Fitzgerald leader., 1921-04-02
Hon. Joseph Hall,
Macon, Cia.

Hon. Joseph Hall,
Macon, Ga.
Dear Sir: =
A copy Of your very interest
ing letter was brought to my at
tention and several points in it
struck me forcibly. Knowing
that perhaps you have mailed
this letter to thousands of people
i'll Georgia who are not as well
acquainted with the organization
OF purposes of the Municipal
League Of Georgia as you and /,
| do not think it presumptious
for me to offer to assist you in
informing them.
| appreciate the broad spirit of
public service that prompted you
to write, and have these letters
printed and mailed at your ex-
pensc without hope or desire Of
reimbursement. | especially ad-
mlrc that generosity with your
own money since | know how
very economical you were with
money Of the people of Georgia
during your terms in the legisla-
ture. You were, in fact, so eff
cient in saving money for the
people of Georgia that your alma
mater, the University of Georgia,
has been SO starved for funds
that the window sill in the room
in Old College dormitory where
you lived while student still
bears the initials you carved there
many, many years ago. Your zeal
in saving the peoples money has
kept that grand old institution so
impoverished that it has not even
been able to replace that ancient
window sill, unless it was done
since last bade farewell to those
hallowed, though slightly decrepit
halls.
Knowing your Jealous activi-
ties as the watch dog Of. the
treasury" while in office | can -un-
derstand the public spirit that
prompts you to continue to pro
tect the poor, dear people in
your retirement to private life.
But, Mr.. Hall, in your intense
earnestncSs to save them from
their folly and extravaganza, why
not coniine yourself to facts and
logic? ? ! know that man of your
sense could not have been led in
to the position you take against
the Municipal League by any
such arguments as those with
which you expect to convince the
public. Oh course the public may
not all belong to the intelligentsia
as you do, but still they are able
to understand simple truths
Why not use simple truths in per
suading them that you are right
Although your letter is rather
lncoherent and seems to make nc
major points in whose support
can adduce the facts which YOU
seem to have overlooked. | will
try to follow your line of argu.
ment as well as | can and explain
those things you failed to explain
You say that the bills to be pre-.
sented at the next legislature are
Tor unlimited bond issue with.
out the knowledge of their citi-
zenS and without any investiga.
ton as to the nature of the leeis.
lation which these bills yould
authorize" You know of course
since you are reputed to be an ex.
pert on constitutional law. that
bonds can be issued only by Z
majority vote of two-thirds of the
registered voters. These voter,
may need your protection in the
exercise of their knowledge, but
still they will have the 'know
ledge. "
You also seem to imply thar
once this bill were passed, the
Georgia Legislature would i'm
mediately become radical and so
cialiStlc and would forthwith run
amuck with passage of "legisla
ton which these bills authorize.
These bills. most honorable anC
venerable Mr.. Hall, do not con
template a metamorphosis in tn,
personalities of the solons o
Georgia. They simply will civ,
them an opportunity to furthe
exercise their intelligence in tn
interests of their constituents. A
you know, Georgia's Legislature
, is now so restricted in authorit,
that it could not even authoriz
West Point. Ga, to issue bond
, to rehabilitate itself after tn
flood and tornado last year. Ev
cry voter in Georgia had to de
eide individually whether tha
plucky little town of West Poin
should be allowed to restore ii
self. Don't you think that was ri
: diculous, Mr., Hall?
| was also engrossed by the cas-
with which you arrived at the vii
motives of the officers of the Mu
!, nicipal League. If my powers Q
reasoning were as brilliant a