The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1911-11-29
Judge Spencer R. Atkinson Gives Some of
His Reasons for Supporting Judge Russell

To the People of Georgia: Tn
question is often asked me why
am supporting Judge Russell in tn,
present campaign, and so frequen
have been these inquiries that have
taken this method OF stating some o.
The considerations which influence
me to that course.
In the first place l have known
Judge Russell from his youth up
He has been called many times to
the performance of public duties
which required a high order OF
intellect, a Just conception of the du-
ties and responsibilities of public Of
fee, and a patriotic devotion to the
interests of the people which no SON
sideration of a private, personal or
selfish nature could shake These
requirements he has steadily met I
have not always agreed with him up
on public questions nor always sup
ported him in his political aspira-
tons, but l have yet to meet a man
who has aught to say against his
character as a man, his cOnstancy
as a friend, or his patriotism as a
citizen.
In the present campaign, consid-
cred from a political point of view,
there is but one real issue The fac
tional differences which have existed
in Georgia several years past have
happily disappeared, except in so
far as some of the politicians have
sought to keep them alive for their
own selfish ends. They are likely to
be little considered when the people
take counsel of themselves for the
welfare of the state. The real issue
turns upon whether the people Of a
sovereign state are willing to surren-
der without a protest the right of
local self government.
The county is the constitutional |
unit, upon which is based the entire /
superstructure of the state govern /.
ment. 1t is upon the basis of this .
unit that popular representation in .
the general assembly rests. 1t is I
upon this unit that the system of !
taxation for the support of the state /
government reposes, and it is from
this unit that all the public institu- |
tons of the state must draw their |
support. In the creation of the house /
OF representatives in the creation of |
a state senate, in the apportionment
OF congressional representation the
county IS the governmental unit.
The legislature may create or de-
strOy cities, towns and villages.
may at its pleasure change the geo
graphical limits of any of the minor
of the state, but ere
ated by the constitution the county
IS an independent constitutional
entity and is thus placed beyond the
legislative control This is the rpa-
son why what is known as the coun-
ty spirit is so deeply imbedded in the
people OF this state, and this is why
the several counties independent of
each other, but interdependent in
respect OF their relations to the state,
are and ought to be jealous of legis-
IatlYe Entertainments upon the pre-
rogative. This is why. when we
speak of the term local option. the
mind naturally turns to the county
in which that option is to be exer-
cised as the unit upon which it is
to operate. While it will be admit
ted that the legislative power resid-
ing primarily in the senate and house
OF representatives is supreme and ex-
tends to all subjects of legislation
not expressly, or by necessary impli-
cation, denied to 1t by the constitu-
ton, yet the tendency for the last !
half century has been constantly to
bring the government nearer to the
people themselves, and to give to the
people more direct and a larger
voice in the making, as they have
always had through the jury box, in
the enforcement of the law.
This tendency of late years has
had the effect lin a great many cases
where legislation could not be given
uniform operation in all the coun-
ties of the state without running
counter to the manifest interest and
sentiment of the people to be affect
ed by it, of causing the general as
sembly to pass laws, but causing
them to be approved by the voters
of county before they should be-
come operative. This right of ap-
prCval or rejection is what is called |
local option, and it is a principle ap-
piled to many different subjects, in
Guiding fence laws, taxes for public |
schools, road Improvement taxes. !
bonded debts, the regulation of the |
sale Of liquors, and numerous, other |
subjects to which reference is unnec-
essary Prior to the year 1907 there
had been for many years in force a |
local option law as applied to the
sale Of liquors, and under which in
each county in the state the people at
the ballot box, by direct vote, could
determine from time to time wheth-
er liquor should be sold in that coun-