The Montgomery monitor. (Mt. Vernon, Montgomery County, Ga.) 1886-current, April 13, 1911, Image 2
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. www WWW<WiWWWWW ( I