Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1923-11-01
TAX COMMISSION
MEMBER HAS REMEDY
Reduction of Georgia Counties
VIII Solve Tax Problem
He Believes

ATHENS, Nov L. (By the As
sociated Prcss) A solution of
many Of the financial problems of
tho State Of Georgia is seen in a
substantial reduction Of the number
Of counties in the state, or else a
Limitation in the number of new
counties created in The future by
DR.. J. II. t. McIhcrsoa and Dr.
+. NJ. Coulter professors Of his
tory and political science at the
University Of Georgia, as express
cd in an interview last night
DR. Mcpherson is 4 member of
the tax commission recently APP
pointed by Governor walker and
ig on the subcommittee drafting
the recommendation to be submit
ted to the general assembly. Dr..
Mcpherson was a member Of tax
commissions of previous administra-
tlons and is the author Of several
books on the government of Geor
gia and Their states.
Dr.. Coulter is a native of North
Val OllIid3 Il II Chhelb " VI NA4N I'm
vcrsity Of North Carolina, and
holds graduate degrees from several
of Americas leading colleges. In
addition to this, Dr. Coulter has
just completed a tour Of Georgia
during the course which he talked
with many Georgians. DR.. Coulter
said that almost without exception
these people with whom he talked
are of the opinion that there are
far too many counties in the state,
working to the disinterest of the
commonwealth.
"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 III counties hat are burdens
rather than assistance to Georgia
And by mathematics it is seen that
only 81 Of the entire 154 counties
in this state are profitable to the
state. These facts should speak for
themselves, but for the benefit of
those who may not understand why
some counties are burdens, | can
say that the needless creation of
new counties brings about the
added expense on the state"
DR.. Coulter would venture no
statement as to a method by
which the counties already exist
ing in Georgia could be lessened in
point that in the large number of
counties lies leak through which
Georgia is losing much of its mon
ey DR.. Coulter quoted the state
bankers from all parts of Georgia
mentS of editors, business nen and
with whom he has talked on the
subject to support his contention.
For several years DR.. McPher-
son has held the opinion that there
is tendency to override the matter
Of creating counties, and on more
than one occasion he has lectured
TO the students Of the University of
Georgia on this topic
"Thc present Georgia system of
apportIoning representation in the
i,e@r9ia Legislature is unfair" de-
clared DR.. Mcpherson. Accord
ing TO the moderudemocratic the
Dry Of equality, the representatives
in the state Legislature should be
apportioncd among the districts
containing substantially the same
number of inhabitants.
ut is not fair" continued DR..
MCPHERSON, "for Atlanta and Full
ton county with her 100000 inhabi=
tants TO have no more representa-
tivcs in our legislature than, say,
three small undevelopcd counties
in some backward part of the state
with not more than $1,000 popula-
ton for the three counties. Yet
auch is the case as it prevails in
Georgia,
with every legislature that
meets creating new counties, and
each of these counties getting a
representative, Georgia cannot ex-
pcct just an and equitabl represen-
tation. Furthermore, all these
newly created counties are burdens
on the State Of Georgia in a finan-
cial way"
DR., McPherson's position is that
representatives in both houses of
The Georgia legislature should be
based upon some division of the
number of inhabitants of the state