The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1922-07-28
Statement by MT. Bra alton

To the Tax Payers of Obion Coun
ty, Tennessee: In answer to candl.
date Caldwell's circular of Saturday
July %, 1922, of Misrepresentation
and misstatements, wish to say
that when he first became a candi-
date | invited him, thru Dr.. LoriHi ing,
to go with me over the county and
discuss our candidacy together open
ly and publicly to all, which he de-
cluined
He refers to the Confederate sol
diers. l voted to increase the pen
sion five dollars a month; it became
law and they are now drawing
twenty dollars month instead of fif-
teen. He says Mason Hall lost a
high school. Mason Hall has had a
lawsuit over same school. and the
court held that the taxes for said
school were fifteen cents on the hun
dred dollars instead of thirty.
voted for the thirty cents.
He charges me with voting for the
State Fair Bill. l voted for this bill
under a misapprehension of facts
which l will explain to the voters at
the Courthouse in Union City We'd
nesday night, the I'd of August,
1922, at eight o'clock, and invite Mr.
Caldwell and my other three oppo-
nents to meet me there and tell the
voters why l shouldn't have an in
dorsement for the second term.
He refers to the salary bill. The
Legislature of 1919, when Mr.. Cald-
well was in the Senate, voted them
selves a considerable bonus. The
Comptroller declined to pay this bo-
nus. Mr.. Weldon, of Paris, Mr.. Cald
we'll and others sued the Comptroller.
The suit was carried thru the Su-
preme Court. The Supreme Court
held they could have it, and the Act
shows that they drew it, The appro-
priation Committee of 1921 put the
same amount, $3.50, in the last ap-
preparation bill. They also put $4,000
in said bill for the Governor. voted
against the entire appropriation bill.
The Governor did not veto the same.
My bonus of $3.50 was sent me by the
in June. l have it now.
l hereby appoint the following COM
mittee: Hunter Elan, Harris Parks
and Avery Beck, and l have turned
over to. Mr.. Elan my $3.50 bonus.
ask him to appoint the same number
as committee and turn over this |
bonus to them, and whatever they do |
| will abide by it.
He further charges me with voting !
for the Back Tax Law This is I'M
and wholly untrue. Sen
ator Parham's bill to repeal the en-
tire Back Tax Law was killed in the
Senate. This was the bill we all
agreed to stand behind and it was
never on the floor of the House. Sen
ator Chambers amendment to the
present Back Tax Law was passed,
and l voted for same, which reduced
he Back Tax Attorneys fees from
.hirty-three and one--third to fifteen
per cent.
He says something about Hickman
Countys bonds. l don't remember
If ever hearing of Hickman County's
ponds before. 'T
He says l did not vote against the
ak to the three normals and the ne
gro normal. This is the first l ever
heard of this. Possibly it was dis
,ussed while l was getting a drink
If water.
He says Bratton votes for laws de-
troying elementary school boards. I
lon't know just what he means by
hat; will be glad for him to explain.
Mr.. Caldwell says he made Reel
GOT Lake paying proposition. He
loubled the license on people for
iunting and fishing in Reelfoot
lake, and then his brother was APP
ointed Game Warden to collect the
license.
He says he was instrumental in
nacting road law. l don't know
where this road law is; it~is not in
)bion County. The last road law
'bion County had before the present
ne, am told, was written by the
ate A. ]. Lawson, and passed in the
enate by DR.. McRee and in the
louise by Judge Kenney, and has
cen amended from time to time.
Now, Mr.. Taxpayer; this stuff of
[r. Caldwell's is all fabrication and
only "snoke screen" to hide his
9al record in the Legislature of
919, viz: the Louthan and Caldwell
ak Law for Tennessee. This is the
me law that created Gear Louthan.
he Will HouTe Highway Commits
on for the State of Tennessee was
eated by the same Legislature at
Re same time. The IaH to allow the
Duntty Co,,Ytc - G.