Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1923-12-13
Representative iiriner
Speaks On Tax Reform
Speech Drew Severe Criticism From
Ex-U. S. Senator Mrs. FELTON, for
Reference to Her

Reference to Her
Hon l.. l.. Griner, whose modcstv
prevents him from taking the floor OF
the, House more frequently. made a
tetinS address in the House last week
and was scve,ely criticized i'll a let
ter by Mrs. FELTON, which at his re-
Guest was read i'll the House last
Thursday
The speech which drew the fire, is
herewith printed for the benefit of the
constituents Of our Representative.
Mr.. Griner from Ben Hill:
MIR. Speaker, Ladies and gentlemen
OF the House; the Representative from
Ben Hill did not come to Atlanta pre-
Stunning to tell you how to conduct the
affairs of this state. | have preferred
to occupy my seat and observe Your
declarations. | owe my state no apollo
gy therefore for any lost motion on
account OF continued speech making.
The records will show | consumed a
few minuts last summer speaking on
Gas Tax Bill, few minutes on my
own bill placing my Solicitor back on
tee system, which you were gracious
enough to pass. therefore | feel at this
time | am fully justified in speaking
on this most important bill
Mr.. Speaker, am of the opinion
the tax problem will never solved to
the satisfaction of all of us. The
GOOD book relates that even in the DAYS
OF Caesar Augustus, taxes were the
soul perplexing and mind wrecking
thcms of that day. | belivc my children
and Yours and their children'S children
will be tormented by taxation. In fact
am thoroughly convinced that the
good Lord intended that taxes should
torment us on this earth that we may
be more appreciativc when we pass
over to rest with Him.
Again Mr.. Speaker, I think the poll
t1c1anS OF our State will perpctuate
taxes. How could any politician run
tor Olive without some kind of tax
plan? | had occasion last summer when
| reached home after first session to
rply to some small heads" in the
State who continued to knock this leg
iSlature and | earnestly hope you gen
tlemen will not force me to admit
these people were right, that we had
no sense, The two gentlcnicn just
preceding me have both begun their
speeches by telling you thy were rails
ed between two corn rows. Sam Small
was making political speech on one
occasion and began his speech by say
ing: Thank God my fellow citizens I
was born between two corn rows. An
old drunk sitting in the audience yelled
back at him "whoopee, pumpkin, by
smoke" SO fellow Legislators, lets
not go back home and admit to our PEG
pie that we are a lot of pumpkins. |
am against this new department Mr.
Speaker because | think our State is
burdened with departments until our
people are CRYING aloud to us for relief
but | do think if we could put some OF
our present departments to work we
would be serving our state. You know
| think any man with brains is worth
$4,000 to $1,000 a year to his state but
think this official should go to work
You know most of them rush down ii
the morning at ten o'clock read the
papers, smoke a sigar, then hurry tc
lunch and out to the golf links.
think some of these fellows drawing
these big salaries should see the sur
rise over these glorious old North Geo
gia hills that the good Lord gave us
and I think they should burn som,
midnight oil for change, then w
would have no use for new depart
ments.
| Oh! I have heard so much abou
North Carolina, the land OF the skies
peace and plenty and SO much abou
Florida, the land of milk and honey
want to tell You | would rather pa,
every cnt i ever expect to make ii
taxes and be peanut vender in Bel
Hill County and proclaim to tn worl'
that | am a Georgian than to be Cover
nor of either of these tax burdene
States.
Fellow Legislators! Taxation is no
our every trouble. Poverty is the thin
that's worrying us most. If Georgi
had produced two millions or even hal
that amount of cotton for the past
years, taxes would be the least OF on
worries. | would to God that I ha
the power to convey to your minds tn
real situation and l am going to pre-
sent a fw problems to you, i'll view c
the fact that the increase tax and gen
raj tax act will soon be brought bac
to you.
sold 500 bushels of sweet potatoc
in Greenville last year for $75.00, Is
per bushel. When reached home
inquired about freight on same and tn
freight to Grecnvillc was 1878. 50-Wha
was result, practically gave thcl