CAM
saign of 1918 1 predicted ethat our
axpayers would soon see their as
essments trebled, and their tax
ate doubled, unless existing condi-
ions were speedily corrected
rHE SLIDING SCALE.
Wherever he went in 1920 he de-
Iounced the sliding scale as vicious
hing which had grievously outraged
he people. Everybody heard him
enounce it, who heard him speak in
hat campaign. He let the LegisIa-
ure meet and adjorun without ask
ng its repeal. There is no question
hat visible property will always {
ear the brunt of taxation while the {
liding scale fixes our tax rate. Wis /
BILE property is mostly land. If Gov I
'aylor was right in all he said i
gainst the sliding scale, and he was, t
hen why did he leave it upon the I
eople? q
MEMBERS. II
Most members Of the Legislature c
pproach their duties without pre- q