Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1919-06-26

Atlanta, Ga,-The people of the state
OF Georgia will finally settle, one way
or the other, at the next general election.
| the capitol removal issue
1t is to be definitely determined at that
time whether the capitol is to remain
IN Atlanta and the necessary improve
| ments and engagements are to be made
here, or an adequate and fitting new
capitol building and governors mansion
! are to be provided in Macon, in the cen
| ter of the state.
The Georgia Legislature at this ses-
sion will pass bill, not as great
many people have seemed to believe, to
move the capitol" but to submit the
| question to a vote of the people for their
| determination.
! A canvass of the state county by coun-
| ty has just been completed and it is
| found that. generally speaking, the people
and the statesmen are of one mind on
| the subject; they are in accord with
| the opinion expressed by Governor Dor
| sey some months ago: That the contin-
ued unsettlement of the capitol removal
| issue has become bar and handicap
| on the states business in more ways
| than one and the time has come to
| END the agitation" by putting it up to
| the people to render final verdict at the
| ballot box and bring the thing to a
| close.
| There are members of both houses
| who will support the measure this year
| to submit the issue to vote of the peo-
pie, and ID who. when it is submitted, will
| the capitol from the city of Atlanta.
| Among them are some who will return
| TO their homes and, in the campaign be-
| fore the people on the direct issue, will
| seek to carry their county against it.
| but they frankly occupy the position of
| desiring the issue brought to it's final
| admit their conviction that there is no
| other, as well as no more proper or
conclusive, manner of ending it.
Law Says People Must Vote
In no few localities in the state it
| has been found the belief exists that the
the state constitution In other locali-
| ties - though these have been found to
| be but few there is entertained some
| idea that the state legislature has the
authority to fix the location of the capt.
J toll and has passed upon the question,
Neither idea is, correct;
The sole authority for future deter
mination of the question of the capitol,
after the adoption of the convention or
dinance has been by vote of the peo-
pie of the state
In the light of these facts gentlemen
of both branches of the 1920 Legis-
| lature representing both factions-those
desirous of placing the capitol in the
center of the state, and those opposed
to any change from the present location
have announced themselves in favor
! and support of the provision made by the
constitutional convention last held. They
recognize, as does the present state ad-
ministraton, that the issue is one which
must be speedily brought to a conclusion
and they stand for making the required
legal arrangements to reach that con-
cluSiOn this year.
Statewide political issues ordinarily
go directly to the people. without any
necessity for meeting legal technicality.
| binary variety Its final settlement can
! come through no other legal means than
action on the part of the state legisla-
| ture submitting it to a popular vote.
That government founded on the con-
sent of those governed is the only firm
| and substantial kind.
Why the Issue Needs to Be Settled
For ten years there has been constant
! ly growing an agitation for removal of
the state capitol to a location nearer
| the center of Georgia. At the time of
ten years ago was probably not an is
sue of state wide Importance. Devel-
opment in that space of time of the
wonderful wilderness and wild land south
ern portion of Georgia into the greatest
farming, trucking and fruit growing Sec
ton of the southeast added such impe-
tus to the desire for central location
of the state government that it attained
the scope of a big and broad state issue
several years ago Four years ago rep
| resentatives of majority of the coun-
ties in the state committed themselves,
not to a movement to remove the capt.
toll from Atlanta to Macon, but to the
proposition that this issue is of such
size and, Importance, it must be passed
upon and determined by the voting pop
ulation of Georgia as whole:
The magnitude which 1T has. or al
ready had at that time. reached manifest
ed itself several years ago in the Geor-
gia Legislature when efforts were made
to make disposition of the old and di-
governors mansion" a piece of prop
erty acquired by the state from Mr..
John Fl. James. of Atlanta, at cost
in that day of 100000 worth Of seven
| movap' prevented action then on the
| ground that 1.-The people must settle the
| issue by vote first"
| Subsequently, or about three years ago,
| efforts were made in the Legislature to
| have the state purchase from the Jack
| son estate real estate in juXtaposition to
| the present capitol property, for the
| purpose of erecting an annex building
| overlooking, might be relieved to some
| extent of the pressure upon its increaS-
! ing inadequacy That effort met the
i same fate, Capitol removal prevented
action until the people should be allowed
| to vote on the issue
me effort to negotiate sale of the
| present mansion property and purchase
more suitable property upon which to
| erect new mansion suffered the same
| experience They all have been blocked
| by the capitol removal ISSUE
Must Have More Room
! Nearly three years ago. Governor Har-
| ris, on his own responsibility, and in or
| der to make room in the state capitol
for the new members of the state court
of appeals rented in the name of the
"a al RhCta f0I FOL