The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1919-07-15
Atlanta Citizer.u Pro-
test Against Capt.
tai Removal.

! VNHE citizens and taxpayers of
ton and DeKalb counties
earnestly appeal to the citi-
zens and taxpayers of all sections
Of the state of Georgia to join
= IN the patriotic purpose of de-
feating the pending BIZ in the
legislature seeking to remove the
state capital to Macon. and they
apnnteal to the various comm ccial
bodies. chambers of commerce.
municipalities and organizations
OF every kind to urgo upon their
: members in the house and the
: senate by telegram, by letter and
personal interview to vote against
these bills, for the following,
AMONGST other good and sufficient
= reasons:
!. Because such an agitation
: tons in the state in strife and
' animosity, divide the people.
commercially and socially, and pre-
: vent the state and her citizens
| from securing their share of the
: prosperity and development which
is at hand during the reconstruc-
> ton period following the great
: war which has lust ended. This is
> peculiarly time for a continue
: ton of the united. harmonious
: efforts of all the citizens of all
; sections to upbuild Georgia, adj
; vance her superb prestige in bust
: ness, finance and general growth,
> and to discourage all discord,
: strife. division and bitterness.
: 2. Because the present location
; of the state capital was deter
; mined by vote of the people, and
with an agreement on the part of
; the city of Atlanta that in con-
: sideration of its location being
made permanently there the city
; would donate the site where 1t is
: now located, which was done for
) the purpose of the capitol, and
in addition contributed in money
ledgeville capitol buildings, and no
public necessity for the present
removal of the capital exists, but
it is against the public interest
; and alone sought to crafty the
ambition of rival city.
3. Because the taxpayers are
already heavily burdened with
pay the war debt, and the state
already has a heavy floating debt
of her own, has no constitutional
right to issue bonds to build the
capitol, and cannot use the sale
of any of the present capitol
grounds or executive mansion ex-
cept to pay the public debt with
out violating her word to her
bondholders; the cost of a capitol
and executive mansion at Macon
of equal capacity and facilities
to that now possessed by the state
in Atlanta. even though all the
ground is donated, would cost the
state some four or five millions
of dollars at the present prices
- Il r. l.,
heavily burden the already OPP
pressed taxpayers. In the mean
time all the other developments
of the state are suffering for a
lack of sufficient support. and
any increase in taxes should GER
tainly go first to schools, roads
and the many other branches that
are now insufficiently cared for.
4. Because the bringing on of
an election for the removal of the
capital will tend to demoralize the
public. and will inevitably place
the balance of power in the hands
of irresponsible elements, largely
composed of those who are now
wisely disfranchised from voting
under our constitution. by failure
to pay their taxes. Such CAM
paign will put upon the state this
class of probably one hundred
thousand white and black voters
now disqualified, by causing their
taxes to be paid in order to get
their votes. and they will there
remain a menace and n danger
to our institutions for all time to
come.
5. Because the Federal Reserve
bank, United States court of APP
peals, military post, base hospi-
tai, federal prison and the various
other federal activities. and The
line of general business now To-
Gated in Atlanta. enable a citizen
having business at the state CAPT
toll to conveniently attend to mis-
public or important duties by
making only one rip, whereas, if
the capital is removed to Macon
it would require a trip TO each
place.
6. Because the railroad facili-
ties of the state are sure that the
location of the capitol in Macon
would inconvenience a greatly
increased number of people over
what it's remaining in Atlanta, by
requiring them to change trains
and making the trip difficult to
reach the capitol.
For these and other good reasons
that could be urged, it is of the
greatest importance that these
bills in the legislature be defeat
ed and the state allowed to con-