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PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY. OFFICIAL ORGAN MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
F'.iiti-rcil ill flu- PostoHic. in Mi. Vernon. <>a. as 'lass Mail Matter.
M. B. FOLSOM. Editor and Owner. St a Year, in Advance.
•o'l,<tM »>lveiiiminentii must invariably be paid in advance, at the l<‘t;al rate, and an the law
directs; and must be in band tint later than Wi din tsi*' morning of the Brut week it insertion
Mount Vernon, Ga., Thursday Morning, April 1.3, 1911.
Some Random Thoughts
On Important Matters.
GRAND JURY FOR REFORM.
Every citizen of Montgomery
county is interested in the find
ings of the grand .jury at the!
several terms of the superior I
court. With many this is an idle
curiosity; hut to the man who is,
interested in the development of
the county from standpoints of \
progressiveness, education and j
morality, the recommendations
of this body carry a genuine in-;
terest. The recent session of
this body will go on record as;
having attempted some REAL re
forms in the county of Montgom-1
cry, whether its orders are obey
ed or not. Sad to say, but little
effort has been made toward
executing the orders of this body ;
for the several years past, touch-1
ing public questions, and where
the interest of the county is at*
stake. Much wholesome advice
from this body has been absolute-i
l.v disregarded by those who are
directed to carry out its recom
mendations, and in this the pub
lic spirit and civic pride of the
county is reduced to a lower
plane.
PRIVATE INTERESTS,
You may ask WHY is this state
of affairs? The answer is too
plain to he again stated: it is
simply because some individual
interests will he affected, regard
less of the effect on the people
or the county as a whole. Until
this state of affairs is eradicated,
Montgomery counts cannot take
her deserved rank among the
the progressive counties of Geor- j
gia. Montgomery county is bless
ed with enough natural advan
tages to warrant her a more ex
alted place, but it may be said
that her present status in debt,
having her road system deranged. !
and high taxation will notallow
her this standing. We need re
reform, and need it badly, on
several lines, but who is to put it
into effect?
THE TAX SYSTEM AGAIN.
The publication of the present
ments having been finished this
week, we take occasion to dwell,
on one or two subjects brought
to the attention of the public.
First, we desire to thank this
body for the interest manifested
in tlu* county.s affairs, partic
ularly their expression on the sub
ject of taxation and the road
question. For some time those
have been the vital questions in
Montgomery county, and to say
that both questions have been
outrageously abused does not ex
press it. These two systems,
through their lack of harmony,
and correct adjustment and man- 1
agement, have plunged the coun
ty in debt, w ith but little hope of
relief except by direct taxation.
A HIGH TAX RATE,
According to the recommenda
tion of this jury (and THIS will
doubtless l>e obeyed) a tax levy
for the county of #15.75 has been
assessed. Add to this a state
tax of about $5.00 and a school
tax of $2.75 and we have a tax
of $23.50. It is not probable
that this year’s taxes will beany
lower possibly higher. We ap
preciate the fact that the affairs
of the county, or any other mu
nicipality. CANNOT be run with
out taxation, as any sane man
will agree. Taxation is the
ONLY correct plan of raising
revenue for public utility: but it
must Ik- done with precision and
equality, based on the needs of,
the municipality for whose main
tenance the levy is made by those j
in authority. At this time ex
cessive tax levy for Montgomery
county is in order, of course.
The county is in debt, and not
to pay out places the county in a
bad light in the eyes of her sis
ter counties. At present she has
rio public buildindgs in course of
construction or anything else
calculated to warrant this indebt
edness. Her taxable values are
increasing, and instead of taxa
tion being lowered, the rate goes
higher and higher, with no per
manent improvement to offset
expenditures.
ONE CAUSE OF HIGH RATE,
One of the ehiefest causes of
the high rate, as we have stated
before, is the fact that the ma
jority of men in Montgomery
county do not return at fair value.
This should receive the attention
of those in authority if there IS
any authority capable of correct
ing it. If there is NO authority, j
it is high time some provision
was made. When people can
not be lead, they should be driv
en by law to perform their civic
duty. ALL should join in this
cause, that the burden may be
lightened. When property is
returned at its correct valuation,
the rate will be lowered. If
necessary, let provision he made
for a board of tax assessors. As
it is now, the men in medium j
circumstances pav the taxes, and I
those of the self-exalted class
pay less each year, measured by
the increase valuation of proper
ty. We have mentioned this
matter before, and unless some
effort is made on the part of those
in authority, we will, as an ex
ponent of the people’s rights, !
expose some of the rottenness as)
practiced on this line.
WOULD HELP MATTERS.
If it is correctly spent, and the
county is benefited, we say, and
desire to he understood by all,
that a high rate of taxation is
correct: but with the county get
ting no material benefit, com
pared to the taxes assessed, we
join hundreds of men in condem
nation of the plan as practiced
in this county. According to
law (and it is hoped that the tax
collector elect will carry it out to
the letter) the tax books should
close on the 20th day of Decem
ber and tifas issued for default
ers. This, to a great measure,
would systematize matters, and
place the county’s finances on a
more correct basis. During our
stay in the county this has not
U'on done; and some time the
following spring the tax collec
tor makes final settlement. The
grand jury says the collecting of
past year’s taxes was not as good
as they had hojied to find it, and
that the amount of fi fas, if col
lected, would supply a large de
ficiency in the treasury. Why
did they not go into the merits
of the situation (along with other
matters of equal importance) and
seek to provide, or at least sug
gest, some plan of relief. It can
bo done, if the law was enforced.
That is. the taxes outstanding
can U> collected. We understand
the tax collector is allowed until
the 20th of April for a final set
tlement, and that all bailiffs are
allowed ninety days in which to
make their returns.
IS THIS A LESSON?
It is said, upon authority of the
tax collector, that at the first of
this month, about $75,000 taxes
are still due the county. Since
this date certain collections have
been made, of course, and one
or two bailiffs have made settle
l»nent: but where are the tax exe
-1 cutions. and where is the money
THE MONTGOMERY MONITOR—THURSDAY. APRIL 13. TOIL
arising from them? Are they
still in the hands of the bailiffs?.
Or have they all been paid. A
little over a month ago a tax fi
fa was presented at this office
for legal advertisement, but was
withdrawn. This month there
is running a sheriff sale in which
is advertised the property of ONE
man in the county. Is this poor
man the only one in the county
who failed to pay his taxes on
time, that he should be singled
out, levy made and a sale notice
inserted in the county paper, and
he be required to pay additional
costs? If this man is the ONLY
citizen of Montgomery county
who failed to pay his takes on
time, we obligate to pay the
county the amount due by him.
Does Montgomery county single
out ONE poor man and use him
as a lesson for his more fortunate
fellow tax payers? If so, the
lesson is lost, and is but only a
reflection on those in authority.
SHOULD HAVE PEEPED IN.
The grand jury, when they had
their pine bark spectacles on,
should have looked into this mat
tea. Is it necessary, in this day
and time, to choose a scapegoat
and tie about him the sins of the
many and send him away, while
hundreds of others of the tribe
rejoice at the atonement, and
wonder at the county’s indebted- •
ness? Hut this is no trifling
matter: it is a cold fact that will
stand investigation. We have
no words of censure for any one
man, personally; but the whole
combination, as a system, is rot-1
ten beyond measure. It may be j
said that the same state of affairs j
exists in other counties, but we
doubt if there are many counties
in Georgia whose financial man-;
agement is receiving as little,
attention as Montgomery; and
while we do not propose to take
the matter upon our shoulders, :
we feel that the people should be j
informed, without prejudice, of
the condition. Our views on the !
tax question are very well under- j
stood in the county, and we do,
not .join any man in simply kick
ing on the high rate, but on the |
causes of the high rate, which
should be remedied.
TAXES YET UNPAID.
WHY did not the grand jury go
into THIS matter, and instead of
weeping over the fact that the
taxes were not paid as well as
they had hoped for, own up that
the county has no system of lax
levy and collection worthy of;
mention. No wonder the old 1
county is in debt. Those who
lament the indebtedness should
FIRST inquire into the source of
revenue while they are wonder
ing how the money is spent.
Let DOTH sides of the question
be looked into, in a business-like
manner, and a few facts will
gently crop out along the edges. j
Again, we wish to be understood
as favoring the school tax. This
revenue aids the county to main
tain a better public school system
than that obtained before the
adoption of the public school tax j
and the lengthening of the school
term in the county. Taxation is
right, and lawful, but in Mont
gomery county a more just sys
tem is needed, and badly needed.
We do NOT mean to say that
the system of levy and taxation,
as practiced in this county is re
sponsible for the county being in
debt, but we do say that a BET
TER system of levy and collec
tion. united with a more judicious ;
| plan of expenditure, the county
; will be relieved of debt and have
money to spend on public im
provement. While our demands*
I for improvement are arising,
likewise our taxable values are
' rapidly increasing. Selah.
THE ROAD MATTER.
Regarding the grand jury’s
mention of the public road sys
tem. we think they have covered
the ground pretty well, and it
now remains for those in author
ity to put their recommendation
into effect, or such part of it as is
most practical. Among the strong
est and most sensible plans sug
gested by this body, regarding
the road work of the county, is
the plan of building one or two
first-class highways through the
county. This idea has been ad
vanced from time to time, and
NUT to obey it will bo to abso
lutely disregard the wishes of the
people of the county, and work
j contrary to its letter interests.
We do not say which road should
be taken up first whether it run
least and west or north and south
as either is of equal imjjortance,
and the convenience resulting
from such would be untold. In
a general way such highways
I even if then' be but TWO prin
cipal roads improved in this man
ner during the next twelve
months or more the majority
of the citizens of the county will
have been benefited.
ON RIGHT LINE.
This body did not undertake
to say which road should be tak
en up first, and.we do not know
that it matters much, so that the
one needing it most be put in good
shape first. Where they say
permanent, sure they mean that
such a highway should be graded
and clayed, and be built to the
correct standard. Many of the
roads of the county have received
considerable attention during the
past few years, and now many
stretches of them can he clayed
with but little grading. Clay
and sand, mixed to the right
proportion, is the practical thing
for roadbeds in this section. The
most plausible roads to he placed
in good shape, along the sugges
tion of the grand jury, would be
the road leading from Soperton
to Uvalda and on down to Toombs
county line, and the road running
east and west through the county,
beginning at the Telfair county
line and running to the Toombs
county line, each of these being
established roads THROUGH
the county site. After the com
pletion of these highways, let
other sections of the public roads
be taken up.
GET AN ENGINEER.
If the commissioners see fit to
employ another superintendent, )
as asked by the grand jury, let
him he chosen from outside the j
county a man who has no con
nections in the county -and
whose sole occupation shall be to
construct permanent highways.
But rightly, this man should be
a competent civil engineer, cap
able of advising on matters oth
er than road building, where the
county’s interests are at stake. ;
Possibly he could he a man with,
other techinical training. If
Montgomery county had employ
ed such a man years ago, when
she spent tremendous sums on
the well and waterworks in the
county site, money would have
been spent to a better advantage, j
Within a short time it will bej
necessary to replace much of the
waterworks system, particularly
the machinery, which was not j
suited to the occasion, from the
first, as any competent engineer
could have advised the county
authorities. To begin with, the
sum spent for the well (SIOOO as .
we understand) would have!
gone a long ways toward boring
a well with a flow. The county
could have contracted for a flow
ing well, whether it he 130 feet,
as the present well, or 1030 feet
in depth. In this the county
could have saved much on the
purchase of pumping machinery,
since hut little of this class of
machinery would have been
necessary. The present keeper
of the waterworks has done much j
to preserve the plant, and in jus
tice to him we will state that the
plant was practically ruined be
fore he ever put his hands on it.
No gasoline engine ever made
has been more abused than was
the county’s before the present
keeper took charge of it.
TOO MANY ROADS.
Before this a grand jury rec
ommended that no more public
roads he opened, and we still
think it unwise to open too many
public roads, (the county is now
[a net work of them) unless more
! attention could be paid to their
maintenance. Montgomery coun
jty now has a force sufficient to
accomplish a great deal toward
claying • the prominent public
roads, and it SHOULD de done
it means dollars to her people
and progress to the county.
Practically every county in the
state has long ago realized the
advantage of good and perman
ent roads, and many of them be-!
gan the work on a very substan
tial basis, even to the extent of
bonding the county. If bonds is
the last resort, let it lie done in
this county. We MUST have the
roads, and the county need not
become bankrupt, either. Wheth
er the county is to he benefited
by the recommendations of the
recent jury, remains to l>e seen:
hut to their credit it may be said
that some features of their pre
sentments are sound, and deserve
the respect of the people, if not
those who are exacted to exe
cute them.
MORE FACTS COMING.
We cannot at this time discuss
the presentments in detail, but,
with the county’s interest at
heart, will mention a few facts
from time to time. Some
thing must be done toward rem
edying certain conditions, wheth
er private interests are affected
or not. Montgomery county should
not be allowed to come out at the
little end of the horn, and will
not if her people will take the
proiier interest in the manage
ment of its affairs, to the extent
of co-operating with its officials. r
| The BANK OF SOPERTON I
I Paid in Capital Stock, $25,000.00
Surplus and undivided J|i
profits $6,500.00
Total resources over 8100,000.00
General Banking Business Conducted. Accounts Solicited. ;jj
Interest on Time Deposits
I OFFICERS: :|i
X. L. Gillie, President. J. B. O’Conner, Vice-President. ;j;
.1. K. Hall, Cashier. I. H. Hall, Asst. Cashier :j:
DIRECTORS: jjj
X. L. Gillis, M. P>. Gillis, J. J. O’Conner, W. C. Futrill, jjj
\\'. I). Martin, W. H. Fowler, J, E. Hall. !j;
SOPERTON, GEORGIA. j
I SEABOARD j
AIR LINE R’Y.
These arrivals and departures published only as ]!
information, and are not guaranteed.
Ij Lv. Mt. VERNON all trains daily. j
10:42 a. in. For Helena, Abbeville, Cordele,
jj Americus, Columbus, ! j
8:32 p. m. Montgomery,-and all points west. j|
5:40 a. in. For Lyons, Collins, Savannah, jj
Ij 4:57 p. m. and all points east. jj
For further information, reservations, rates, etc., see your ;
ij nearest Seaboard Ticket Agent, or write j|
R. 11. STAXSELL, A. <i. I*. A., jj
]j Savannah, .... ... Georgia, j;
;i C. B. Ryan, G. P. A., jj
j; Portsmouth, - - -.-- - . Virgina. ;j
MACON, DUBLIN & SAVANNAH RY.
Schedule Effective June 14, 1908.
STATIONS : N<> -
is I 20 bIAHUJNto iy ! 17
7 00 380 Leave Macon Arrive 11 05 440
7 35 404 Fitzpatrick 10 38 404
740 109 Ripley 10 28 358
7 50 4 19 Jeffersonville 10 17 347
S 10 130 Danville 057 324
<s 15 I II Allentown 052 3 17
824 153 Montrose j 0 48 308
8 34 501 Dudley 0 32 257
8 41 511 Shew make 020 251
8 10 0 10 Moore 9 19 244
9 00 530 Arrive Dublin Leave 9 05 230
9 05 585 Leave Dublin Arrive 900 225
9 07 530 SMD &S J 858 223
9 11 510 XMI) AS J 854 219
9 21 549 Gatlin 844 209
0 30 558 Minter 8 37 202
9 42 009 Rockledge 8 20 1 51
9 IS 0 14 Orlund 8 21 140
10 02 027 Soperton 809 184
10 13 038 Tarrytown 7 57 1 22
10 22 0 45 Kihbee 7 50 1 15
10 40 700 Arrive Vidaiia Leave 7 35 100
A. ST 11.I 1 . ML ;A - M P- M.
CONNECTIONS:
At Dublin with the Wriglitsvllle &Tennille and the Dublin & South
western for East man and Teimille and* intermediate points
At Macon with Southern Hail way from and to Cincinnatti, Chattanooga,
Rome Birmingham, Atlanta and intermediate points. Also the Central of
Georgia Railway, G. S. & F. Railway, Macon and Birmingham Railway
and Georgia Railroad.
I Jn|,n H. Hunter, 'Wm. K. Pearce. Frank C. Battey. j|
HUNTER, PEARCE £ RATTEY, j
Cotton Factors Nava! Stores ij
ILX PkKIKNttD { \
HANDLERS OF raCtO _S jj
Upland Cotton, Sea-Island Cotton jj
Florodora, Allen Silk and Other
I Extra Staples, Naval Stores, jj
OVER THIRTY YEAHS IN BUSINESS
One of Die Largest Factorage Concerns in the South. Each j
Commodity handled in a Separate Department.
Strictest Attention to Each. j [.
:i Nitrate of Soda and Other Fertilizers, jj
Upland and Sea-Island B agging, I
Ties and Twine.
Lib. ral Advances made on Consignments. Money Loaned j
I 1 to Cotton and Naval Stores Shippers on Approved Security.
I SHIPMENTS RESPECTFULLY SOLICITED.
12tl Bay Street, East. SAVANNAH GA.
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