Newspaper Page Text
Important County News
That Will
Mean Money To You
Volume 26
Brief Explanation of The
Constitutional Amendments
RECORD STATE VOTE
PREDICTED ON JUNE BTH
Those eligible to vote in this
election: Must have registered
and paid all due poll taxes on or
before December 8,1936, except
1936 poll tax, which is now past
due may be paid up to June Bis
paid in time to be included on
qualified voters’ list for June Bth
election. 1937 poll tax is not due
until next fall.
Old Age Assistance, Etc.
(State Tax)
This amendment authorizes the
State to levy taxes for assistance
to aged persons, the needy blind,
dependent children and for other
welfare benefits, to be paid in
accordance with qualifications
for this assistance prescribed by
the General Assembly. The
amendment provides that no in
debtedness against the State
shall ever be created for these
benefits in excess of the taxes
levied for them by the General
Assembly. Funds derived from
these taxes will be matched by
Federal funds authorized under
the Federal Social Security Act.
For instance, the Federal Gov
ernment will pay 50 per cent (up
to sls monthly)of the State’s old
age assistance program, with the
State paying 40 per cent and the
County 10 per cent.
According to a recent survey
it is estimated that there are
23,850 needy aged persons and
53,075 needy dependent children
in the State. The number of needy
blind is not available.
The last session of the General
Assembly created a new Depart
ment of Public Welfare, which
absorbed the former department
by that name and the Board of
Control, and gave to the Depart
ment broad powers in the field
of public welfare, including
administration of eleemosynary
institutions. This Department
would administer the benefits
provided under this amendment.
$3,125,000 was appropriated to
the Department for the purposes
of this amendment. Based on
this appropriation, $3,906,250
Federal funds would be available
to Georgia through passage of
this amendment.
Old Age Assistance, Etc
(County Tax)
The Georgia Constitution pro
vides that the Counties of the
State can levy taxes only for the
purposes expressly permitted
the counties by the Constitution.
Thisamendmentif ratified would
permit counties to levy taxes and
make payments for the welfare
program outlined in the above
amendment. This program would
be administered in the county
by the County Welfare Board
under the direction of the State
Departmentof Public Welfare, in
accordance with legislation
passed by the recent session of
the General Assembly.
Homestead Exemptions
If this amendment passes,
beginning January 1, 1938, there
■will be a $2,000 exemption on the
assessed value of owner occupied
homes from State, County and
School ad valorem taxes, with the
exception of taxation to pay in
terest on and retire bonded in
debtedness. This exemption
however would not apply to
municipal. The amendment pro
vides that the General Assembly
may lower this exemption to
$1,250 if the fiscal affairs of the
state, counties, or schools should
warrant it.
Wtakr (Connie Eagk
Personal Property Exemption
[ This amendment exempts pet
sonal property (such as clothing,
। household and kitchen furniture,
। used solely within the home,
. domestic animals, tools and im
plements of trade of manual
laborers) not exceeding S3OO in
> actual value, from all State,
County, School and Municipal
ad valorem taxes. This exemption
. does not include motor vehicles.
The amendment states that all
personal property above the
value of S3OO will be taxed in the
, usual manner. On passage the
, exemption would go into effect
January 1,1938.
Classification of Property For
Taxation:
The Constitution at present
provides for a uniform ad va
lorem tax on all taxable property
in each taxing area. This amend
ment establishes two classes of
property for tax purposes: (1)
tangible property; (2) one or
more classes of intangible per
sonal property including money.
It gives the General Assembly
the power to classify property
for tax purposes, and to adopt
different rates and methods for
taxing these classes of property.
Under our present tax laws, it is
manifest that the tax burden is
borne largely by the owners of
visible property, such as real
estate. The purpose of this
amendment is to try to adjust
this situation.
Pensions For Widows Os
Confederate Soldiers
The Constitution now provides
for pensions to widows of Con
federate soldiers who were
married prior to January 1, 1881.
This amendment would extend
this provision to include pensions
to those widows who were mar
ried prior to January 1, 1920.
Authorizing the Genera) As
sembly to convene itself.
At present the Governor alone
has the power to call the general
assembly in extra session and
such sessions are limited to the
consideration of subjects speci
fied in the Governor’s call. This
amendment will make it manda
tory upon the Governor to call
the Assembly in extra session
within 5 days after being peti
tioned by 3-5 of the members of
each the Senate and House, stat
ing that in their opinion an em
ergency exists in the affairs of
the State, and like regular ses
sions, the extra session shall be
unlimited in the subjects to be
considered. [Should the Governor
fail or refuse to call the session
when so petitioned, the General
Assembly may convene itself as
in regular session, for all pur
poses, for a period limited to 30
days. Should an impeachment
trial be pending at the end of the
30 day period, the Assembly
may remain in session until such
trial is completed. The amend
ment provides for the same pay
ment to the Assembly as pro
vided for regular sessions, which
। is $7 a day for ail members of
: the Assembly (except the Presi
dent of the Senate and the
Speaker of the House who re
; ceive $lO a day) together " ith
mileage not to exceed 10 cents to
■ and from Atlanta.
i Designation of Judges to act
) for disqualified Supreme court
> Judges.
' The Constitution at present
) provides that when one or more
5 judges of the Supreme court are
I disqualified from deciding any
case by interest or otherwise,
ALAMO, GEORGIA, FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 1937
Preacher’s Column
By REV. M. W. FLANDERS
Connty and state newspapers are carrying
paid advertisements put out by Georgia Alcoholic
. Control Association urging the voters of our state
, to vote for the repeal of the Georgia Dry Law and
, legalize the sale of whiskey. Notice the same of
, the Association and see what they advocate. They
. are also using the radio in making their appeal to
[ the voters.
i We gather from their advertising and speeches
, over the radio, they agree with the rest of us that
liquor and other alcoholic beverages are harmful.
They say the only way to control it is to legalize
it. They say we are the “Laughing stock” and are
a ‘‘Backward people” in the eyes of other states.
They claim that legalizing liquor will mean the end
of bootlegging in the state and the young life (in
cluding high school girls and boys) can no longer
get a drink and bring shame and disgrace to their
homes and communities. A speaker stated that
‘‘liquor is being sold in every county, city, town
and hamlet in the state—can get it now anywhere,
any time.’’ Now, do we Wheeler county people be- <
lieve all this? Anybody knows that legalizing
murder, theft, kidnapingand the like will do away
with these evils. We know that it would not end
bootlegging but would play to their interest. Gov
ernment stores with their high taxed liquor can '
never cope with the bootlegger and we will have
the same officers and law enforcement then that
we have now. We understand that money was
spent by the wets in sending a man to Wheeler
county to offer as high as five dollars for a pint,
after our representative stated on the floor of the
House that liquor was being controlled in this
county. The man reported to his “wet” confeder
ates that he failed to get it. Possibly he fail to run
into the right sneak. We do not claim that it is
perfectly enforced here, but we do claim it is con
trolled as well as any other law.
TAXES, TAXES and TAXES
The only argument the wets are able to make
is that the state must have at least $2,000,000
(two million dollars) revenue from whiskey to
carry out the program of the state. This money is
to educate the youth, pay old age pensions and etc.
It has been estimated by outstanding thinkers
that it will require somebody—‘‘the other fellow
of course” to drink 6,741,000 gallons of whiskey to
raise that revenue. It will cost the drinkers
$50,000,000. There would be no more money in
Georgia then than there is now. Where will the 50
million come from? From the milk man, the grocer,
the shoe man, the clothier and every other busi
ness.
It will take food out of the mouths, shoes off
the feet, comfort and happiness out of the home
and opportunity from the child of the working
man Where would the 50 million go? $2,000,000
to the state, a little to the retailer in the state,
$46,000,000 to the fat and greedy brewers and
distillers, mostly out of the State. Great financing
-for the distillers! Unspeakable stupidity—for the
State.
Roger Babson says: “For every dollar of
whiskey revenue received, we have lost $20.00 in
the diversion of money from legitimate trade and
cost of damage done to society.” If Mr. Babson is
correct it means that Georgia will spend more than
$134 million dollars to raise the revenue the wets
are expecting.
We honestly believe that if the “wets” in the
Legislature had spent as much time, energy and
thought in fighting the bootlegger, appealing to
the public for better moralsand soberness, instead
of saying (in effect) ‘‘We will mortage the million
1 young people and children of Georgia to the liquor
traffic to pay Georgia’s bills’’ the would have been
1 applauded by larger numbers.
' Ladies! and Gentlemen! Go the Polls on June
the 8.
the Governor shall appoint a c
Supreme court judge or judges i
or sit on the case. This amend- j
ment would authorize the re- c
maining qualified supreme court a
justices, instead of the governor,
to designate the supreme court c
judges to fill such vacancies. The J
purpose of this amendment is to
assure a democratic decision and i
also to prevent delay from con? t
, gested dockets. s
Enlarging jurisdiction of courts j
of Ordinary, etc. 1
; This amendment enlarges the ]
, jurisdiction of the courts of ordi- I
s nary to include misdemeanor r
r cases arising out ot the newly ]
created Highway Patrol, and
other traffic cases where there is
no city or county court, provided
jury trial is waved. Like jurisdi
ction is given to police courts
and municipal courts.
County tax for county agri
cultural and home demonstration
agents:
As stated previously, counties
may levy taxes only for purposes
expressly provided in the Con
stitution. This amendment would
grant to County authorities the
right to levy taxes for the em
ployment of agricultural and
home demonstration agents.
These agents are now being em
ployed by counties under the
(Continued on page 8)
LIGHTNING STROKE
FATAL TOYOUNG MAN
A lightning stroke kills one
and injures others on the farm
of Judge Eschol Graham, in
Wheeler county, near Towns,
late yesterday afternoon, during
a hail storm. Charlton Clements,
19 year old son of Albert Clem
ents, a prominent farmer, was
killed by a stroke of lightning.
In the group were the father,
Albert Clements, Judge Graham,
the young man who was killed
and one other were on their way
out of the field to shelter from
the downpour when the stroke
came.
Young Clements received the
full benefit of the entire stroke,
striking him on top of the head,
killing him instantly. The rest
of the party were severely
shocked.
Young Clements was leading a
pair of mules at the time and the
animals were only frightened.
The farm on which Clements was
killed is in the southern part of
the county, on the Alamo and
Towns public road.
Funeral services will be held
tomorrow at Towns Methodist
church at 11 o’clock, conducted
by Rev. M. W. Flanders, and in
terment will be in the Spring
Hill cemetery.
FAMILY RUCUS LANDS
PARTY MIL HERE
In a rucus which occurred at
the home of Cecil Smith in Glen
wood this week between Cecil
SmLh and a man named Ellis, t
live stock dealer from North
Georgia, Ellis was shot through
the neck with a 32 caliber pistol,
said to have been wielded by
Smith.
Smith was arrested and placed
in jail here and will be held pend
ing the outcome of the wound. It
is said that the wound is not
serious, as Ellis departed for his
North Georgia home. The dis
agreement is said to have started
on account of some family rela
tions.
Mrs. Smith, it is said, left for
parts unknown immediatly fol
lowing the shooting. Both Ellis
and Smith have families.
Wheeler Singing Convenion
Enjoyed by Large Crowd
A regular session of the Wheeler
County singing Convention was held
last Sunday at Sardis church. The
day was an ideal one and W. E. Cur
rie, president of the convention, who
is past master in knowing how to get
a crowd of good singers together for
such occasions was at his best and
bandied the program so well that no
friction or loss of time was allowed.
The nice church building was filled
to overflowing, the entire time, excepi
that taken off for an excellent spread
of good eatables.
The only sad feature of the occasion
was the absence of one of the conven
. lion’s most loyal supporters, Mr. B.
R. Benton, who had pressed his invi
tation for this session to beheld there
He was a deacon and loyal supporter
of this church and was present two
years ago when the session was held
thei e, but be passed to his reward last
week and was beried from his church
a few days before. A short memorial
service was held for him, led by H. B.
Montford, singing his favorite songs.
The Montgomery County convention
meets next Sunday at Cnarlotte, four
miles from Uvalda.
I
I Bill Gatin Jug Band
Here Wednesday Night
! The famous Bill Gatin, "Jug Band”
> of Atlanta, will render a program at
1 the Alamo school gymnasim here next
Wednesday night, June 9th. The pro
* gram sponsored by Epworth Leagers,
' of Wheeler county. Proceeds to go to
2 [defraying expenses to young peoples
'assembly in Mason.
Local and Personal News
That Will
Interest and Inform You
Sample Copy 5c
What School Has Meant
To Me This year
I
By Lucille Burris
School has meant lots to me
1 this year. lam a fifth grader
and Mrs. L. M. Pope is my
teacher,
I enjoy our morning inspection.
We have pupils who act as nurse
and doctor to inspect the child
ren every morning. If our nails,
hands, face, ears and teeth are
clean we get a blue mark if not a
red one. Health has been our big
unit this year We made health
charts containing the 8 health
rules. We made a health stove
in one corner of the room. We
collected every food we could find
about health to put in it to sell.
We made a little booklet on
health contained many things we
have to have and to do to be
healthy. We also have a health
house in the back of our room.
Ihe roof is made of cornflakes,
body of oatmeal, sidewalk of
graham crackers, racks of
prunes and two, one-half pint
bottles of milk for gate posts.
There are chickens in the yard
and a nest with eggs in it. There
is an apple tree for a well, an
orange for the sundial and a
piece of glass for a pool. Pine
ops cut in short strips for grass
in the back yard and a cocanut
dyed green for grass in the front
yard and celery tops and lettuce
for shrubbery. Our chapel pro
gram on Health was the climax
of our Health work. Our pro
gram was enjoyed by all.
Our first small unit in Geo
graphy was South America. The
equater crosses Ecuador and still
they have to have bed cover at
night. That is because of a cold
current of water that flows from
South to North there, Ecuador
supplies the world with buttons
Nitrate comes from Chile, Rio
De Janeiro is the most beautiful
city in South America. Simon
Bolivan is called the “George
Washington, of South America.”
I know lots more about South
America but I haven’t time to
tell it all.
During our study of Europe
we were so interested in the
British Isles that we wanted to
work up a unit on them. We
made little booklets on the Brit
ish Isles. We drew the map of
all Europe and one of the British
Isles. We wrote a composition
oo the British Islesand also drew
the British flag. It is called "The
Union Jack” and is put in our
booklet. The boys built a typical
English home with a thatched
roof. We learned that the British
Isles were very healthful. Great
Britin is called “Our Mother
Country” becanse most of our
ancestors came from there. It
was one of our most enjoyable
units of work. I would like to
have attended the coronation of
King George VI May 12. I es
pecially want to visit Westminis
ters Abbey and see the "Crown”
and the “Chair.” We fifth grad
ers made a poster about the
’ Coronation.” We connected this
unit with every one of our sub
jects.
As we go along "Health” is
still the "predominating” unit
but of the small units I believe I
enjoyed Japan really more than
any. As we began the study of
Japan one little girl brought a
fan and a rabbit to school label
ed “made in Japan.” some one
, said, “Oh lets all bring our toys
t and dishes marked, “made in
t Japan.” So from that our unit
■ grew and as it grew interest
J and enthusiasm grew, too. We
( made a list of questions and an
Outline for study and then we
Number 15
