Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-04-13
"Loose Business Methods | Can
and Will Stop, and BOOdIing !
Will Choke Of Wherever 1t Is
Located" Declares the Mayor.
But Who Spoilers Of Atlanta Are
and From What Source Loot Is
Taken Still Remains UnsoIved.
Only Maze of "SuspiciOns. "
Sunday Americans Investigators
Find Every One Knows There Is
Municipal Thievery, but No One
Has Courage to shame Names"

For the past week, the sunday
American has had reporters at work,
investigating the charges of graft.
brought against certain city officials.
aldermen, and councilmen unnamed.
Every Intelligent effort has been
made to get facts.
II is the desire of the Sunday
American to relieve the public mind.
in so far as it might, Of all uncer-
tainty in the matter. and to tx the
charges as definitely as possible. and
in as nearly complete direct and cir
oumstantial detail as impartial and
fair investigation could establish
The Sunday American has succeed
ed in accommodating a fine assortment
of robust suspicious" and the as
surance of much moral certainty" In
various quarters worthy Of attention,
but so far little. if anything. OF pos
tive and conclusive evidence has
been against anybody
City Has Lost $4,000 Year.
Perhaps the strongest general
statement bearing upon the general
question came from the lips OF Mayor
Woodward. who said:
The approximate income OF the
city is 100000 per annum. or
that amount feel sure not less thar
100000 has been lost to Atlanta an
nualIy through loose business meth
DDS and graft.
The loose business methods can.
and viii, stop-have stopped, in many
instances-and the graft win choke
or wherever find it or suspect IL.
What I am determined to do. how
ever, is to unearth the shameful
grating Of the past, and bring its
beneficiaries to taw!
My nose can detect the odor from
a decaying carcass. even though
sometimes it may be impossible for
me to say. without doubt. whether
the decaying carcass be that OF a
lion or a jackal"
MecleIland Promises Names.
Alderman John f. MeCleIland
promises TO name names" when he
is summoned before the committee
Council has selected 70 investigate
his charges, but he says frankly thar
he expects an investigation Of rot
tenness" in Council by Council alone
to be nothing more than a farce.
Charges Of graft. general rather
than specific, involve the fire. health.
sewer, and police departments.
Councilmen ana officials have been
accused Of being interested in the
letting of street contracts. in the
manipulating Of the proposed crema-
tory contract. in the granting of near
beer licenses. in the buying and SELL
ing Of live stock, in the letting Of
locker club permits. in the purchas-
ing OF fire hose and equipment, and
in the laying of tile sidewalks
throughout the city.
The Mayor enters into much cir
cumstantial comment upon several Of.
these alleged phases of graft in At
lanta. but he makes no direct and
categorical charges against individ-
uals
Mayor Himself Convinced.
He says he is mighty near the
point where he is ready 90 bring the
issue down to an acute personal an
gle. but ne viii not do So before he
has assured himself that he has eases
that wiz stand up legally, and in
already has evidence that is abso-
iuteiy conclusive 20 himself so FAR
as tie moral aspect IT many % the
charges is concerned.
The city viii ee robbed 81 an even
Siooeoo. II the present dissraceful