Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-04-02

get control of the affairs of the
city for some other purpose than
the general good At the last
election for Mayor. Woodward
was elected. and unquestionably
some people spent money on this
race. The first meeting of Council
in January. 1913, when he was in
Quoted into office, one Councilman
asked for the appointment of
committee for charter reform.
and the new Mayor at once began
to move for that charter.
How New Council Voted.
Had any body Of people asked
for it? Was there any mass
meeting or any other mode by
which il was made known to the
Council that new charter was
wanted? Only about one year be
fore the people voted it down.
The new Council was ready to,
and did vote It out Who. then,
were the people? The newspa
pers and the new Mayor, mostly.
The real people oppose the COM
mission government charter. and
also the Committee of Twenty
Ave charter. and are rightly rep
resented by the rs Coupcilmen
who DARED TO vote their convic-
tions and vote down this scheme.
The Councilmen and Aldermen
are not peanut politicians. as they
have been called. They are con-
tractors. lawyers doctors. mer-
chants. insurance men and other
good citizens. and many Of them
serving their first term in public
Office. why are they opposed to
the new charter? They have been
elected by the people and they
know their constituents don't
want it.
When. a city is growing faster
than any other city in the United
states. when the health of that
city is the best, when no word Of
graft has ever been uttered
against its officers and when most
Of its citizens are coutented and
happy. why should We have
change.
Here are a few figures about
our city that may not be known
TO everybody:
The city's tax values have In
creased IN the past taree years
ss4,S46.4S9. and the income '+3I-
$3.50. over % per cent.
The building permits Tor 1910
were SI4o5.95o. and for 1912.
s9.9S1.444. an increase OF about 80
per cent in TWO years.
The improvements put down
through the Department Of Con-
struction are for the last eight
wears as follows:
Sewers From 1905 70 1905.
e6Ss miles: from 1909 TO 1912.
1910 miles.
Sidewalks and Curling From
1905 to 1908. 1855 miles: from
1909 to 1912. 1892 miles.
street Pavins-From 1905 TO
1905. s.7i miles: from 1909 TO 1912.
S6.l miles.
For the first two items abou,
500 per cent increase for the four
last years. and for the last item
over 500 per cent.
Besides. this department has
looked after the building Of the
three big disposal plants built the
Beuvood Avenue bridge and at
tended 10 all the repair work.
Who Demanded Change?
could we do any better under
any other form Of government;
are we not doing splendidly nowe
Who. then. 10 demanding this
change We must go back few
years and look at the history Of
this city. I have been in the city
% years and have carefully OBJ
served what has happened in
political way. Some years ago
U.o factions existed i'm tile city
and one or the other ruled. Some
Of Us outsiders voted. but it was
for the nominee OF one side or the
oJhe.. and on. votes counted fog
ua-G work. both factions we've
owe. thrown.
Again. some ta-5a years ago. q
determined effort began TO dis
credit Cur system OF Going bust
ness AND an atJacE was made un
IA, Cym1J-ulie- office E.Nlz-ts
were su- 60. work ON t-- books
-Nrecl5-E To-. d-t suMet lsu-
eng Al The s4ll. --u- Al