The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1923-11-09
SURPLUS COUNTIES
ARE SCORED
AS A BURDEN
CUT IN NUMBER is URGED BY
MCPHERSON AND COULTER
TO EFFECT BIG SAVING
NEW REPRESENTATION BASIS
Population Division Is Asked in the
Place of Present Geographical
Plan AS F&irer Method. Too
Many Non Supporting Coun,
ties in State.

ATHENS, Ca, A solution Of many
Of tie financial problems of the
state of Georgia is seen in substan-
tial reduction in tire number of coun-
ties in tie state, or elcs limitation
in Che number of new counties Great,
ed in the future, by DR.. j. H. Nc
Pherson and DR.. E. M. Coulter,
professors of history and political
science at the University Of Georgia,
as expressed in an interview,
DR.. Mcpherson is member Of the
tax commission recently appointed
by Governor Walker and is on the
sub committee drafting the recon-
mendat;ons to be submitted to TIE
genearl assembly. DR.. Mcpherson
was member of tax commissions Of
previous administrations AID is the
author of several books on the gov
eminent of Georgia and other states.
Counties Are Burdensome.
DR.. Coulter is a native of North
Carolina, a graduate of the Univer-
sity of North Carolina and holds
graduate degrees from several of
Americas leading colleges. In adj
dition to this DR.. Coulter has just
completed a tour of Georgia during
the course Of which he talked with
many Georgians. DR.. Coulter said
that almost without exception the
'aaeople with whom he talked are of
The opinion that there are far too
many counties in the state, working
to the disinterest of the common
wealth.
"There are today 1874 counties in
Georgia." DR.. Coulter said, "and of
this number 1T obtain more money
from the Golfers of the state than
they turn back into the state. In
other words, there are 1T counties
that are burdens rather than assist
ance to Georgia. And by mathemat-
les it is seen that only 81 of the en-
tire 154 counties in this state are
profitable to the state. These facts
should speak for themselves, but
the benefit of those who may not I'M
derstand why some counties are
burdens l can say that the needless
creation of new offices that goes
with the creation of new counties
brings about the added expenses on
the state"
Loses Much Money.
DR.. Coulter would venture no
statement as to method by which
the counties already existing in
Georgia could be lessened in num-
Der, but rather emphasized the point
that in the large number of coun-
ties lies a leak through which Geor-
gia is losing much Of its money. DR..
Coulter quoted the statements of
editors, business men and bankers
from all parts of Georgia with whom
he has talked on the subject to sup
port his contention.
For several years DR.. Mcpherson
has held the opinion that there is a
tendency to override the matter of
creating counties, and on more than
one occasion he has lectured to the
students of the University of Geor-
gia on this topic.
"The present Georgia system of
apportioning representation in the
creating new counties, and each of
these counties getting representa-
tive, Georgia cannot expect just and
equitable representation. Further
more, all these new,created counties
are burdens on the state of Georgia
in a financial way"
New Plan.
D. DR.. McPherson's position is that
representatives in both houses of the
Georgia legislature should be based
upon some divisions of the number
of inhabitants of the state rather
than upon the present geographical
divisions. He would not, however
discriminate against the rural dis.
tricts in favor of the cities, but
rather suggests that no district-by
whatever boundary is shall be fxec
shall have more than a cartair
percentage of the representatives.
According to the modern demo
cratic theory of equality the repre-
y ,sentatives in the state Legislature
should be apportioned among thu
districts containing substantially thu