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ATHENS DAILY HERALD, TUESDAY, JULY 1, ISIS.
jwm
The Athens Daily Herald
Published overy afternoon during the week by
THE HERALD PUBLISHING COMPANY.
iNo Sunday Issue.)
WM. G. GREDIG, Managing Editor. E. W. CARROLL, Business Manager.
Entered at the postoffice at Athens, Ga., for transmission through the
mails as matter of the second class.
NO. 269.
TELEPHONES:
Business Office 12161 (Editorial Room 1216
Society Editor 120i||City Editor 1216
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ATHENS. GA^ FRIDAY, APRIL 25. 1913.
WEATHER FORECAST
Washington, D. C., July 1—Forecast for Georgia: Local showers to
night orWednesday.
WOODROW WILSON AND THE SHORT BALLOT
Woodrow Wilson
THE POPULAR GOVERNMENT
Down in Augusta, on last Saturday, a primary election was
held on the commission form of government, and the result was
2,094 votes in favor of the plan to adopt the commission form
and only 40 against. In consequence the advocates in Augusta
of this equitable form of government are jubilant. These believe
that this form of government means much to the peace and
prosperity and progress of Augusta.
Many cities are finding that the commission form of govern
ment fills a long-felt want. It supplies the business administra
tion which so many citizens in dlTerent cities clamor for. The
Herald b lieves that the commission form of government would
be a good thing for Athens.
Here is what commission government means in the manage
ment of municipal affairs:
City business should be transacted with the same financial
insight as that required in the conduct of a private corporation.
Contracts for supplies should be awarded on the lowest bids
for the best material without favor or recognition or political
“pull.”
Merit must rule in the appointment of chiefs of departments
—the best man for the job to get the place.
Petty animosities are to be discouraged and complete har
mony demanded between departments.
Reports of finances and recommendations should be submit
td lo an auditing committee every month.
Better salaries should be paid city employes, there should be
more public improvements and greater school facilities.
Economy must rule in everything so that the tax rate may
be lowered and the property values increased by reason of muni
cipal development.
Athens needs a better sanitary department. The equipment
af the department is manifestly inadequate to the needs of the
city. Garbage is not removed from residential premises often
enough, and in some cases not at all. This is no idle talk, but
can be substantiated. Residents have been heard complaining
about this for some time. Citizens should not be expected to
dispose of their own garbage. The city is large enough and
wealthy enough to provide sufficient wagons and men to attend
to the necessary duty in the interest of the health of our people.
On Washington street between Lumpkin and College avenue
the odors arising from dead matter is very nauseating. It has
been so for many weeks. Such a condition of affairs is intolera
ble. The taxpayers should not permit it to exist.
We might cite other instances of needed reforms and im
provements, but the people probably know them, and if they are
opposed to such conditions they will in all probability seek to
remedy the evil.
A bill will be introduced during the present session of the
Legislature to amend the Act of 1872 chartering the city of
Athens, and the various acts amendatory thereof, so as to pro
vide for a commission form of government for Athens.
That there is a strong sentiment in this city favorable to
the commission form is evident. It is desired that the people
have the opportunity of expressing -heir wishes in the matter.
If they do not favor the change well and good, but they should
have the chance of expressing their preference.
Augusta chooses the commission form by 2,094 to 40. Ath
ens may make a similar showing if given the opportunity. Thos<
people who are advocating a business administration for the city’s
affairs have the chance to see it put into operation.
The hit dogs sre howling in Washington. Evidently President Wilson
was working on a straight tip.
Phophecy is precarious business, hut we venture to assert that Augusta
will never be sorry that sha adopted commission government, says the
Columbia State.
The Progress of (he Short Ballof Movement
One of the earlier articles in this series told botfr
quickly the people caught up with Woodrow Wilson’s
doctrine that real democracy in America is Just a ques
tion of getting simple and workable Instruments. Of
course, the really difficult task is to get this Idea enacted
Into laws. This phase of the movement Is retarded by
two great obstructions; cast Iron State constitutions, an<|
those politicians who are quite contented with the pres
ent arrangements.
The lightning struck first In California, where the
bi-partisan railroad machine bad just been overthrown.
In 1911 the progressive members of both parties, who
were now in control, looked around for the best means of making the results
of the election of 1910 permanent, that is, of keeping the existing machine out
of politics and forestalling any similar organization. The leaders at once took
up the Short Ballot idea and made It the first specific plank in their plat
form. Governor Johnson emphasized It in his message and put his Influence
behind several Legislative Short Ballot measures. Four of these were
without great difficulty.
Three of these respectively removed from the ballot the State Printer, tho
Clerk of the Supreme Court and the members of the Railroad Commission.
This latter board bad been made elective years before so that the people
could control it. Result:—The commissioners were hidden away among forty
to fifty other officers on the ballot and for a generation devoted tbemielre#
exclusively to the neglect of their duties and the drawing o' their salaries.
The fourth of these California measures gave the people power to apply
the Short Ballot principle In the counties by adopting local charters suited to
their local needs. Within less than a year under thiB new right the county of
Los Angeles adopted an instrument under which there were cut ofT, at a
stroke, thirteen of these petty clerical offices, which had been the center of
so much ill-directed party activity and inefficiency. It was provided that in
future they should be appointed on the basis of merit and not for party serv
ice. The county supervisors were given real control over the machinery
of organization just as In the commission plan cities.
Another State which has made progress toward the Short Ballot Is Ohio.
In preparation for the constitutional convention which met In that State
last year, the Municipal Association of Cleveland prepared a most careful
analysis of the State government and proposed a measure which would
remove from the State ticket the minor executives, including the Secretary of
State, Treasurer, Auditcr, Attorney General and Dairy, and Food Commis
sioner. The favorable wey in which the measure was received led its friends
to suppose that it would be submitted to the people, along with the forty
other progressive proposals. When, however, It was brought to a vote, it was
found that forty-seven of the one hundred and twenty delegates were opposed
to submitting this proposition to the people. Their ory was, "It will give
the Governor too much power." (They were not opposed to giving exactly the
iame amount of power to the Irresponsible party "boss" who bad actually
made the appointments to minor State offices under the long ballot system.)
The defeat of the measure disappointed the people and last fall all three
political parties in Ohio went on reoord In favor of the Short Ballot in their
platforms.
In the spring of 1913 the friends of the measure made It more complete by
adding amendments to make it iiosslble for tbe people of the several counties
to a'’opt a Short Ballot form of county government and providing that repre
sentatives to the Legislature should be selected singly by districts instead
of In big bunches by counties.
When the Legislators assembled this spring and the proposition was put
up to them In concrete form, many of them repudiated'both the party promises
and their personal written pledges. And the movement was checked again.
The Short Ballot bills will now be put before the people by Initiative.
Michigan went through a similar experience last March. There the Senate
voted unanimously to submit to the people a proposition to apply the princi
ple to the he&dB of departments tn the State. The State House of Represent*-
tlvee, however, defeated it.
The opposition In every State la the same:—On tbe surface the contention
that it would "centralize" power too much; deeper down, the petty officials,
both those in office and those who hope to be, have a passion for "letting the
people fill the offices."
Well, the cure for that is more light.
(THE END.)
II, S, BLUE BOOKS
OF 1816 IN01905
IRE COMPARED IN
IL B00I
Every day is pay day with the Georigia Legislator, and yet the state’
school teachers are lucky to get theirs at the end of six or eight months.
Our solons take care of number one all right!
President Wilson says "Tut tut!** when he makes a poor drive, accord
ing to his caddy. Woodrow should be careful. These dynamic epithets,
these incandescent outbursts might have a demoralising effect upon the
youth of the land, says the Columbia State.
SAVING By Dick Dick
if 'The fellow that spends and lends oft ends in the poorhouse on the hill,
while the fellow that slaves but saves, behaves like the owner of a milL So
watch the pennies and nickles and dimes, in good, hard, bad, and indifferent
times and you’ll toon have a pile that will make you smile and let you live
in luxurious style, for the biggest wad you ever saw had to start with one
cents—ten mills—no more. So work and glavn, don’t shirk, but save. Just
k i l»d save and. SAYJ& gY
SCHOOL TEACHERS
MAY HAVE PAY DAY
VERY UNEXPECTEDLY
(Special to The Herald.)
Atlanta, Ga., July 1—Pay for school
teachers when pay is due has sudden
ly bloomed out within the past twenty-
four hours as an issue of "now 1
stead of next year.
Borrow a half million dollars right
this minute and pay our teacher,
what we owe them for this year’s
work, and then talk about legislation
for next year," is the suggestion
which has been made in bouse
senate.
MEDICAL PBACTICE
BILL WILL DEVELOP
LONG, BITTEB FIGHT
(Special to The Herald.)
Atlanta, Ga., July 1.—The medical
practice bill, just introduced in the
house is going to precipitate a long
and bitter fight. It has already
gendered a good deal of ill feeling
because it seeks to identity quacks
and advertising physicians as one
and the same class In all cases.
There are numbers of ' legislators
who believe that a physician may be
"eptly reputable and'-efficient and
still be an advertiser, and they re-
No better instance of the growth
of the government of the United
States is afforded than is given
a comparison of the Blue Books of
-the United States government pub
lished in 1816 and 1905. The on.
published in 1816 is not much larger
than a child’s reader, and has but
176 pages. The one for 1905 is in
two volumes, and has 4,219 pages.
The one for 1S16 weighed less than
a pound, while the one for 1905
tipped the beam at more than twen
ty-five pounds. The publication of
the one for 1816 cost less than $2,-
000; the publication for the one of
1905 cost $70,000.
The Blue Book is a roster of thfe
people in the employ of Uncle Sam.
The government service has many
attractive features to the person out
side. The government clerk is enti
tled to an annual vacation of a full
month, he has frequent holidays,
half holidays every Saturday during
the heated term, and is entitled to
all the sick leave he needs up to
thirty days. He goes to work at 9
o’clock in the morning and quits at
4:30 o’clock in the afternoon, and
has a half hour for lunch. To the
young man on the farm and in the
rural town this seems to be an ideal
career; yet there are few who take
it up and lemain satisfied with their
loit. Comparatively few people
Uncle Sam’s service in Washington
are able to save anything out of
their salaries, especially those who
have families. Many young people
come to Washington and take cours
es in it®. universities while holding
Federal positions. Many a lawyer
has graduated in law from the uni
versity night schools while holding a
government position. Some of them
leave the service and begin to prac
tice law. More of them, however,
seem to regard a $1,200 government
job in hand as better than a $5,000
law practice in prospect; therefore
they continue to work their lives
away for Uncle Sam. 1
The story of the Civil Service as
told in the new book, “The Ameri
can Government,” by Frederic J.
Haskin, was endorsed both before
and after publication by President
John C- Black, of the Civil Service
Commission. He regards it as a
most accurate portrayal of the Civil
Service. Just now when the Presi
dent is asking Congress to place all
postmasters, internal revenue collec
tors, United States marshals and
others in the classified service, this
chapter alone is worth to every stu
dent the price of the book as sup
plied by The Heraild. See the
pon on another page.
If such action is taken it will come sent the idea that the legislature
in the form of a resolution requesting
Governor Slaton to make the loan. If
it is passed, it means that Georgia
school teachers will not have to apply
to the loan sharks to tide them over
the summer.
Another interesting feature in con
nection with the subject of pay for
teachers is a measure, introduced in
the house, providing pensions for
women teachers. The measure pro
vides an annuity of $100 for all teach
ers who have served thirty years and
who are not worth over $1,500.
The compulsory arbitration bill,
the passage of which was so strongly
recommended by Governor Brown and
which was so thoroughly resented by
union labor, has been introduced in
the house. It is m many respects
similar to the national Erdman act.
Probably the most interesting now
bill in the senate is the measure
which seeks to prohibit the apperance
of liquor advertisements in Georgia
newspapers. A measure has also
been introduced in the senate to
create commission to consider the ad
visability of establishing a state in,
stitution for inebriates and drug
fiends.
[ Another house measure of general
should make a crime out of whal
they say is merely a frank refusal to
subscribe to the so-called “ethics” of
a medical society which are of very
doubtful ethical value.
The bill is backed by the allopathic
practioneers of the state. The chief
objection which has been raised to it
is that it seeks too broadly to con
demn advertising physicians as £
class.
RARE SPECIMENS AT EXPO.
Washington, July 1.—The gov
ernment experts who are introducing
novelties in useful and ornamental
plants into the United States, will
contribute some rare and interesting
specimens to the unique and re
markable display at the San Diego
Exposition in 1915.
SPECIAL NOTICES
NOTICE.
There will be a general meeting of
the Athens Mfg. Co. Burial Associa
tion held at the office of the company
on July 1st, 1913, at 8:30 o’clock. It
is hoped that as many as can will
come, as there is business of impor
tance to be transacted, election of of
ficers and other business.
W. N. TEAT, President.
CHAS. McKINNON, Secty.
J30p
SOME LIVING AZTECS.
Washington, July 1—Scientists
tell us that, contrary to the belief of
many persons, the Aztecs whose civ
ilization left monuments in Mexico
that still fascinate and amaze the
world did not all perish.. About
1,000 of the pure stock still exist
and some of them will be at the San
Diego Exposition in 1916 wi^h their
own peculiar arts and crafts*;
Phone 1216 and say: “8end
me the Herald.”
interest proposes to authorize the ag
riculture department to take more
specific means for the prevention of
the spread of hog dholora,
LEGAL NOTICES
NOTICE.
Notice is hereby given that there
will be a bill introduced during the
next session of the General Assem
bly of the State of Georgia, to amend
the Act of 1872 chartering the City
of Athens, in Clarke county, Geor
gia, and the various acts amendato
ry thereof, so ks to provide for a
commission form of government for
the said City of Athens, in lieu of
the mayor and council, to prescribe
their term of office, their election or
appointment and their own powers
and authority and for other purpos
es therein contained.
ftDROPSY*
m soon removed, often enf’—"
“ ' l TrUu
D
<bL
SSdsys. Trial treatment sent FREE.
Write fie
DAVIS, ADKINS & CO.
General Contractors and Builders
Office 108 Shackelford Bldg, Athena, Ga.
PHONES 427 and 696-L
J. K. DAVIS R. C. ADKINS
TNAJltl A7S33
TALK IT OVER AT LUNCH
The delicious flavor of our cooking
and the excellent variety that gives
life a new spice for you are things
J you will appreciate here. Everything
is fresh, wholesome and clean. For
the unusual things served unusually
well—drop in and see us. You will
find our bill-c-fare good any time.
THE ATHENAEUM CAFE
Chris. Jones, Proprietor.
CENTRAL ELECTRIC CO.,
ESTIMATES FURNISHED
ON EVERYTHING
ELECT R1 C A L
Phone 333
Office over Elite Theatre
Launderen
and
Dry Cleaner*
Phone
yw 217
Service
LITTLE’S PHARMACY
Soda Fount, Drug*, Tobaccos,
Toilet Articles, etc.
College Ave., - - - ATHENS, GA.
Near S. A, L. Depot.
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