The leader-enterprise. [volume] (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1912-1915, 1913-07-04
The Patriotism Of Peace
ALesson For Walker & White


The citizen in times of peace, who lives nd abors
in times of peace to promote the welfare OF his country
and to maintain it's institutions to obey its laws and see
usce done it's people this day worthy OF consldera-
on at the hands of his fellow citizens The highest aim
of the citizen of Republic should be the desire to MAIN
tain the rule of the people and fill the duties OF CITIZEN
ship as to preserve the principles OF the declaration OF IN
dependence and uphold the rights OF the citizen and
preserve his institutions Public officers elected through
The srase of ther neghbors having in their keeping the
life liberty and property of the people, should realize that
the trust imposed upon them is paramount to their sell
interests and the people have right to know the truth Of
the condition Of affairs entrusted in their keeping we
know of no higher duty of the Newspaper OF tue
Dav than to fully keep it's readers posted OF the ofcla
acts OF the Men thus entrusted with the affairs OF the Cou
ty Our sole purpose in presenting the gross mlSmanage
ment of the Countys affairs by it's Commissioners mas
been predcated upon the conception OF the patrloc duty
we owe the people Of this county, Wlose Friendship anu
Confidence we have had for the IL years spent among
them We have no personal grind neither have we
personal political ambition to gratfy our highest am
btion to see justice by all the people and to lend
orr efforts to the promotion and welfare of the interests
of our City, County and State.
When we appeared before the Commissioners on the
first Tuesday of last March, and in open meeting popos
ed to the Board to waive legal claims for the adver
tsements of the tax sale, guaranteed to us by the
Sheriff. we did in the interest of the tax payers OF Ben
Hill County whose interests knew would suffer, the
Sheriff was forced to sell the properties advertised IN
dependent Of the county. Our proposition had no
strings to it. wise could the county have suffered:
the total taxes would have been saved to the State ana
county and cent required OF the County Com
mssioners from anybody under this arrangement until
the delinquent taxpayer whose property would have been
involved had made payment in full to the county Inc
State would have received it's share, when redemption
was had the officers theirs upon the collection by the
Commissioners clerk The county Commissioners fully
authorized by the laws of Georgia should have accepted
our proposition and purchased the taxes as everybody
knows. except Walker and possibly White this would
have been merely matter of little extra bookkeeping
for the Clerk who is paid by the month and OF whose
time but small fraction would have been needed WE
HAVE AN INTELLIGENT CITIZENRY AND WE AXE
ENTITLED TO HAVE FAIR MINDED UPRIGHT AND
INTELLIGENT OFFICIALS, AND WHEN THEY
FAIL IN THEIR PATRIOTIC DUTY TO GIVE THE I'M
TELLIGENT ATTENTION TO THE COUNTY'S AFFAIRS
TO WHICH WE ARE ENTITLED. 1T is OUR DUTY AND
PRIVILEGE TO ACQUAINT THE VOTERS WITH THE
CONDITION OF AFFAIRS OF THEIR OFFICIALS. The
business management of the county the business OF the
commissioners its finances in their keeping and when
they are wantony wasted the entire county the sufferer
The Leader-Enerprise performing duty in bringing
this affairs to the attention OF the taxpayers
the remedy lies in the resignation of the commissioners
or in lieu of their resignation complete demasculaon
of their office No amount OF vrtuperaon on the part OF
the dscredited commissioners will deter us from our du-
nv and the INTELLIGENT taxpayer will readily in their
malicious utterances the effort of the MISFITS o
cover their tracks.
No number of counter charges cover up the facts.
Walker White simply incompetent to care large
interests ofhe county, their caber to too SMALL their eXpe
ence even honestly mistaken, too limited to be tuther
trusted with the business of Ben Hill County.
You have wilfully and with malice neglected in your
duties the Taxpayers you have allowed the taxes want
only wasted You and have neglected the care OF the
Countys property :her mules and equipment are in
state of deapdaon and but for the wise provision of the