The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-07-14
The Election Laws May Be Amended to TwO-Thirds of Votes Cast in Order
 to Remedy Situation
KEYS ELECTION WAS NO SURPRISE; INMAN'S
 WITHDRAWAL A SHOCK
Improvements at Camp Gordon Wherein Camp Was to Have Been Enlarged to Care for 75,000
 Men Are Off
gy WINNIE FREEMAN

Atlanta. July 12.-(SpeciaL)-AtIa is in n sad way. And this is one time that she admits it. She hasn't the heart to look herself squarely in the face and say that she did herself proud when in the primary election last Wednesday she failed to pass the SS00,- 900 bond issue for city improvements.
 The city is up against it. And if the legislature, now in session, can't do something to help her out, she's going to continue to be up against it for some time to come. And yet, with it an acknowledged fact that the pumps at the city water works are practically worn out and are apt to give way at any time; and in the face of a statement from Washington re- ceived the morning of the election say ing that no authority could be issued for enlarging the quarters at Camp Gordon until arrangements had been made for increasing the water supply, Atlanta citizens sat supinely at home on election day and let the opportunity to make the necessary improvements pass by. And now, they don't know what they're going to do about it.
 SLACKERS DEFEAT BONDS
 The outstanding and deplorable fea- ture of the whole thing is that the bonds didn't fail to pass because of any opposition. It was simply because At 1anta citizens proved themselves to be slackers on this one occasion, and Jailed to turn out in sufficient force to create the necessary twothirds of the registered voters in favor of the Sssue. Among those voting, the vote against the bonds was negligible. It would have taken about 9,250 votes to pass the bonds. The total number of citizens voting on election day did not exceed 5000
 And Thursday morning all those citi- zens who had neglected to vote in fa- vor of the bonds were awakened to a realization of the fact that their neg 7igence has not only cost Atlanta some practically imperative improvements, but has kept her from getting enlarged quarters for soldiers at Camp Gordon, H great asset to the city.
 In addition to the danger of a water Hamine, the city is facing 8 direct loss to all of it's industries through the rurtailing of work at Camp Gordon, which is threatened unless arrange ments are made to supply an adequate amount of water there. Without ad- Hitional facilities the supply cannot be Increased and unless the supply is in- creased the governments plan to de- velop the camp into station for 15,0o0 men will go glimmering.
 Members of council are confident that something will be done to relieve the situation. They are not certain what A J. Orme, chairman of the bond committee of council. has as- Eured the people-who didn't think enough of their city to go to the polls and vote-that something will be done at once to relieve the situation. It has been hinted that a special tax will he levied to meet the situation
 WOULD CHANGE LAW
 And in the meantime, W. Tom Winn. chairman of the city bond committee, which was to have supervised the spending of the bond money, is di- fecting his energies toward securing a change in the election law which will make a repitition of Wednesdays fias- 70 impossible. Mir. Vim, proceeding on the theory that tits an i'll wind that blows nobody good" has said that if the election serviced only to bring about a change in the anticipated laws, 1t has accomplished much for the state of Georgia.
 A bill is now pending before the leg 1slature to change the election laws so as to make only two-thirds vote of the actual voters necessary for the passage of bonds instead of two-thirds pf the registered voters as now exists. -s About $50,000 of the bonds were to be devoted to the construction of a stone structure to replace the present Frame "cyclorama" which has been at Grant park for a number of years. This building houses a masterpiece of priceless value. There is hardly vis- 3tor to Atlanta for the past 20 years who has not made a special trip out to Grant park to see the "cyclorama," the great painting of the battle of At 1anta. And now the painting is in danger of being destroyed, through rains caused by leaks in the building, through decay, or through fire which would play havoc with the frame building in which the great painting is housed. It is a notable fact that ia the election there were more votes cast against the bonds for preserving this wonderful reproduction of the most momentous event of Atlanta s