The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1903-08-12
HOW SHALL WE STAND"

dawson shall issue bonds to erect
new school building or to remodel the
old one.
The result of this election will be an
unmistakable evidence of how Dawson
Glands on educational lines. Ii the
citizens of the city vote for bonds they
place themselves on record as favorlng
the progress of education and the vel
fare of their children: If they vote
against the bonds thew set themselves
M as holding the almighty dollar IN
higher esteem than mind Improvement
and character building. Dawson cltl'
Gems cannot afford to let the spirit OF
economy manifest itself detrimental to
it's educational interests. 1t is false
economy to retard the cause of educa-
tion and no citizen can afford to stand
in the way of progress by voting
against bonds. A vote for bonds does
not mean that $4,000 will be spent in
the erection of new building. 1t
will mean that the citizens of Dawson
are in favor of the erection of new
building or remodeling the old one,
which will be left to the discretion of
the building committee of the board of
education. 1t matters not which OF
the two is done bonds will have to be
issued. and the man who vOJes against
bonds puts himself on record as saying
the old storm beaten hull is attractive
enough and comfortable enough to
house his children while they are
learning the great lesson of life.
Dawson at present has the finest
churches of any town of it's size in the
state. Its people have shown bv their
works in this case that they are un-
equivocally in favor of the furtherance
Of religious advancement. In Dawson
is the haBdOmest courthouse to be
found in any city of its population in
the country. The people of Terrell
county, of which Dawson is part
have shown by its erection that they
stand for the dispensation of law in a
magnificent temple of justice. They
have even shown consideration for thu
comfort of the county's prisoners in
the erection of a handsome and con
Venient Jail building. Dawson has an
admirable paid fire department, whlch
no other town of its size 10 Georgia
has. There they have shown that
they are looking to the material pro
lection of their business and homes.
Dawson has watewOrks and electric
light systems, evidencing desire for
convenience and undisputed progress
iveness, and it's other public improve4
ments are compatible with this spirit
of advancement. The inference is un-
mistakable. If the town has been ah.r
to make these other improvements " by
has it been unable to make this most
important of all improV ements? We
have shown our willingness TO bond
the county and city to add to the com
tort of Judge and jury and court az
tendants, to comfortably house accused
lawbreakers, to illuminate the public
streets and afford protection from fire.
and where is the logic IN the argume nj
that we arc not able to comfortably
house our children while their Young
minds are being trained for the great
battle of lie?
Those who are opposed TO the issu
ing of bonds argue that the city treas
ury will not at present admit this ex'
pense-that the town is not financially
able to bear the cost of this improve
ment. Their alleged conservatism il
unreasonable. Dawson has one OF the
smallest bonded debts of any town in
the state. Several of it's neighbOrs
have three or even four times the
amount of indebtedness on their hands
and yet make no complaint that they
are overburdened.
Suppose the bonds carry and the
whole of the $40, 900 is spent in the
erection of a new building, the increase
In the tax rate would be comparative
ly small, even to the largest tax pay.
err. in fact it would he hardly large
enough for him TO realize the differ
euce. and i would not be money thrown
way as some seem to think, but its
erection would be an enduring Orna
ment to the town and pay handsome
dividend in city pride and educational
advancement.
kThe News has watched the rapid
strides in Dawson's material progress
with pardonable pride; we have seer
her grow from a comparatively small
town TO become one of the most sub
stantial little cities in the state
we know the mettle of the men whC
have had their shoulders to the whee
and who by their guiding genius ant