Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1910-03-17
THE SENATORIAL ROTATION SYS.
TEN.

1t seems to be an open question
whether Chatham county is going tC
abide by the senatorial rotation sys.
tenn any longer. Chatham with pop
ulation of probably 10000 people, with
great commercial and industrial inter-
ests, has heretofore been having the
state senatorship once every six years.
The other two terms the seat has gone
to Bryan and Efingham counties,
small counties, with nothing but minor
agricultural interests, and combined
populations of less than 10000. There
is apparently no justice in a system
that gives to Chatham, with it's vastly
predominating interests and popula-
ton, one term out of three
The chief influence at work this year
to bring about a breaking up of the old
traditional idea that the two small
counties should have the senator in
succession has been the announcement
that Ef1ngham, whose time it is to
choose if the rotation system is TO pre-
vail, is likely to send an ardent pro-
hfbitionist to the Senate. Savannah
gags at this and is likely to openly re-
bel against continuance of a system
that thrusts a radical dry" advocate
down its throat Notice has practically
been served on little Efingham that if
it presents a prohibitionist Chatham
will have none of him.
Leaving out the prohibition issue.
though, there appears to be absolutely
no sense in the rotation system as it
now exists. Why a county having sew
enty five per cent of the population
and probably ninety per cent of the
wealth and business interests of a
senatorial district should give way to
the smaller counties and take the SEN
atorship one time out of three it is
difficult to understand. There is no
law providing such a system. All
that the law says is that each district
shall have one senator. How the ro-
tation system came into vogue we do
not know, but it certainly has no JUS
tice in it when applied to districts
wherein one county possesses abso-
lutely Dredominating interests and
Importance.
The Meldrim Guidon, published in
Effingham county. appreciates the fol-
ly of a rigid adherence to a rotation
system, and has this to say, that is
fully as applicable in other districts
as it is in the First:
If the bsst man for the senate can
be found in Bryan, then nominate from
that county, and so with bingham and
chatham. The mere fact that a half
dozen OF Two by four 30 4ans should
Satner III the back TO- !. a country
slore~or squat on log %. Lne roadside
aAd determine that as it is the time of
that county to nominate a senator that.
therefore they will force the other two
counties 10 accept Brown or Smith.
irrespective Of the fitness of the per
son Tor the oihce, has no place in reas-
on or good government. The argu-
meht Is unanswerabIe 1t is this;
Each district shall have one senator
Inc effort is for one county to have
The true course is to follow
the constitution. To nominate from
the district, irrespective of counties
the man best fitted to discharge the
responsible duties of senator from the
hrst district. These duties are i'm
portant. They deal with the larger
powers, rights and obligations of a /
great state. Before the senate ques-
ions of mighty import must come.
The next legislature will probably
ave to deal with the amendments to
ne federal constitution Should the
solution OF these problems be left to |
he callow judgment of any inexperi-
sneed man, who may be selected by a |
mere handful of petty politicians?
decency and good govern /
nent protest against it.