Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1922-11-04
GEORGIA HAS
ENOUGH COUNTIES.

One of the most aggressive
fights ever waged in the state
of Georgia is now being made
by the people of Montezuma,
Marshallville, Ideal, OgIethorpe
and other Macon county citizens
in their efforts to defeat the pro-
posed constitutional amendment
creating Peach county.
Reports from the press and
otherwise, seem to indicate that
the County of Peach will not be
heard of again after Tuesday,
November 8.
Those actively opposing the
new county are rendering the
State of Georgia a real, a valua-
bic and lasting service. Already
Georgia has more counties than
any state in the Union, except
Texas, and Texas has about
three times Georgia's area. Let's
put stop to this new county
business, once and for all.
Every new county adds to the
membership of the state legisla-
ture, which now is unweildy be-
cause of its numbers. Every
new county adds to the expense
Of government, in as much as
every new county must have a
sheriff, a county tax collector,
an ordinary and a long retinue
Of other salaried officials. Sim
ply because most of these Off
GERS are on a fee basis instead
of salary basis, is no excuse.
Some one, somewhere, some
time must pay these salaries.
The creation of new county
most frequently means higher
tax rate for the people affected,
for the tax records show that
the smaller counties have the
highest tax rate, as a rule.
The people of Americas and
those of Montezuma, Marshall
vile, Ideal, Oglethorpe and Ma
con county generally are closely
allied because of social and bust
ness relations of long standing.
They are constantly visiting in
our homes; they are daily to be
seen in our houses of amusement
and in the mercantile establish
ments of this city.
This is not a new fight. 1t be-
gan away back in 1916, when a
bill was introduced creating a
new county, its name to be Will
son, if our memory is correct.
This bill was decisively defeated
in the legislature. Again it came
up in 1917, again in 1918 and
1919 and 1920 and 1921, each
time being Dictated.
If there is one good reason for
the establishment of this new
: county, we have failed to hear
it, unless it is that the county
seat--Perry-is not readily &C
cessible to a large proportion of
the territory affected.
Granting that Perry is inacces-
sible, then, gentlemen, change
your county seat to a point more
easily reached-and forget the
county of Peach.
q Charges of misrepresentation,
Of lobbying, etc, have been made
6 right and left. The proponents
: of Peach county deny that money
was spent. Well, if they or any
other people ever secured the
passage of a bin creating a new
county without spending scads of
money, THAT. is NEWS.
( 1t costs money to hire dozens
of professional lobbyists; it
: costs money, and lots of it, to
entertain lavishly and promiscu-
ously, the members of the legisla-
ture, and those who secured the
= passage of the Peach county bill
last summer must have had re-
markable rabbits foot if they
got by without putting up"
Those genial gentlemen who fire.
/. quent the lobby of the KimbalI
house don't often overlook
good bet.
The T;mes-Recordcr believes
that the best interests of the
state of Georgia will best be
served By defeating this new
county anne 2dment next Tues
day. 1t believes that the best
interests of the people affected
will best be served by its defeat.
We believe that it is to the best
interests Of our people in Sum-
ter county that this bill be de-
feated.
Let's put a stop to this n,