Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1924-08-18
Legislative Freaks

Legislative Freaks
What Jim Nevin, in the At
lanta Georgian terms real class
&c Of sort, is a statement made
recently by Representative VIM
berry, from Laurens county.
A measure was before the
Georgia House of Representa-
tives seeking to authorize coun-
ties, school districts and mu-
inequalities to establish and
maintain public libraries, either
by taxation or donation" Mr..
Wimberly in opposing the meas
ure said; mr.
"There are only three books
worth reading in the world -
the Bible, the hymnbook and the
almanac. Those three are enough
for anyone. Read the Bible. 1t
teaches you how to act. Read
the hymnbook. 1t contains the
fnest poetry ever written. Read
the almanac. 1t shows you baw
to figure out what the weather
will be. There isn't another
book that is necessary for any
one to read and therefore | am
opposed to all Libraries"
1t is difficult for an intelli-
gent person to believe that such
narrowness and ignorance could
exist anywhere as is exhibited
by the Gentleman from Laurens.
Ignoramuses in our Legisla-
live halls have given the State
much undesirable publicity.
Georgia has suffered and is
suffering as no other State in
this union from Legislative
treakishness, says the Atlanta
Constitution in an editorial adj
vising the people to keep the
freaks at home. Commenting
on some of the freaks" this
paper says:
Today Georgia is held up to ma
tional ridieule because a member
of its Legislature declares his
contempt for geology, the key
stone Of all the sciences of ma
ture, and with a disdain that can
appeal only to ignorance, avows
that he takes no stock in the les
son taught by ''rocks and fossils"
The Legislature of a State is
not supposed to be a deliberative
body Of ignoramuses, but of citi-
gems schooled in the broad and
constructive experiences of life
which can only come to those OF
understanding and knowledge,
and at least to those who are
endowed with a reasonable
Georgia and Georgians-do-
serve better; and the great num-
Der of able and earnest and pro-
gressive citizens who are mem
bers of the Legislature do not
deserve to be Inundated and
marked by the actions of few
freaks.
There has never been a time in
the history of the State so propi-
tlous for bringing about a needed
reform in the personnel of the
Georgia assembly as at present.
And it is up to the voters to
say whether the Georgia assembly
shall be 100 per cent representa-
tive or not.
The entries are closed, but
there are good, representative
citizens offering in practically ev-
cry county in the state, and the
duty of the voters is to send only
good, representative, thoughtful
people to the assembly.
1t is unfair to the people to
have Georgia kept in her pres
ent position through an unpro-
gressive Legislature; and unfair
to the large number of progress
sive legislators to have the whole
judged by few freaks.
1t is difficult to persuade able
and conscientious men to serve
in the General Assembly, thus
making it easy for Legislative
freaks to break their way in.
With the advent of biennial ses-
sions, it should be possible to
secure the service of more intel
ligent men. Sixty days in two
years is not too much to ask.
Our citizens should not wait
for men to announce themselves
for these places. We should
take matters in our own hands,
select able. honest, intelligent
men and then elect them. He
who is willing to give of his time
and money and ability should