The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1923-07-03
HARDW|CK GOES AFTER
MANY OFFICIAL SCALPS
RETIRING GOVERNORS SWAN
SONG RECEIVES ONLY SCAT
TERING APPLAUSE.
ECONOMY is URGED in MESSAGE
Would Abolish Some Offices and
Create Others. Makes Various Rec
concentrations and Assails Invisible
Government" Sensation at End.


ATLANTA-Thomas w. Hard
wick on Friday read his last message
to the general assembly of Georgia.
1t was a lengthy document and re-
CURED something like one hour and
thirty minutes in its presentation to
the joint session Of the house and SEN
ate.
The message was, on the whole, re-
ceived without comment of any char
acter. Here and there during the
course of his reading scattered ap-
plause broke out, but mainly the leg
islature listened in silence.
Hits the Khan.
He jumped on the Ku Klux Khan,
defended his attitude toward the Con-
federate veterans pension fund, assail-
ed J. ]. Browns department of agri-
culture, went after Lucien Knights
scalp by saying his job should be
abolished, urged that two members of
the public service commission be
dropped, and recommended that the
prison commission be abolished and a
state warden and clemency clerk be
created in its stead. Old enemies
were assailed and some we'll worn
topics discussed at length. The gov
ernor seemed determined that those
who read his final word as the chief
executive OF the state should have no
cause to say that brevity kept them
from understanding what he had to
say nor what he meant when he said
it.
The message started off with the
usual remarks upon the duty of the
governor to give a detailed account of
the states affairs to the legislature.
1t deplored the hard times brought
on by the boil weevil and the after
math OF the war.
Very lengthy reference is made to
the fiscal affairs of the state. He went
into details from the time of his in
auguration to the present time. He
referred to Confederate pension legis-
lation at length, and said he vetoed
the measure because the state did not
have the money to pay the appropria-
tons.
Hot After Brown.
A space of about two newspaper
! COIuulHS ID tdkCI up III CIIllClSlHS lHC
! department of agriculture in which
the governor revamps his charges of
extravaganza and inadequacy. He re-
fers to the fact that the state depart
ment of agriculture has II employees
and he does not think the method of
gasoline testing is adequate.
Touching on taxation he suggests
the adoption of the plan now in use
in North Carolina for raising revenue.
This would do away with the escap-
ing of taxation by invisible property
and would do away with the tax
equalization board. But the present
taxing system should not be Destroy
ed until better one is created.
An adequate state auditing system
is urged.
The adoption OF the Australian bal
lot system in state elections is urged,
and there is a chapter telling of the
renting OF the governors mansion site
at $4,000 a year for fifty years. The
governor wants the state to build a
mansion which would be a replica of
the old mansion at Milledgeville.
Would Pay Convicts.
He reiterates his belief that con-
victs should be paid for their work,
and says he still believes the abolition
of the strap was good thing.
The governor suggests tour-year
term for governor and state house Of
fcers and biennial sessions OF the
legislature in January instead of June.
He wants a state Constabulary to
come out at the governors call and
he thinks the executive should have
the right to suspend or remove a sher-
iff or peace officer guilty OF breach OF
duty.
Invisible" Government.
Mr.. Hardwick said we have no
room in Georgia for invisible govern
ment OF any kind or character, and
declared that the general assembly
should pass a statute making. it UNI
lawful, under heavy penalty, for any
man or woman in Georgia to wear a
mask over their faces on the public
streets or the roads OF the state, or
in any other public place.
Il do object, with all OF the force
and emphasis OF which / am capable,
to any secret organization that as
sumes to censor the conduct of other
persons or to sit in judgment upon
their actions Men who follow such
DTdCtlCGS are themselves lIlC WOiSl
criminals" he said
Assailed by Fulton Member.
Immediately after Governor Hard
wick concluded the reading OF his
message a sensation was created in
the house OF representatives when
Representative J. O. Wood, OF Fulton
county. assailed Governor Hardwick
for an attack on the Ku Klux Klan. |
Representative Wood arose to a point
OF personal privilege He stated that
an organization to which he belong
ed had been attacked in the message
Just read, and he wanted to announce
that he would reply to that attack on
Monday
The only invisible government in
Georgia that | know anything about
has had its headquarters at the Kim
ball house, and not at the imperial
palace of the Ku Klux Klan,." declar-
ed Mr. Wood.
"On Monday, when that man is no
longer governor OF Georgia, / will tell
some things about that invisible gov
eminent TO which | charge he belongs.
| will also tell why | have refrained
for two years from making this reply
and have waited until his term as