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VOL. 111. NO 38. DID COMMISSIONERS ELLIS, SAUER, HOLLAND and McGovern sign the petition asking THE CREATION OF THE NEW COUNTY ATKINSON? «V The Exact Facts as to That Question. NINETY PER CENT OF THE PEOPLE OF COFFEE COUNTY REALLY WANT THE CREATION OF THE NEW COUNTY. COFFEE COUNTY WANTS ( I T. Possibly the most important piece of legislation that will come before the present legislature, locally speak ing, is the bill creating Atkinson county, as the proposed county takes from Coree county a large part of the territory comprising the new county. That the people of Douglas and Cogee county want the bill to be passed in its present shape is only too evident, and one only has to inquire among the people to ascertain the unanimity in which the proposition is held, notwithstanding some evidence to the contrary. We have given the matter a thorough study and are am ply prepared to justify our statements in this connection. When the matter came up last year the people of Atkinson county did not leap blidfolded. They set about to accomplish their purpose in a busi ness-like manner and among the first things they did kas to secure the en dorsement of every member of the county commissioners as well as the grand juries of Cogee and other coun tis acected These are parts of the records they have and the endorse ments are on file in the Atkinson county headquarters in the Kimball House. Atlanta. These and other things combined constitute almost unanimous appro val of the measure by the people lo cally, and it is with a great deal of pleasure that we note the promising outlook for the passage of the bill. — Extract from an editorial appearing in the Cocee County Progress, the of ficial paper of Coffee county, under date of July sth, 1916. We now give the readers of the Progress, and all whom it may con cern, an exact copy of the endorse ment of the proposition by County Commissioners of Coffee county; with the fac.simile signatures of the Com missioners who signed it: To the General Assembly of Georgia: The undersigned citizens of Coffee county, living (within and) without the territory embraced in the Axson (Atkinson) new county proposition, respectfully represent that the said new county is needed for the advan tage of all the people, those who re main in the old counties as well as those who will be citizens of the new county. We have come to realize that the county of Coffee is too large and inconvenient to prosper as it should, and we ask that the request of the applicants for the creation of the new county of Axson (Atkinson) be granted. Respectfully submitted, <=-/Q q It is stated, by way of explanation, that the above petition was executed (Bstffj ~tt Clfltwfjj on the first Monday in June, 1915, and before the proposition was sub mitted to the “Committee on Consti tutional Amendments.” There w 7 ere two propositions before the commit tee, embracing almost the identical territory—one asking for the creation of Atkinson county with Willacoochee as the county site, and the other ask ing for the creation of Axson county with Pearson as the county site. Af ter hearing the evidence and argu ments on both sides the committee agreed to, and did, unanimously re commend the passage of the bill to create the new county of Axson (sub stituting the name of Atkinson for* Axson) with Pearson —located cen trally in the territory—as the *oun ty site. When the new county com mittee had the petition printed on the leaflet circulated among the mem bers of the House it added the words “within and” before the word “with out” and substituted the word ‘At kinson” for “Axson.” These changes did not destroy the spirit and inten tion of the County Commissioners who did sign the petition on the first Mon day in June, 1915. On the morning of July 6th, 1916, when the bill was to come up for pas sage in the House of Representatives, another leaflet carrying the following affidavit: GEARGIA—FuIton County. Bebore the undersigned officer of Georgia duly authorized to adminis ter oaths, appeared J. C. Ellis, C. Id. Baker, T. J. Holland and John Mc- Govern, who, after first being duly sworn, deposes and says: That they are now and were at the times here inafter mentioned, members of the board of commissioners of roads ard. revenues, of Coffee county. Georgia, that they nor either of them signed that certain purported statement, headed “Petition,” published and be ing circulated in folder form on be half of the proposed new county of Atkinson, and in which it is stated that they, the undersigned, were in favor of and recommended the crea tion of said Atkinson county. (Signed) T. J. HOLLAND, j. C. ELLIS, C. E. BAKER, joh.\ McGovern. Subscribed and sworn to before me this the sth day of July, 1916. M. W. CRAIG. Notary Public Eulton County', Georgia, had been printed and placed upon the desks of the members of the House of Representatives. This leaflet car ried the further statement: “That the above named commissioners are now in Atlanta and will gladly verify DOUGLAS, GEORGIA, WEDNESDAY. JULY 19. 1916. the above affidavit in person to any interested legislator.” Now the question arises, did these four Commissioners of Roads and Revenues of Coffee county sign the “Petition” requesting the creation of the new county of Atkinson? There are nine commissioners of roads and revenue in Coffee county. One, Geo. F. McCranie, who lived at Willacoo chee, because he was the leader of the proposition asking for a new' county, out of practically tli e same territory with Willacoochee as the county site, did not sign the request as it did not favor his proposition. As to whether Commissioners Hol land, Ellis, Baker and McGovern did not sign the request for the creation of the new county of Atkinson, as named by the Committee on Consti tutional Amendments, let the follow ing affidavits speak: STATE OF GEORGIA—Coffee County. Personally appeared before the un dersigned officer of said county, au thorized by the Code to administer oaths, D. A. Douglas, A. F. Wilson, .!. F. Meeks and L. J. Fussell, Commis sioners of Roads and Revenues of Coffee county, who being duly sworn, deposes and say that they signed the attached “Petition,” in behalf of the new' county asked to be crated partly from the southern part of Coffee county, and saw Commissioners Ba ker, McGovern, Ellis and Holland sign the same. The facts are as fol lows: The petition was presented by Dr. Henry P. Smith, President of Pearson Banking Company, and he Immediately retired. The matter was then taken up during the session and all the Commissioners signed the same except Geo. F. McCranie. The attached petition is the identical one that was signed. (Signed) ~ A. F. WILSON, D. A. DOUGLAS, J. F. MEEKS, L. J. FUSSELL. Sworn to and subscribed before me, this the 10th day of July, 1916. BERNARD H. ALLEN, Notary Public Coffee County, Georgia. (Follow with other affidavits as to the correctness of the signatures.) STATE OF GEORGIA—Coffee County. Personally appeared before the un dersigned officer of said county duly authorized by law to administer oaths, Hardy Williams, who, on oath, says that he signed a petition against the creation of Atkinson county; that he was induced to sign same by a statement that the new county would start off with an indebtedness of $20,000.00, it assuming that much of the present indebtedness of Coffee county. Deponent has always been in favor of the creation of the new county until told that the leaders had agreed to assume that indebted ness. Since -learning that the state ment was false I repudiate and with draw my consent that my name be used in opposition to said new coun ty movement. I can see no just rea son why the new county should as sume any part of said indebtedness, as Coffee county is in possession of and will retain the property for which said money was expended, and from which the new county would never re. ceive any appreciable benefit. (Signed) HARDY WILLIAMS. Sworn to and subscribed before me, this July 13, 1916. B. T. ALLEN, N. P. Coffee County, Ga. NEW (OIXTY LEGISLATION. I listened with much interest to the discussion for and against new coun ty making, when the bill for the crea tion of Atkinson was on its passage iu the House of Representatives, and MAYOR G. M. STANTON UNDERGOES OPERATION Mrs. G. M. Stanton left for At lanta Saturday night to be with Mayor Stanton during his recovery from a successful operation there. Although the operation was of a more serious nature than was antici pated, and Mr. Stanton had to be under anesthetics longer than was intended, he is doing as well as could be expected and he has legion of friends who wish for him a speedy recovery. BROXTON WINS OVER NICHOLLS Special to The Progress. Recently we won a game from Nicholls, which through the Prog ress we published the details of the game but the boys could’nt swallow the pill and had a rebuttal in the next issue of same paper and chal lenged us for a game at once, which we accepted and invited them over to our town, thinking that probably they would bring some better play ers and give us an interesting game but, their better players were of no use, and the game was very one sided. The home boys scoring 9 times in seven innings and the visit ors times in 8 innings. Boys’ I’m sorry you cant play ball. Manager. $175,000 DAMAGE TO PEACH CROPS Atlanta, Ga., July 18. —In spite of the fact that Georgia peach growers suffered a loss of $175,000 on account of the recent protracted rains, the loss was distributed so evenly among the growers that no particular indi vidual and no particular section has felt it seriously. It is estimated that 200 carloads of peaches were ruined by the rains. The records of the Georgia Fruit Exchange show that about 2,000 cars have been shipped, with about 1,800 more yet to come. One effect of the recent rain damage will be a tendency to keep the market firm and strong in practically every sec tion where Georgia peaches are sold. am compelled to say that some of the anti-new-county arguments was very unfortunate for the purpose intend ed. The purpose of free government is to “Promote the interest and happi ness of the citizens.” The glory and strength of government depends largely upon the contentment and happiness of the people. Plotting and treachery against government is found only where discontent and un happiness exist among the people, and where they realize they are bear ing uneven and unjust burdens in performing the duties of citizenship. One of the speakers referred to the string of three little new counties down in South Georgia—no doubt hav ing in his mind Crisp, Turner and Tift. The illustration, if such he in tended it, was strongly against his anti-new-county position. There are no counties in Georgia where the citizens are happier and more con tented, where thrift and prosperity more greatly abound. These three “little” counties are real object les sons of thrift and prosperity. No counties of Georgia have better pub lic reads and bridges, better public buildings and better church and school facilities. They speak out in thunder tones in favor of small coun ties. Another speaker Illustrated his an ti-new-county position by referring to the fact that Georgia has more coun ties than any other state in the Union except Texas, whose territory would make three Georgias. II was doumb fouuded at the lack of knowledge of the geography of his county and es pecially the great State of Taxas. HON. JOSEPH E. POTTLE TO BE HERE SATURDAY v' " ■ ’"‘'’J** -■ - \\\v' o s Joseph E. Pottle Hon. Joseph E. Pottle, the most noted speaker in the race for gover nor, will make his first speech here at the court house in Douglas Satur day at 11 o’clock and will also ad dress the voters of the south side of the county at Pearson in the after noon at 3;30 o’clock. As the primary date approaches it becomes more apparent that Pot tle is unquestionably one of the strongest contenders and to already strong following he has in this coun ty, there will doubtless be many more when he has been heard by the people here. As a speaker he has few peers in Georgia and to hear him is to be impressed. This will indeed be an opportunity for the poeple. though you may be UTAH BRANCH TO HAVE CELEBRATION A big celebration will be held at the Utah Branch of the Latterday Saint church, two miles north of McDonald, Ga., on July 24th, 191 G, under direction of Elder Grover Clyde and Elder Leo Facer. This day commemorates the advent of the Mormon pioneers into Salt Lake Valley. All are cordially invited to attend. Dinner will be served on the grounds. Good programs. Every body cordially invited to attend the celebration. Evidently he does not know that, if he should send a civil engineer to cut off from her east side a State as large as Georgia, the survey would encom pass more counties than there are in the State of Georgia, and the engineer would be brought face to face with small counties such as Aransas con taining 240 square miles; Delta, 261; Franklin, 289; Galveston, 395; Gregg, j 312; Marion, 391; Morris, 259; Orange, 363; Rains, 267; Rockwall, 149; Somerville, 184, and Titus, 398. There are other small counties in * Texas ranging from 400 to 600 square miles of territory, but the twelve (Continued on page 4) Official Organ of Coffee County against him in his race, his elequence and earnestness will be worth travel ing miles to hear. To quote the Thomasville Times- Enterprise: “Mr. Pottle is a man of ideas and convictions and has the courage to state them and stand by them. You know, or can learn where he stands on any proposition, and though you may sometimes dis agree with him, you can’t take of fense. On the contrary you will ad mire his sincerety and frankness and will be unafraid to trust him.” Mr. Pottle is making many speech es and made one in our sister county of Bacon at Alma recently and wherever he goes he is always greet ed with a splendid audience includ ing many ladies. PETERSON & RELIHAN ANNUAL SALE 1 i We call special attention to Peter sons and Relihan’s announcement of their Annual Ciearonce Sale. This sale always attracts a great deal of attention, in view of the fact that they make unusual low prices on high class merchandise. No cleaner or better stock of Gents’ Furnish ings and shoes can be found in Geor gia. The Store will be closed Thursday, in preperation for sale. Sale starts promptly at 9 o’clock Friday, July 21st. The fact that this concern never puts on a fake sale, makes their an nual Clearance Sale more attractive, to the people that know and appre ciate honest merchandise at reason able prices. To the Jury Commission Of toffee County, Ga. You are hereby notified and re quested to be and appear at the court house, Douglas, Ga., on the first Monday in Augusta, 1916, at 10 a. m. for the purpose of revising the jury list for said county. Dan Wall, Clerk S. C.