Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-07-11

M of Decatur county, leader in thu
w States agricultural and industrial
affairs as we'll as one of the most highly
regarded members of the house, asserts that
in his deliberate judgment as business
man. the capital-removal scheme, IL carried
out, would cost the taxpayers OF Georgia
not less than five million dollars" he raises
an inquiry which every citizen having his
own and the Commemorative good at heart
should closely consider.
Five million dollars out Of the taxpay-
ers' pockets!
Five million dollars to pamper one city's
ambition!
Would not this be going rather fast and
rather far to please even so charming a
city as Macon? Would it not be prudent
to wait at least until the extraordinary tax
burdens imposed by the war are somewhat
lightened and until the present excess OF the
States expenditures over it's income is some
what abridged? OF course, we should all
be sorry to see Macon pout, but then do
we not owe something to the vital interests
of the State at large-to schools and high
ways and public health? Shall these urgent
necessities be denied, and shall millions be
added to the taxpayers load merely to graft
fly childish Wf1im?
Representative Callahan thinks not, and
his Judgment is typical of the opinion OF
scores, hundreds and thousands of business
minded Georgians who, being entirely de-
Ianta and Macon, view the question broadly
in the light of the whole States we1lbeing.
After observing that no good reason what
soever has been advanced for changing the
seat of the States government, Representa-
tive Callahan declares:
cit is all very well to talk about SELL
ing the present capitol building and
Governors mansion and applying the
proceeds on new capitol and mansion
but who is going to buy the present
capitol? 1t is q splendid building for
it's present purpose, and needs only an
annex to accommodate slight overflow
But if we put it on the market, who is
going to buy it? Who else could use
it besides the State? Would not At
lanta have a good claim on it if we
cease to use it as capitol inasmuch
as Atlanta gave the site on condition that
the seat of government should be To-
Gated there permanently? Even if At
lanta's claim is not good and we succeed
in selling the property, we should be
= obliged to apply the money on the States
bonded debt"
Just here rises a question which propa-
gandists of the removal scheme seek to be-
cloud, but which can have only one right
and reasonable answer, as this clear-thinking
representative from Southwest Georgia makes
plain. Admit, says he, that we might amend
the Constitution so as technically to authorize
the use of the proceeds from the sale of
the present capital property in building a
new capitol and a. new mansion in Macon;
nevertheless,
eve have sold every bond of the State
of Georgia with the binding guarantee
as specified in the constitution, that the
proceeds of the sale of any state property
must be applied to reduce the States
debt. Are state who values its
reputation for honor and fair dealing
to be guilty Of slipping public property
out from under our public debt and
diverting it to purposes plainly pro-
hibited by the terms of our bonds? Do
we not know that the state of Georgia's
bonds will very soon depreciate in value,
If not become drug on the market, if
we attempt such dea1ings?~ How can
we expect to sell proposed highway
bonds, in which the whole State is so
vitality concerned, if we deliberately give
ourselves bad reputation in the fnan-
ciaI markets of the country?''
We cannot imagine the General Assembly
or the people of Georgia conniving at any
scheme which would involve the States honor
or impair her credit. Macon's within is
to be INDUCED, it must be at the expense
of the Commonwealth. If this folly of fol-
lies is to be countenanced, the rank and file
of taxpayers must foot the enormous bill.
This is the issue which the peoples repre-
sentatives are called upon to decide? Shall
the Legislature indorse the proposed extrav-
agance as Constitutional amendment, or in
the interest of the State reject it overwhelm-
ingly? Common justice and common sense
admit of but answer.