Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-07-20
The Folly and the Cost Of the
CabitaEMovinq Scheme


- HE House committee, to which Ma
cons representatives themselves
n chose to refer the latest device of
their capital owing ambition, has reported
adversely This is not at all surprising, IN
view of the unfairness and childish folly OF
what they asked the legislature to do. HAY
ing failed at divers expedients to put
through a Constitutional amendment-the
one and only means whereby their purpose
can be legally accomplishment having
tried sundry other shifts to no avail, they
came in the present instance to the UNJUST
test and absurdest proposition of all
They proposed that the General Assembly,
bound though it is to represent the sovereign
people of Georgia, not simply single party
or clan, should submit to a mere fraction OF
the electorate presumably for determln-
ing decsion) question involving the vital
interests of all citizens and all taxpayers as
we'll as a change in the States fundamental
law Nothing less than a general election
in which all qualified voters could partlcl-
pate would suffice for referendum which,
if decided and acted upon as the Removal1tes
wish would cost the taxpayers of Georgia
between five and ten million dollars.
Yet the Macon representatives proposed that
so momentous an issue be tossed into sum-
mer's politics and settled in the September
primary. Settled" that is to say, IL by
chance the vote should be in their favor, for
then undoubtedly they would call the re-
suit Solemn mandate" from the people;
whereas, if disappointed therein, would they
not just as certainly resume their agitation
from new angle and by fresh stratagems?
Not only was the means by which they
| proposed to decide the matter unjust, and
! in it's ultimate bearings unconstitutional, but
! the very form of the question which they
wished submitted was calculated to mislead
| and was out of keeping with the facts. The
| following alternative, as they designed it,
was to be printed on the ballots:
(a) For removal OF the state capital to
Macon and accepting the tender made by the
| city of Macon and the county of Bibb of the
| gift of $4,000, 100000 and the site known as
| Tattnall Square GIG acres or more, valued at
81 600, 000.00) for capitol and mansion pur-
| poses.
| CD For retaining the capitol and mansion
! in the city of Atlanta, and making the neces-
sary repairs, purchasing the necessary land,
| erecting suitable annexes, and acquiring a
new governors mansion; and directing the
general assembly at it's next session to ap-
! proprate such of money may be neces-
| sary for expenses incident thereto, as may
| be incurred.
| Under this statement of the case, the voter
would be called upon to choose between re-
| moving the capital to Macon, where grounds
would be donated and new buildings pro-
vided without penny's cost to the Common
wealth. and retaining the capitol in it's pres
ent seat, with the necessity of improvements
which would call for extensive drains on the
| public treasury. That is to say Gas the Re-
novelties would have it appear), transfer the
capital to Macon, and it will cost the States
| taxpayers nothing; keep it in Atlanta and
| it will cost them fortunes.
| Now so much a glance into the facts
and probabilities of the situation will show
| that just the reverse is true. The talk of Ma
| cons gift of three million dollars" has
about much foundation as day dreamer S
castles in Spain; and as for the zone million
dollar site," the projectors Of the scheme do
not even propose to give the State an unquali-
fed title to the land. The only imaginable
means by which this Handicapped "gift of
three million dollars could be produced is a
municipal and county bond issue But the tax
able values of Macon and Bbb county com
bined are not sufficient to authorize, under
| Constitutional requirements, bond issue of
that amount The county now shoulders a
recently incurred bonded debt of one and
half million dollars and the city has it's own
extraordinary obligations. These communities
highly prosperous though they are, could not
| IL they would assume additional burden of
three million dollars; and there is reason to
believe that the sound judgment of their
voters would reject any such proposition even
were it made legally possible for them to &C
cept it. Thus when we come to the realities of
the case it is evident that there would be but
one source for meeting the enormous cost
| OF moving the capital and that would be the
purse OF the States taxpayers, one and all
The proposition reduces ITSELF therefore
simply to this: shall the citzenry of Geor-
gla, whose schools and every public institu-
ton are suffering grievously for funds be
saddled with a debt of many millions of dol
lars merely to crafty notionate ambition
Or shall the capital remain where it was Con-
stitutionally established a little more than
forty years ago by vote of the people and
where it can be improved to meet every need
without additional tax levies, indeed without
taking dollar from the treasury's income ?
1t is a matter of common knowledge that the
present Executive mansion site could be ex-
changed. or otherwise disposed of, so as to
procure not only a desirable residence for
the Governor, but capitol annex as well
And it is matter OF common knowledge
that fruitful steps to this end would have
| been taken long ago and all needful improve
: ments made, had it not been for the OBJ
: structlve tactics of those who are seeking to
transplant the capital to Macon at a ire
mendous cost to the State.
The House committee acted wisely and
with patriotism in disappearing the latest de-
= vice by which the Removalites hoped to ad-
L vance their adventure. Governed by reason
? and fair play, the House can but concur
in the adverse report. Surely it is time tc
: turn from this wasteful and childish affair
f to matters of constructive moment