Peach County Fight is Becoming Sensational. Swapping is Hinted at in Talk before the Committee
A mild sort of sensation was precipitated in the house constitutional amendment committee meeting this afternoon when the Peach county bill was under consideration;—Houston and Macon counties, from which the proposed county would be formed, have presented factions opposed to Peach county.
Among the opposition is Senator McCrory, who appeared at today's meeting and, in argument, charged that Speaker Pro Tem Robert LeSeuer, a member of the committee hearing the bill, had traded with the Peach county advocates to the extent of supporting their bill if they would keep out of Crawford county In designing the proposed new county; that he was willing to see Houston and Macon counties cut, but not any of Crawford county.
Denies the Statement.
Mr. LeSeuer denied the statement, and while Mr. McCrory was explaining that he meant no reflection on the member of the committee at alt, Mr. Wohlwender moved for an executive session to break up the colloquy, but It ended anyway and the hearing went on.
Mr. Nunn, of Houston, argued against the proposed new county.
The committee postponed action on the bill until after the proposed Simmons county measure is heard next Monday, when recommendation will be made on both bills, Simmons county would cut territory from Houston and Dooly.
Date: 1916-07-14; Paper: Macon Telegraph
Peach County's Defeat
Primarily the defeat of Peach county at the polls in the recent general election was a signal victory for the advocates of more economical and common-sense legislation for Georgia.
Secondly the outcome of the election was a huge success from the standpoint of it's repudiation of the Capital City's clique of lobbyists.
There is no reflection intended on the proponents of the issue residing in the area which was to comprise the new county. They are not to be criticized for being ambitious. The opposition, in the main, was directed at the professional county makers and not at the people of Fort Valley and surrounding territory.
The Moultrie Observer has the following timely comment on the matter:
"Sober thinking Georgians have called a halt on new county making.
"Finally, public sentiment has been aroused, the wild rush of real estate boomers and professional lobbyists to give a county to every cross roads town in the state has been stopped.
"We did not stop until we had run the number of counties in the state up to 160. This puts us in the lead of every state except Texas, the latter state being much larger than Georgia.
"There was nothing in this action by the voters of Georgia aimed at Ft. Valley. That is a splendid little city, and they are not censured for being ambitious to have a county all their own. It was aimed at the professional county-makers in and about the legislature.
"Now that the people have been awakened, the lobbyists and the new county promoters can seek other employment. There will be no more new counties. It was hard to defeat a new county amendment to the constitution for the first time, and this big task was left to what they tell us is a 'dead county.' We think the people of old Houston are very much alive. They have at last found their power, and they will be doing other big things in the future.
"Houston has pioneered. She has paid the price necessary to show that it can be done. Hence forth other counties being denuded and robbed of their best territory by real estate boosters and lobbyists will appeal to the people and will get protection. The whole state cannot be bought or fooled. There will be a check kept in the work of the legislature."
Not satisfied with this defeat supporters of the peach county!movement have come forward with the announcement that the issue will be re-opened and fought to a bitter conclusion.
The large majority of votes polled against the ratification of the amendment over those in favor of the issue and the rapid growth of the opposition from an apparently dis-interested public, should alone be sufficient to discourage any further agitation of the proposal.
However there exists the possibility that the issue will again be submitted to the polls for ratification and it is to be hoped that the voters of this commonwealth will administer an greater defeat than on the recent occasion.
Date: 1922-11-16; Paper: Cobb County Times
Peach County Bill Is Passed In House By Vote Of 151-37
The bill to create Peach county out of portions of Houston and Macon counties was passed by the Georgia house of representatives Tuesday afternoon.
The vote was 151 for the new county and 37 against it.
A constitutional amendment to required for the creation of the new county and the vote necessary in the house
was two-thirds of the entire membership or 133. The matter must now be submitted to the voters of the entire state
for ratification. Fort Valley is to be the county seat of the new county.
The bill passed by the house Tuesday already had passed the senate at the present session.
The first bill to create Peach county was introduced three years ago but was defeated in the legislature. Another, bill introduced two years ago passed both houses by close votes and was beaten In the general election. The present bill has met with little opposition and its supporters believe will be ratified in the general election this fall.
Date: 1924-07-17; Paper: Cobb County Times
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