Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-03-28
". H. BURWELL WILL NOT
MAKE GOVERNORS RACE
Gives Out Statement OF His
Views Touching ImpOr-
tant Public Questions
Especial Dispatch to The Journal.)


yer of Sparta, Hancock county, who has
| frequently been mentioned as a candi'
date for governor to succeed Governor
Harris, announced today that he Will not
make the race.
When seen today and asked about his inten
| lions in reference TO the gubernatorlal race
! Mr.. Burwel stated that he had caretuily COL
! sidered the mater and that, on account of the
| great expense necessary to make an. acuVe
canvass of the state, and on account of the
| further fact that from the day of his announce
! ment until the end of the campaign be would be
| deprived Of the opportunity Of attending to any
| personal business he had determined that the
| expense and personal sacrifice was greater than
he could undertake and, for this reason, be had
definitely decided not 10 enter the race.
In discussing the matter he said:
I'VE have heard considerable comment on thF
| conditions existing in this state and Georgia
disregard for law and, while all loyal Georglans
| deeply resent these criticisms from the out
| side IL cannot be denied that there are condl'
| tons here, which have given US conslaeraDle
undesirable notoriety. l believe tnat thsre are
| two causes at the bottom of all this. The one
is the unrestrained and unbridled activity oil
the political demagogue and character assassin
both journalistic and otherwise, VINO mas cheap.
ened human character oy his ceaSeless Nonlt OF
| the yiest ISLANDERS against practically every
| public official in the state and the other Is
the election of our judges by the direct vote
NO CRITICISM OF JUDGES.
Now in stating this second cause. l 90 mol
mean to criticise single judge IN TINS staIe'
but when the judge serves, IN direct contact
the people who elect him, the system itsef IN
spires an Indifference to the office and ais
regard for the court, which breeds contempt TOT
ths law and Indifference to its enforcement.
| While honest differences between upright, non
est citizens ever have, and ever VIII, require
| the Intervention of courts, this type or hu'
CANT Is ever faithful and obedient to the law
| The menace to the court Is he who would openly
| violate the law. who is Indifferent % us
enforcement and this type is ever active IN To-
cal politics What active heller at the polls
who feels that he has contributed so largely
| TO the creation of the judge, Will nave tne
slightest fear of being Rrraigned before MIN
regardless of the cause? 1t is this system,
which is sapping the vital force OF our courts
This is true regardless Of the fact that tne
Judge may be absolutely above repfoacn anu
utterly unconscious of his position In this class
of the public mind. This cannot be applicable
to any other elective office as 1t is to Judge
for the simple reason that none other eAer'
SORRY COLLECTION LAWS.
"Our collection laws are crude ana lneiIicle en-
and under the present administration OF our
courts are a farce. The knowledge OF tnls
has driven capital away from us and mas pre-
vented the investment OF money IN tnls sIa1e,
which Is so much needed for the development
of our diversified and almost bounuless re,
sources and in addition to this, has placeu
the borrower absolutely at the mercy Oh IN, nv
lender in the matter Of interest rates ana 0theI
charges In other words, as capital DeneNes
the risk more hazardous, the rate OF lnIeres!
will increase, II the money can pc; udItions
Justify the opinion. The fact that OUTSIDE cap
ital entertains these views of the state makes
it essential that some radical steps s1o u +pe
,,3side world a welcome to every investor ano
a guarantee of absolute protection, not only Oh
Dcrson hut of every dollar invested. -, 4.
p.a,TyvS.t Georgia needs is sufficient capital to
devotion its water powers. its mining lnterestE
and 20 build industries OF every Klhd 70 XIV
food and employment to its people ana 10 press
them with the contentment and happiness tna'
comes with prosperity. Let the people rise w
in their power and overthrow the pohucal ueln,
agoguo. the character assassin the unscr upulVua
acitator who prospers by his vices, ana the gay
will soon dawn when you will hear no more tnese
infamous ISLANDERS directed against the sta.s
or our people, and the golden uue oi in'eS'"9
capital will be flowing our way.
NEED No MORE LAW.
s'The disregard for law and the contempt Tor
written statutes can hardly be corrected by
writing more statutes. II Is the enforcement
of law that we now have on the statute DOCKS
which demands the active cooperation ana sup.
nort of everv good citizen for every statute that
is disregarded and treated with contempt breeds
a like contempt for other statutes. 10 correct
this we therefore must go directly TO the people
themselves, who are. after all, the source OF tle
law as every statute is dependent llon tne
will OF the people for its enforcement. Ineretore
a more effective system of education Is aDso-
Iutely essential and imperative 1t Is shame
that this great state stands In class among an
the sister states with only one companion In tne
matter of a total lack of any measures LOOKING
to compulsory education. -.
However, before very much progress can ne
made in the education , OF even tSsra are rad
ical changes / believe to be essentlaI. Inc SUI
perintendent of schools Of the counties Is the
most important office in the county, Tor not Only
should he be a business man of capacity to Sc
cure the hest results from the amount or money
expended, but he should also combine IN himseli
the qualities Of a skilled educator ana Do quail
flied to direct the conduct of all the schools and
raise them TO the highest point Of efficiency.
OUT OF POLITICS.
.srro secure this type of officer the board OF
education should have the power to take him
from anywhere, within without the state, and
to paw him salary commensurate with his ele'
ments do not believe that any progress car
no made in our public school system. regardless
of the amount Of money we appropriate ana raise
by local taxation, until these funds are admin,
istered by superintendent who are out or and
aloOf from politics, and properly qualified foE
the work.
the neople and let them he responsible directly
10 the people for their acts but above all things
allow this board of education to go out and find
YOU a fit aud proper superintendent, pay him an
aCeOuate salary. and keep him ont of politics.
''May God speed the day when there shall
be. within easy reach Of every child within the
state of Georgia. properly conducted, well
equipped school, supported by the state, with
proper school books furnished without cost, and
" no would DENY his child the blessings of ar
educat ton This. after all, is the real source OF
| the progress Of the state, its development and
SALE OF STATE ROAD.
The state road has been much discussed and
1 there seems to be a general sentiment in the
| state which Is very much opposed to any dis
! position of the property. ! cannot understand
how they could be a matter of sentiment 1t II
/ purely business proposition. We are now pay
! ing approximately $3.50 900 for interest on pub
/ lie debt, and 100000 on sinking fund, which
| makes the annual apprOpria ton for this year
for sinking fund and interest, approximately
! $3.50 OOO, The total income from the present
lease of the Western and Atlantic Railroad II
| s420O l2. So We are only receiving net about
] $4,000 for all of this property, which mOs
! 600 to $4,000, 900. while others claim that Il
/ is worth considerably more. The value OF the
] road should be fairly well established from th'
interstate commerce commission valuation. Tit
! total public debt of the state is at present
| So PA 702 so if the road we're sold for SIG.
/ 900 900 there would be sufficient funds to pay
! the public debt, settle in full with the schod
teachers, and leave at least SS,OOO,OOO as sur
plus This sum alone, at per cent interest
Invested in county and municipal bonds. woulC
yield an income to the state of S4OO,O0O, and
when you add to this the taxes on the property
sold Of about SIS 600 and then the Interest
saved on the public debt, you have an income
! almost double the present lease. Therefore. II
| the road could be sold for a reasonable price
! and, by constitutional amendment, the surplus
| over and above the amount necessary to pay the
! public debt and pay the scoOl teachers all the
arrears due them, be invested in county and
/ municipal bonds, land bank for the benefit
Of the people directly in this state, this surplus
fund should pay into the treasury considerably
more than the present lease of the road anC
! leave the state with this great surplus. entire
I " ont Of debt. The only argument against this
* that the legiSla ture will spend the surplus
ndney but II the legislature restricted by
constitutional amendment il could not do this