Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1923-06-08
GRAND JURY ENDORSES
CAMPAIGN AGAINST
MOSQUITO IN SUMTER
Board of County Commissioners
Asked TO Cooperate in Con-
tinuing Work
WOULD ABOLISH ALL FEES
Recommendation Made That
All County Officers Here Be
Put on Salary Basis

The grand Jury Of Sumter Su-
perior court, in general present.
ments published today commends
the efforts under way to extermin-
ate the malaria mosquito in the
county, and recommends that all
county officers here be placed upon
a salary basis. Another important
presentments is that the state motor
vehicle law be so changed as to au-
thorize seizure by the sheriff of all
cars operated without a current Ii
cense tag. Instead of the existing
statute, the grand jury would make
it lawful to sell such cars after a
reasonable period, where owners fail
or neglect to secure tags as pro-
yided by law. At present it is a
misdemeanor to operate car with
out license tag, and the jury's pre-
sentiments say the law is being gem
orally violated.
There is entirely too much mar
rying in haste'," say the present
ments, which refer especially to
that portion of Judge Littlejohn's
charge dealing with the divorce
question. To the end of reducing
the divorces granted married cou-
pies in Georgia, the ,presentments
recommend that certain changes be
made in the states marriage laws.
These proposed changes would make
it more difficult to secure marriage
licenses, the belief being expressed
that such changes would reduce the
number of applications for divorce.
The presentments as filed with
Clerk H. E. Allen with reports of
committees deleted, read as follows:
Grand Jury presentments, May
term, 1923, Sumter Superior
Court
We, the Grand Jurors sworn and
empanelled for the May term, 1928,
of Sumter Superior Court, beg to
submit the following as our general
preseptments, together with, reports
of the special committees appointed
We were especially impressed
with that part of Judge Littlejohn's
charge with reference to the alarm
ing increase of divorce suits, and
quite agree with him that the rem
edy should begin in the home train
ing of our boys and girls. We wish
to go on record, however, that it is
the sense of this body that the un-
precedented wave of divorces could
be retared and perhaps perma
nentIy reduced if our representa-
tives could enact laws making it.
more difficult to secure marriage
licenses. There is entirely too much
marrying in haste" and then call
ing on the courts to remedy the mis-
take.
We recommend that the county
officers of Sumter county be placed
on salary basis, and that our
representative in the State Legis-
lature be advised of this recon-
mendation, and use their influence
towards the accomplishment of that
end.
One Of the most important move
ments that affects every citizen in
Sumter county was recently com
nenced, that is, the eradication of
the mosquito, and we wish to COM
mend the citizens of the entire
county, its physicians, the Amer
icus Times Recorder, civic bodies
and clubs, public schools and our
Board of County Commissioners, for
the interest manifested and the or
carnations perfected for the exter-
mination of this pest, thereby re-
moving from our community the
source of malaria and it's kindred
diseases, ard we earnestly recon-
mend to the Board of County Com
missIoners to continue its co-opera-
ton, financially and otherwise.
We find the law requiring own
ers of automobiles and trucks 10
attach a tag thereto for each year
operated is being violated, and the
enforcement of said law is not be-
ing complied with. Therefore, we
the Grand Jurors, recommend that
our representatives and senator
procure an amendment to the auto
mobile law to the effect that fail
ure to purchase license tags not be
made a misdemeanor to be prose
cuted in the courts, but that it shall
be the duty of the sheriff to seize
anv automobile driven without a Ii
cense tag and hold the same for a
definite length of time until the tag
is procured, and otherwise condemn
the same and sell it in terms fixed
by the act. We suggest that the cost
of the proceedings be fixed suffi-
chiefly large as to be some punish
ment for the delinquent tax payer,
and to encourage the Officers in
their search for and seizure of mo-
tor vehicles driven illegally.
At the November term 1922 grand
jury w. S. Moore was elected to