Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1925-11-17
Editorials From State
and National Press
THE DESTRUCTIVE POWER
OF EVIL LEGISLATION

fair criticism of Virginia legislation,
we quote specifically from. state
ment sent us by R. F. Nelson, director
of publicity of the Virginia state
chamber of Commerce of Richmond,
the following facts which should
arouse that state, and every state IN
the South which has unfavoraole
LEGISLATION, to the destructive power
of such work Mr.. Nelson writes US
as follows:
"Virginia has lost at least one
large industry as the result oil her
system of taxation, according 10
letter lust received by Major Leroy
Hodges, managing director Of the
Virginia State Chamber of Com
merce, from ]. II. Humbret, president
and general manager of the Coving-
ton Machine Company. The instance
cited by him in his letter is believed
by Major Hodges to be typical Oh
| many others that are occurring daily
cove have been corresponding with
an industry located in New York
state that has under consideration q
change of its location Mr.. Humbert
writes, and after considerable cor
respondence we finally reeeiced let
ter containing the following
"'"We are in receipt of your favor
regarding the plant at Covington,
and in reply we would state that
when we first took the matter up of
a change we considered the State Of
Virginia, but upon investigation we
found that their tax laws were abb
solutely impossible as far as incorp-
grated companies are concerned, and
for a person with any means to re-
side in Virginia seemed to be out of
the question; that their laws are alb
solutely beyond any laws Of any other
state; that upon investigation their
inheritance taxes are confiscatory,
! and we therefore dropped all con-
Sideration of the State of Virginia,
and at the same time, on taking this
matter up with our friends, came to
the conclusion that it was best for
! us to sell all holdings of stoch, in
corporated in the State of Virginia
on account of their laws. Having
done so, we are continually running
against men who are doing the same.
You can easily see, therefore, the
impossibility of considering the State
of Virginia in any move that we may
contemplate.
Here is one of the most direct and
specific statements which has eveg
come to our attention, showing the
direct result of unwi5e legislation on
the part of Virginia in preventing
the industrial development of that
3 richly endowed state, Politics in
Virginia, as in great many othel
: states, have largely been controlled
by machine politicians, many OF
whom know about as much about
economic legislation as the devi
knows about honor and virtue. Oh
if they know anything about eco
+ monte legislation, they follow the ex
|, amples of the devil in regard to honol
. and virtue by keeping as far away
from it as possible.
We are strongly inclined to be
lieve that perhaps the one outstand
ing influence in the development Of
Florida has been the part which it.
leading business men take in opposing
bad legislation and favoring good leg
. islation. There are some business
men of the highest standing in Flor
ida who are so deeply concerned a
: to their state that they will not un
der any condition leave Florida dur
ing session of legislature. The,
are IN touch every day with every
thing that is going on in the Floridi
Legislature. Some of them spend
good deal of time in the State Capitol
encouraging legislators who ar
seeking to benefit the state, Showing
IS how laws can be passed which will b
/ helpful and and how unwise laws in
g imical to the state should be defeat
+ ed. We doubt if there is any othe
state in the South in which its fore
: most attorneys and business men, no
e lobbyists, not representing anybod
J, but themselves, are willing to spen
S their time and energy in helping tn
n legislators to know what is right
standing by the good and homes
j ones, opposing the evil ones, and en-
d eouraging those who are ignorant j
J, some of these subjects that they ma.
y get the actual facts; thus thew hav
broug9t about condition in Florid
g m legislative matters entirely unlik
n what IS found in many other South
= ern states.
y Too often lobbyists are found il
N legislative bodies, and these by thei
re presence have created hostilit,
is where friendship should have beer
developed.