Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-07-10

Speakers for the Dixon reso1u.
ton insisted that the issue must
be settled some time or other, and
that it might just as well be settled
now. They declared that the propo-
sition was fair One; that it ! is a
vital issue to the people of the state;
and that 1t is one upon which an ex-
| preston of opinion must be secured
Macon's Bonded Debt
| Senator Ivan E. Allen, one of the
leaders in the fight against the re-
moyal issue, declared in his speech
that the city of Macon and the
county Of Bib should not be placed
| in an embarrassing position such as
were to approve the capital removal
proposition. He declared that both
the city of Macon and the county of
Bibb were now bonded practically to
the limit and could only raise addi-
tional funds, such as would be, re-
quired to build a new capitol by
burdensome taxation.
Senator Allen further asserted that
| the present effort, of the removalists
| is being made for the purpose of
boosting one city at the expense OF
| another.
| Arguments Advanced
| Replying to the charge that the
| approval by the people of the capt.
tai removal issue under the Dixon
resolution would not be binding
| upon The n0AL S0uSTdl dSS6ulUly, LILO
advocates of the resolution declared
| would have "a tremendous effect on
the embers of the next legislature.
These legislators under their oath
of office could not disregard the I'M
they insisted.
Of Georgia will vote to remove the
! capital" said Senator Flynt, one Of
L, f<~,.
1 do believe that the people ought
to be given aschance to express them
| selves
The opponents of the Dixon resoiu-
ton took the position that the pro-
posals on which the people would
| They characterized the Dixon reso-
| luton as a subterfuge and as a
method of evading a constitutional
provision. They interjected many
| questions and several sharp clashes
occurred during, the debate,
And further as 1t was brought
out foreefuuy Ex-senator Barrett, the
substitute provides that the removal
issue be submitted to the voters not
\ in ia general election, but in the party
may vote in the primary, it is point
ed out and thus all the voters of
the state would: not be afforded an
opportunity to express their opinions
on theS SUBJECT.
/ The anti-removalists insist that
Il the constitution provides ample ma
chinery for submitting any PROPOSE
ton to the people by a referendum
A constitutional amendment, such as
would be required Ito authorize the
removal Of the capital, must be APP
proved by two-thirds vote of both
branches of the general assembly be-
fore it can be submitted to the peo-
pie. The constitutional amendment
| providing for capital removal al
though urged at every session or the
legislature for many years, has never
been able to muster tWo-thiTds
! vote in both houses.
To get around this obstacle, it Is
claimed, the removalists have intro
duced the Dixon resolution, which
does not require a two-thirds ma
iority, but accomplishes practically
the same object as constitutional
I amendment. It is pointed out, how
ever, that even though the voters OF
the state should, in the proposed ref
/ erendum, express a. desire to remove
the capital to Macon, the general
assembly would not be bound to ap-
A proye a constitutional amendment tC
that effect and the present move
ment is therefore characterized as g
piece of useless legislation.
Substitute Resolution
The resolution introduced Wednes
day is a substitute for a reso
ator Dixon providing for referen
dunn on the question of capital re
moval. The original resolution pro
vided that the people of the state, a
the next general election, should pas!
upon two questions:
To move the state capital to Macon
accepting that city's offer of s1Xteel
acres on Tattnal1 square and $4,000,
/ 900 to build a capitol and governor
] mansion, or
] To MAINTAIN the capital in Atlant;
and authorize the general assembl!
4 to make appropriations sufficient t
I build necessary additions to the pres
emit capitol, buy additional ground fd
l that purpose and erect new COVER
| nor's mansion, the total cost O
4 all improvements to be $2,O0O,O00.
The substitute carries the sam
\ the capital to Macon, but in the pro
posal to maintain the capital in At
. lanta, omits the amount Of none,
= which the general assembly shall b.
asked to appropriate.
Proposition Unfair
Opponents of the resolution insis
4 that the statement of the PROPOSE
\ ton is most unfair; that the voter.
, of Georgia would be called on t.
say whether they would accept {
gilt OIL 90,UUU,UUU ana sixteen acres
e Of valuable land, or whether they
would order the expenditure of So,
100000 or more from the state treas
ury. Such a statement of the issue
: would do great injustice to Atlanta
! and to the people of the state gen
f orally, it is declared.
: Senator Dixon's substitute abou
{ which the capital removal battle wa'
d waged in the senate Thursday fol
! ! lows:
Whereas, his excellency, Governo
= Hugh M. Dorsey, has in messag,
: to the general assembly, directed at
: tention to the fact that the bushes!
: of the state is fast outgrowing thu
t quarters afforded by the present cap
. itol building and that it has beer
necessary to rent two buildings OF
{ Capitol square for the military de
e partment and the state board o.
II health, and in the same message i!
transmitted q report by architects
= who after examination, express thu
opinion that there are certain STATE
departments which should be re
moved from the Capitol building anC
structures erected for them else
| | where and
II Whereas, certain of the other de
partments of the state government
are now located in other buildings
upon which notice has been give1
II those departments Of large increas
II Whereas. Governor Dorsey. in hi
= | of Oh