The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1909-05-14
TO ABOLISH THE CITY COURT

TO ABOLISH THE CITY COURT.
We understand that there was the
hottest fight imaginable over a prop
osition to abolish the city court of
Leesburg; that one vote changed,
would have resulted in recommen-
dalton to abolish the court.
The jury was somewhat mixed over
the cost of the court, as heretofore
the commissioners have only made their
tax levies for an amount sufficient
to pay the judges salary, probably,
not allowing for commissions of col
lectors and receivers, and script has
been issued on the general fund to
pay the other expenses of the courts;
that no record could be kept exactly
as to the cost of this court without
great trouble and no estimate made of
it's cost.
The advocates Of abolishing claim
that the superior court put to two
weeks would be cheaper, and vice
versa, with the upholders. We can't
say, for the vouchers are drawn in
such a way, so said, that it is only
an estimate. as to the cost of the
court.
The last court left the county with
barely enough money on hand to
run thirty days
1t does take taxes to run county.
Last May we had nearly $l5,000.00
ahead. We have collected thosuands
in road tax. We have collected
about $4,000 property tax, and still
seem short of funds. Gentlemen, you
are mostly new men on the commits
sion. The people of Lee, in proper
ton to what they can get for their
lands, are already four times as heav-
lily taxed as some other counties that
claim to have a higher rate. The
difference is In the assessment. Some
of their lands taxed at So to $40 per
acre will sell for $50 Some of our
lands taxed at So per acre we can't
possibly sell for ten. Our tax rate
by the assessment We have in vogue
makes us very hig.l tax rate; we
pay too much of the state tax in pro-
portion TO values.
The recent total expenses of the SUI
perior court were about $SS5.O0, all
told. This was made this heavy by
having to summon so many tales
jurors on murder and felony cases.
The chain gang farm may appear to
save money by taking them to work
1t, but in the long run it is loss.
We must take into consideration that
the farmer who is delayed three
hours in getting his meat home over
a bad road pays in time The man
who breaks a $1,000 automobile on a
bad road Is paying the price. The
horse that has to pull load of pro-
duce with twice the energy expend-
ed he would have to put out on a
well-fixed road, is costing his master
and wearing out quicker.
We believe in a small amount of
patches to raise such truck as will
give the convicts a rest and change
and still be a benefit, bat with over
800 acres to cultivate the farming.
business will prove Improbable, even
though 1t seems to make money. The
long summer days are worth three
short bad winter days for a convict
on the road. And some of the roads
are bad!
We sympathize with the council,
and have no harsh words for mis-
takes, but they have made a fatal
mistake in letting the town drainage
get choked up. 1t is showing up in
many cases of sickness and promises
to be worse Gentlemen, try to make
II so that life will be safer in this
city. Strain point and open the
drainage bitches, or we will have such
a bad reputation for sickness that
folks won't come here. And we are
growing fast now
THE BOY MARCONI.
II &c a so,1Nauyhaf rurinls foot NOR.