Newspaper Page Text
4
December, 1914
N
THE ATLANT
&L.
work out some safe system whereby we can supply the
needs of these outside nations to the full extent of those
needs, we cannot hope for any extremely high level. The
essential thing, however, and the most hopeful sign in
the present situation, is that everybody seems to feel that
we have been to the bottom and are now on the up-grade
and that feeling itself will work wonders.
The New County Commission
On the first of January three new members of the
Board of County Commissioners take their seats: Messrs.
Gilbert, Mills and Hightower. Two old members hold
over for two years: Messrs. Turman and Winn. Under
our form of government here, our County Commission
ers have a very wide discretion and a great deal of power.
As to population and resources, the City of Atlanta really
makes up four-fifths of Fulton County. Of course, the
larger area is in the County. But based on population
and tax-paying power, Atlanta is entitled to very much
the larger part of the work done under and by authority
of the County Commissioners. It is not intended by this
to claim that the county outside of the City should be
neglected, because Fulton County is so small in area that
the County Commissioners can easily do justice to the
outside sections and yet do what ought to be done in
Atlanta. Generally speaking, it is true that the Commis
sioners have recognized this claim of Atlanta, and have
tried to be helpful to the City authorities. It does not
matter where a street or a road may be built, there will
be someone to rise up and claim that the Commissioners
did it to serve private ends. This is inevitable wherever
there is a small area and a large population, for it does
not matter where these improvements may be made they
are bound to benefit somebody.
The new Commissioners are men of good character
and ability. The hold-over Commissioners have shown
their interest in the work and now possess a large meas
ure of experience. The Commission, as a whole, is un
trammeled by any obligations to any clique or faction,
and it is reasonable to expect that the County and City
will p-et excellent service at the hands of the new Com
mission.
Hooper Alexander, United States
Attorney
As always happens when a public office is to be filled,
there were some men who felt badly when the Hon.
Hooper Alexander was appointed to the office of United
States Attorney. Those who knew Mr. Alexander best,
whether they were in accord with his political views or
not. felt that he would make good, and this he has done
in the fullest measure. It is not intended as a reflection
on the bar as a whole, but it is simply truth to say that
Hooper Alexander is a man of too strong convictions
ever to be a very successful law practitioner. On the
other hand, Mr. Alexander possesses ability of a high
order, uncompromising courage and a very keen sense
of fidelity to obligations. Along with all this, he has
a large measure of judicial temperament and a cordial
hatred of everything that smacks of injustice. This made
him an ideal man for the office, for no prosecutor is qual
ified for that great office unless he possesses as keen a
sense of justice as the judge on the bench. To those
who have known Mr. Alexander longest and best, the
way in which he has filled this great office is no surprise;
and those who doubted his ability to measure up to the
highest standard have learned that there are other quali
ties which count beside that of being merely a shrewd
attorney.
The Mayor and the New Council
There will be a general shuffling of the Committees
of Council in January after the retirement of certain
members and the coming in of new members. There is
considerable speculation abroad as to who will get what
is known as “Committee Plums.” In so far as a major
ity of the council is concerned, the plums are going to
be like Tom Sawyer’s apple, “There ain’t going to be no
core.” This is an absolutel safe guess on the premises.
Whatever we may think of the Mayor, whether we agree
with him, or disagree with him, all of us are compelled
to recognize the fact that he has an excellent memory,
and so far as known, at this writing, there is no case on
record where he has failed to swat his opponents and
to reward his friends when it comes to committee ap
pointments. What effect the new appointments will have
upon the administration of city affairs next year can
not, of course, be conjectured in advance of the appoint
ments. Councilman Lee thinks that he has hit upon a
happy solution that will do away with the friction that
has heretofore existed, his solution being that a resolu
tion be passed that when disagreements occur they shall
be settled by the throwing of dice. If this is not in con
travention of the law which penalizes the shooting of
craps, it might be as good a solution as any, for, so far
as the unbiased observer on the outside can see, our
Councilmanic Wars could be just as easily settled that
way as any other. There is one curious feature about
these little wars, which was thus expressed a few days
since by one of our public men in Atlanta in these words,
“Our local wars are seldom about what they are about,”
and this pretty nearly sizes up the case.
Of one thing we may be sure—the Mayor’s appoint
ments will not add to the hilarity of certain members of
Council.
A Corporation With a Soul
The Atlantian commented last month upon the ex
cellent relations existing between the Southern Raliway
and its men during these days of adversity, and the fine
spirit which seems to animate both sides—the company
and the men. This spirit is so commendable as to jus
tify a further reference. It is a common statement that
corporations have no souls, which statement is true in
one way and false in another. Corporations are made
up of men and men have souls. Yet when men begin to
act in a corporate capacity, the co-operation becomes an
impersonal thing, and does things which any of the men
composing it would probably never do in their individ
ual capacities.
The Southern Railway, during the past few years, and
especially during this year of 1914, has shown a spirit
which uistmes the statement that this corporation has
a soul, for it has dealt with its men and with the public
in that magnificent spirit of doing unto others as it would
he done by, and the best individual Christian who ever
lived could do no more than that. In a way, the South-