The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1912-09-17
THE BIGGEST BALLOT EVER
SEVENTY-NINE NAMES AND FIVE
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
On Ticket for State Election OF Oc-
tOber Second. What Is Involved
in the Amendments.

tODCE SCNOHu' " hNb - AhNOh'CN
in the Amendments.
Ordinary w. B. Cheatham has re-
ceived the blanks for the state cleo
ton to be held on October End, and
has begun the big job of getting
them ready for the various precincts.
The ticket to be voted in October
is perhaps the longest ever known in
the state, and will be entirely too
big to be transported to the precinct
in the vest pocket. 1t contains no
less than the names of 10 candidates
and five constitutional amendments,
and a basket as a means of convey
ance will more nearly meet the re-
quirements.
Two of the seven constitutional
amendments which the people will
vote upon in the fall elections pro-
vide for the creation of the new
counties of Bleckley and Wheeler,
named respectively for the late Chief
Justice Logan E. Bleckley of the
state supreme court and Gen. Joe
Wheeler of confederate cavalry fame.
One question which has arisen in
this connection is as to how soon
they will have representatives in the
legislature. Following the custom
that prevailed in connection with the
creation of nine new counties several
years ago the new counties will not
be represented in the legislature of
1914, but will get their first rep
resentation in the legislature follow
ing-that of 1876.
Bleckley county will go before the
people for ratification in the general
election on Oct. End; Wheeler county |
will not be passed on until the pres
idential election of Tuesday, Nov. !
9Th, because, along with two other |
amendments, it was |
not passed in time to allow for sixty |
days advertising before the October |
election. All of the representatives
will have been elected before the
two new counties are formally rati-
fed, so they will have to wait two
more years.
Their admission will give Georgia
l48 counties, increasing the number
Of representatives in the lower house
rom 1874 to 1856. It will then re-
luire "a votes to pass bill instead
If SO, which, now a constitutional
The admission of the two
lew counties will increase the num-
)er of votes in the state convention
rom 36S to 1872.
There are five other constitutional
which the people will
rOte upon this fall. Three of these,
n addition to that one creating the
lew county of Bleckley, will be voted
lpon at the October election.
Two of these were passed by the
legislature in 1911, and this is the
irst opportunity the people have had {
@ vote upon them. One increases
he constitutional borrowing power
# the governor from 100000 to :
100000 for the purpose of supply |
ng casual deficiencies, while the 9TH
r requires that all taxes paid to the {
tate by corporations through the
general shall be due and {
ayable Sept. l each year instead of
n December. These amendments |
we're devised to enable the state to
meet more promptly its indebtedness t
O the school teachers, but they do
lot sufficiently solve the problem, as
is between January and September
When money is really needed for this
purpose. The school teachers of the :
tate have already earned this year
early so per cent of their money,
While they have been paid only ten
er cent, and with the appropriations {
made by the recent session to De l
aiken care of it is said it will be /
Practically impossible even to pay l
hat ten per cent.
The fourth amendment to go be- /
ore the people in the October cleo q
ion strikes out from the educational q
ection the words Gin the elementary s
ranches of an English education =
My" so that the legislature may
e authorized to levy taxes for 9th
r purposes than strictly a grammar
chool education. State school mon }
Y can be then used for high schools
S well as for the lower grade gram
lar schools.
Two additional amendments to the
institution, besides that creating
Wheeler county from a portion of {
Iontgomery, will be voted upon in d
he presidential election. One of
lese permits superior court judges q
} grant corporation charters in va
alton, which they are not now per-
lifted to do, while the other is the
O-called farmers free list bill"
hitch permits the legislature to en-
ct a law exempting from taxation S
Or a period of one year farm prod l
cts in the hands of the producer. C
Ifforts have long been made to Sc S
ure this latter measure to assist the t
armer, it is stated, in holding his v
Otton for better prices. L
n
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