Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-07-04
CAPITAL. REMOVAL
PLAN BROUGHT lip
AGAIN BY MACON
InsuperabIe Obstacles in the
Way of Removal and Great
Cost of Change Make Plan
ImpractiCabIe

Macon has again brought up the
question of removing the capitol OF
Georgia to Macon, and the issue is to
be fought out at the present session
of the Georgia legislature.
Announcement of Macon's deter
mined move to secure the capitol has
brought forth a flood of comment
from all over the state, the useless
nature of the change and the insup-
cradle obstacles in its way leading
to strong objection not only on the
part of Atlanta but from other sec
lions as we'll. Citizens of Atlanta
have formed a committee to fight the
removal plan, and the contest has
already developed the following OBJ
jections to the removal plan:
l. Because such an agitation will
embroil the different sections in the
state in strife and animosity, divide
the people, commercially and social
". and prevent the state and her
citizens from securing their share
of the prosperity and development
which is at hand during the recon
struction period following the great
war which has Just ended. This is
peculiarly a time for continuation
of the united, harmonious efforts OF
all the citizens of all sections to up
build Georgia, advance her superb
prestige in busiess, finance and gen
eraI growth, and to discourage ali
discord, strife, division and bitter
ness.
,. Because the present location of
the state capital was determined by
vote of the people. and with an
agreement on the part of the city OF
Atlanta that in consideration of its
location being made permanently
there the city would donate the site
where it is now located, which was
done for the purpose of the capitol,
and in addition contributed in money
the appraised value of the Milledge-
willie 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.
Z 8 Because the taxpayers are al
ready heavily burdened with federal
taxes recently levied to pay the war
debt, and the state already has
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 except
to pay the public debt without VIC
lating her word to her bondholders;,
the cost of 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 of
construction, and will further heavily
burden the already oppressed taXpay~
ers. In the meantime all the other
deYelopm ents of the state are suf-
fering- for "a lack of sufficient sup
port, and any increase in taxes should
certainly go first to schools, roads
and the many other branches that
are now insufficiently- cared for.
f. Because the bringing on of an
election for the removal of the cap
ital will tend to demoralize the pub
lie, and will ineVitab bly, place the bal
ance of power in the hands of ire
sponsible elements, largely composed
of those who are now wisely dis
franchised from voting under our
constitution, by failure to pay their
taxes. Such campaign 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 re-
main menace and danger to our
institutions for all time to come.
O.. Because the federal reserve
bank, United States court of ap-
peals- military post, base hospital
federal prison and the various other
federal activities, and the line of
general business now located in At
lanta, enable citizen having bust .
ness at the state capitol to conven-
lently attend to his public or impor-
tant duties by making only one trim
whereas, if the capital is removed to
Macon it would require a trim to
each place.
6. Because the railroad facilities
OF the state are such that the loca-
ton of the capial in Macon would
inconvenience a greatly increased
number of people over what it's re-
naming in Atlanta, by requiring
+hem to change trains and making
the trip difficult to reach the capital. !
For these and other good reasons
That could be urged, it is of the
greatest Importance that these bills
in the legislature De defeated and
the state allowed to continue on her
line of progress and improvement,
without strife, bitterness or conten-
ton.
People throughout the state are
asking:
Suppose the issue of capital re-
vote of the people of Georgia, as
Macon demands, and suppose the
people should vote in favor of re-
moving the capital from Atlanta to
Macon. Then what next?
The next thing in order would be
the building in Macon of a new
capitol and a new governors man
sion. This would cost money. It is
generally agreed that a new capitoI
as large and as good as the present
capitol would cost not less than S3.-
100000. With labor and material
where they are, it might cost S.
Vuo,OVV. governors mansion would
cost not less than $4,000. Where
would Georgia get this money?
II the present capitol and mansion
are sold, the proceeds must be an
piled on the states bonded debt. The
constitution of Georgia requires that
the proceeds of the sale of all pub
nc property be SO applied. Hence
the state could get no money from
this source.
If the city of Macon or the coun-
ty OF Btbb, either or both, should
undertake to issue bonds to raise
money to build new capitol and
nn iiL any property owner in
Blbh county according to able law
yers), could go into the courts and
enJoln such bond issue, for the rea-
son that building capitols and man
SONS is not the business of A civ
or u county. Hence no money womb
come from this source
II the safe undertook to issue
oonos 10 build new capitol and
mansion, it could not do so. The
constitution of Georgia provides sne-
elt1cally that the bonded debt of fha
state shall NEVER be increased "ex-
cept to suppress Insurrection r.
fepel invasion and to conduct war"
hence no money would come from
this source.
If the state undertook to build q
new capitol and mansion out of cur
rent revenue, it would fail again. for
the simple reason that current ex-
pen lures are already from $780,
rent revenue, and the state tax is
LIN TIED BY THE CONSTITUTION
and the limit HAS BEEN REACH,
ED.
But in the meantime. the seat Of
government would have been moved
TO Macon, because the people had or
dered 1T there, and the state would
nave no capitol or mansion. and nee
essarlly the whole establishment
you'd be forced to occupy RENT