Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1924-10-06
An Unenviable Record

The Lamentable Lapse of,
Georgia" is the title of a front
page editorial appearing in the
Hendersonville Times from the
pen of John Temple Graves,
Georgias own 'silver-tongue'
orator and one of the foremost
editorial writer's Of the South.
according TO Colonel Graves
Georgia cast only 1913 votes
m the presidential primary Of
1920 and she had 1,4l4,772
eligible votes. which means in
harsh but truthful terms that
there were l,263,425 ballot
slackers-in the State.
Ibis editorial is timely now
that we face an election next
month; its criticism is Just; and
coming from one whose heart
still remains in Georgia. should
prompt every Georgian to do
his part toward remedying this
unenviable position.
Colonel Graves says. in part:
Georgians who remain in Geor-
gla, and that large number Of
Georgians who have moved o0t
OF Georgia and are living in 9TH
er states. must read more than
ordinary regret of the evidences
oI civic and political decay when
are presented from authentic
sources. ~
Not from the captious or the
critical or the jealous but fror,
Georgia's own great newspaners
come the story that reads ca mn
pleasantly to those who love The
state. Study of the presidential
voting records will illustrate 5be
situation: In 1920 Georgia hal
1.414,772 eligible voters. ana for
president only 151, 347 votes were
cast, leaving what may be called
IN harsh but truthful terms l.
o., 425 ballot slackkers in the
state. " '''0
1t is almost inconceivable tba+
a state with Georgia., record nd
Georgia's traditions should pre-
sent such an exhibit of the de-
cay OF political and civic interest
IN ats vital affairs. 1t cannot he
explained upon the basis that
s. tEeorgla is sohdly democratic and
noes not need to manifest a,v
interest in the general elections.
Inc record is plain indication If
the Indifference to the civic J,,tv
''f OF the citizens, and to grow
ing. indifference to public affairs
and the value and sanctitv of
the ballot that casts a distinct
shadow upon the fair fame and
future prospects of that state
Indifference to franchise and to
the civic duty of the citizens as
Illustrated in the vote for or
against important questions which
are all more or less of vital in
terest to the state can only in
=, -dleate general decentralization
"a which is lamentable in the pres
ent and seriously threatening for
the future of the commonwealth
II is this spirit which is g>ad-
uaIly breaking up the primary
= system in Georgia and other
states, and Georgia unfortunate
~ stands out as the most con-
snleious example of electoral in
Y difference in the south.
RESI- There was a time in the easy
recollection of the writer when
Georgia held an unchallenged
place as the Empire State of the
!. South. discounting North Caro-
Ina and even the great state of
Texas and other states. in the
vieor and virilitv Of is civic ma
terlal and political zeal and ac-
tivity There was a time when
Georgia's democrat majority
every wear We'd with the great
state of Texas and out-ranked all
the rest; there was time
when Georgia was referred to as
the great progressive state &c
the south; when its prosperity
was teeming; when its political