Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-07-30
AT THE STATE CAPITAL.
AN UNPRECEDENTED RUSH OF
LOCAL BILLS.

/ a. on TIN
State Treasury.
Regular Correspondence Of the Morning Ne,cs
ATLANTA, July 28.-Owing to the large
number of leaves of absence Yesterday
and the adjournment of the Senate to Mon
day, the House devoted its time exclusive
ly to reading bills second time to-day
There was barely quorum present, if in
deed there was quorum.
have never before known such con
tinuous rush of local and general bills
Fully two-thirds are useless, so far as the
public good is concerned. Code tinkerina
is thing that ought to be regulated by
law. Before the new Code has been dis.
tributed hundred amendments are being
acted upon in the Legislature. But we
have some good measures, such as the
bills that are now before the Agricultural
committee to prevent live stock from run.
ming at large. Several counties have
tried this system for the protection of gar
dens and growing crops and report favor
ably upon 1t. 1t looks as if this plan
would yet prevail over the entire State.
The present Legislature will pass INTO
history as the "MemOrial Legislature. -
We have had, or shall have had before
adjournment, memorials of johnson.
Stephens, Hill and Crawford. L have been
impressed during these services with Rip
Van Wrinkles sad remark-''How soon
are we forgotten" Hardly a handful of
spectators and barely a quorum of the
General Assembly are present to do honor
to the distinguished dead on memorial Oc-
casiOns.
One reason of this is, if | have Judged
correctly, that these occasions are too
often used for glorifying the living ora
tors and memorial managers, rather than
paying really heartfelt tribute to the
lamented dead. AT all events, it is pain
fully evident that the general public de-
sire some change in the present practice.
We have one of the most popular
General Assemblies that l ever saw in
Georgia, but the members will slip off on
free passes most too frequently for the
public good. This evil has grown to such
an extent that some restrictive legisla-
tion will be necessary, unless the rail-
roads have the courage to abolish the free
pass practice.
THERE ARE A VERY FEW MEMBERS
who never accept these questionable
favOrs, and others who seldom use them,
certainly never to the neglect of public
duties. These members look upon legis-
lation as serious matter. They come
here to transact public business and to
promote the best interests of the State,
and whenever they are absent from their
seats it is safe to believe that they have
a most excellent excuse.
1t is common thing for the people and
the press to be misled in regard to the
final passage of a bill. A great many
bills pass one branch, either the Senate or
House, that are killed in the other. Now,
an impression has gone abroad in some
papers that Rays feKtiliZer bill has be-
q laVU This ic q 10
passed the House by a ''tight Squeeze p
and may not pass the Senate, but its
''last chance" is with the Governor, who
can veto a bill passed by both houses, Up
to this time the Governor has officially
notified the General Assembly of the
signing by him of but two bills, which
fact l telegraphed several days ago, and
only these two have become laws the
present session.
l see that the old
CRY OF ''PERsECUTION" IS BEING RAISED
as the investigation of the Agricultural
Department proceeds. This is all wrong
Representative CrenshaW, the author OF
the movement, simply desired to unfold
the ''true inwardness" of the inspection
of fertilizers. Much complaint had been
made by farmers and dealers that the
| system needed reconstruction, and the
cost of inspection considerable of a re-
ductiOn. 1t is not enough to say that the
inspection fees pay all the expenses and
| put surplus INTO the State treasury, as
the farmer justly replies: "Why tax me
in this way to add to the revenue of the
| State, either for schools or any other pur-
pose? If there is surplus, then let q
reduction in the fees be made to thai
point where the sum total will simply
support the Agricultural Department.
The investigation, however, shows that
the expenses of the department can be
lessened, and that reform is needed in
that direction.
THE RAIDS ON THE STATE TREASURY
are numerous and heavy, and some of the
schemes will certainly fail of success
! There are bills to take out $4,000, 900 for q
new capitol; large sum for a school OF
technology; a smaller sum for an inebri.
ate asylum; about $780, 600 for branch col
leges; additional appropriations to com.
plete an insane asylum; about $4,000 tC
purchase balance of the new Code edition
several appropriations for painting por-
traits of deceased Governors and other
distinguished Georgians, and quite a
sum to purchase Jones' History of GeOr-
gia.
1t seems to be generally conceded that the
school of technology should precede the
new capitol scheme, and that the State
INV dloO UC IGll6NGO OI lIS
present financial burdens. If we are to
have a school for technical education,
which will really benefit us, there should
be no delay in its establishment AL
ready several worthy boys have left At
lanta for the schools of technology at the
North, and this fact shows that the mate
rial to fill such an institution is ready at
hand.
Hugo Angeri, who won some little fame
In Europe as an opera singer, is now City
Engineer OF Atlanta. His family name is
Hugh Angler, and he is a son of the late
Needham l.. Angler, former State Treas
urer.
FOLLOWING CLOSE UPON THE HEELS
of the new street pavement comes the i'm
provement of central city property. Most
conspicuous is the James Bank block,
which is being made four and five stories
high, and otherwise greatly improved.
DeGive's Opera House is not quite
ready for its finishing touches. Mr.. De-
Give has given the end next to the post
office an entirely new exterior, put a
handsome scenery room on top of the roof,
so that the scenes can now be hOisted
above the stage, and is closing his inn
provements by renOvating and painting
the rear walls and entrances.
Another big improvement is to be made
on the corner of Broad and Marietta
streets. The old two-story drug store is
to give place to an elegant four-storV
office building, which will prove fit COM
panion to the fine Masonic building on
the opposite corner.
While the friends of Sergeant w. L..
Cash, of the American Team, feel regret
that his was the lowest score in the con-
test, and that Georgia was hardly hon
ored by such craftsmanship, it Is a relief
to know that his score was the same as
that of the lowest man in the British
Team, each making a total of 147. The
next highest in both teams was also 149.
but in the next Pollard, of American
Team, made 1913, and Dods, of British
Team, only 151. Cash's first score was
%, then 26, %, "a, %, 10, from 200 to /, 900
yards.
SPEAKER GARRARD
and Chaplain Mcclellan, of the House.
have been sadly distressed during the past
week on account of severe illness in their
families. Speaker Garrard's little son is
now slowly recovering from critical ILL
ness, while Chaplain Mcclellan has buried
his infant child. His wife, who was also
quite i'll, has somewhat improved, and he
is again at his post. The members deeply
sympathiZe with him in his present be-
reavement.
1t is due the Hon. Ben. f. Russell. of
Decatur, to state that despite a severe
bilious attack, he has been a most faith
full member during the present term, and
While he has made no speeches, he has
done an immense amount of work in the
committee room. just now the hardest
part of the service is in the committee
room. Speaker Garrard has a faculty for
keeping the gang-plank out, and not
day passes that new bills do not come
fiocking in. This gives the committees
no chance to clear their tables, as con-