The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-02-03
ATLANTA FIGHTING
 FOR B|G BOND ISSUE
Mayor Maddox Threatens h.
 crease in Tax Rate
VOTE FEB. 15 FOR S3, ,000, 900
BurHe Has One Chance to Escape Gal 1oNs-IndustriaI ys. Literary Edu- cation Causes Split in Negro
 College


 talk on street corners and there IS an average of one meeting a day held for mo other purpose than to discuss bonds ana devise ways and means for insurng the successful passage of the proposed sooo'- 900 issue, which will be voted on Feoru- ary 15.
 More than sl .oo0.o0O of this amount It IS proposed to use to extend Atlanta's sewer system-to be exact. 50,000-and Mayor Maddox in recent address has put AL lanta on notice that this single Item VIII necessitate an increase in the tax rate unless the bonds are carried In other words, certain improvements must pc made in the cfty's sewer system Tn order to abate a number of nuisances; the prop CT equipment must be put in to ef- fectuaIly dispose of the sewage instead of allowing 1t to be spread over large area of what has now become habitahie territory.
 It is freely predicted that unless the l city makes this improvement interested parties will go into the courts and compel it to do so under the laws for the abate- ment of public nuisances. In that event there would be no alternative but an in- creased tax levy to pay the bill. The rest of the bond issue. if it goes through, is to be used to improve the facilities of the Grady hospital. city institution
 All Interests realize that with the re- l quirement of two-thirds favorable vote of all registered voters it is going to be l a difficult matter to pass the bonds, and that any material opposition would serve to defeat them.
 1 Therefore, the recent report that former Mayor James G. Woodward, who was supposed to be opposed to the bonds for political reasons. would support them, has come as gool and welcome news to those who are working hard for their sue cess.
 The registration, it is apparent is going l to be an unusually large one for this time of the year. This is the result of the new registration law which has caused all taxpayers to register when they paid l their taxes, for the reason that the regis tra tion books now close by law six months in advance of the state electione heavy | bonds. because it is generally hard mat ter to get sufficient number of voters | to the polls.
 But Atlanta is organizing in this move ment as never before and seldom has ef- fort in behalf of bond project been more strenuously exerted.
 Burge Has One Chance
 Practically on no more firm basis than that his case was tried by an out side judge. Judge Price Gilbert of Co- lumbus who came to Atlanta for the pur- pose rests the chances of George Burge for escaping the gallows.
 | No plainer case of murder was ever made out in the courts here, according to the officials who have followed it. than that of the staying of Mrs. Lovie Britton l Burge by her husband. It Is said that the blood stains were still upon his hands when he was placed under arrest. and he confusedly hurried them into his pockets when the sheriff asked him about the stains.
 Yet no more strenous efforts have been made to save the life of a condemned man. Among these efforts was the arrest of a 1S-year-old boy, Frank Judson Brit ton. son of the dead woman, who came hack to Atlanta from Birmingham vol untariiy to answer the charge of staying his mother. When those who charged him with the crime were confronted py the Georgia law which makes perjury in case of a capital offense itself capital | crime the prosecution collapsed, 1t could find no willing witnesses and Britton was released
 Burge applied for writ of hapeas corpus, chiefly upon the ground thai his trial was void because he was tried before a judge from another circuit; 1t was complained that Judge Gilbert had not been regularly appointed to preside m the courts of the Atlanta circuit. The court of course, refused to- sustain this plea, but as 1t was point which had never been made before, and as 1t affects Georeia practice generally, the gover- nor's legal advisers prevailed upon him to grant Buree a respite until the supreme court could finally determine the aues- tion.
 Governor Brown was opposed to the re- spite. he believed it against the public policy to grant any further delay in so clear a case. But upon the advice Of the attorney general and other lawyers ne yielded the point and gave Burge untii March 25. The supreme court will hear his apeal on March ', and decide It soon thereafter, and 1t is safe to say that ne will not get another respite. If the de- cision of the court Is against him. there Is no doubt that will be the end of It.
 Negro Faculty Fight The question of industrial vs. literary education for the negro has produced a serious split among the negro onfcials or Morris Brown college, negro educational institution of this city, which many prom insnt southern white people have been inclined to favor on account Of It's 'n- dustrial features
 The main building of the college was recently burned and on the part Of one faction there has been talk of moving 1t out of the city where real estate IS l cheaper and more room can be had Ihe | literary" crowd, however, is strong TOT remaining right in town. It's present loca- tion is right next to one of Atlanta's pub lie schools.
 But the news of the split came out IT connection with a mass meeting calico , by R. D. Stinson, ffnancial commissioner of the college, to be held this afternoon , at Turner tabernacle, in the interests ol the industrial department. This meet , ing is to be presided over by Capt. J. w . English, president of the Fourth NAtiona bank, and amonr other speakers are g. N 1 Inman, a well-known capitalist: Hon. , Pope Brown, state treasurer, and sev' , eral of Atlanfa's, best known ministers
 Some of Atlanta's foremost citizens havs contributed to the $1o00 fund whic.. 1t II sought to raise for the industrial de , pertinent of the college, and there is qnt subscription of @Bo from President Taft [ the check being drawn in Captain Eng lishs favor. -
 roliowinr announcement of this meet