The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-12-01
LEGISLATIVE GOSSIP.
WHAT THE STATES sOLoNs ARE
TALKING ABOUT.

Some Small Economies The SLOUGH
Hat the Fashion-Other Interesting
Items.
ATLANTA, Nov. 30.--It is generally con-
ce6ed that there will be an adjourned Ses-
sion Of the legislature next summer.
In the controversies that so on anent the
specifying Of certain sum for Legislators
instead Of the present per diem two things
are noticeable.
One is the spirit which would find gratid.
cation in adjourning sine die on the thirty
ninth day in order that the fact
might be boastfully paraded before
constituencies that the representatives had
not put the state to the expense of the extra
session. The number who exhibit this trait
is large, and nearly every one of them voted
against bill requiring tho keeT er OK the cap
itol building to have the elevator operated,
because it would cost too mucn. A mechanic
computed for me the other day that steam
was generated for heating purposes and the
expense Of running the elevator would
amount 60 about IL cents per day in addi-
tion To the waEe' of an elevator boy
Tho other thing is the belief that the
compensation suggested, Sl60, would not
secure TO the state the best legislative re-
Hutbcs AuOht WDO uNll bhAs p94tEl HkiEo
prominently In each days proceedings The
aim Of tho Sl60 bill is to discountenance an
extension OF the session. Had the bill been
in force during the last legislature, cor
poraPs guard could not have been secured
for the consideration of the Western and
Atlantic railroad wrangle. A legislator is
human, He will not give even the state his
time when it yields no stipend.
GOV. NoRTaEN's IDEAS.
Gov. Northern's message contained some
trit9 facts aud suggestions about the matter
Of lengthy legislative sittings. Several
bills embOdying his ideas have been intro
duced, and these were referred to a special
committee. When this committee reports
their work will doubtless afford machinery
for framing special legislation, such as
charters for railroads. banks, and the like.
Senator Glenn pointed out to me the
other day that one-third of the work Of the
last assembly was devoted to granting such
legislation. He favors plan bv which the
office Of the secretary of state will 90 the
avenue Of inssuanoe. He says the equip
ment of that department is already Gov
cred, and any trifilng increase in its clerical
force, made necessary by the new duties,
would be cheerfully borne by the state II
the work Of the general assembly
could be lessened by one-third Another
advantage he claims for his plans is that
who would be quick to detect where moro
was asked than the state conBis entity cared
to yield, and time could be taken TO digest
| the petitions.
This last idea is good one The bright.
est legal lights would bring befogged wits
to the consideration Of measures,
if .1o compelled ih dn,,oy by conflicting conf de-
many Of bis less talented brother
members of the present house are required
| TO do from early morning until late at
| night. The brainter members have no time
Of their own. Committees are in meeting
during the afternoon and at night, ana It is
not unusual for member to spend twelve
and fourteen hours at tho capitol. 1t is
when viewing the work of these men that
| the provisions Of tho bills apportioniug
them, as it were, begrudgingly. pnltry
! pittances that the proposition looks like an
| insult.
| PROPOSED INCREASE OF THE POLL TAX
| Conspicuous by his absence so far has been
the member who il always wanting to do
| something with dogs. No bill as yet has
| been offered vesting the CANNES Of the state
| with new responsibilities.
| Mr.. Jackson Of Heard Is discussing bill,
| as yet in preparation, tho burden of which
! il 10 make the poll tax 81. The criticism
made by those with whom he has discussed
4 q
would insure the collection Of all the unpaid
ono dollars due the state by dereict oitizeng
Editor Boifeuillet Of Macon has intro
duced a bill III the House which is equal III
| Importance to TIE one now committed, pro-
hbit ng locomotive engineers from runDing
| more than twelve hours, and requiring that
| they rest another twelve hours Mr.. Boz
| feuillet wishes it to be made unlawful for
telegraph or railroad companies to employ
inexperienced boys or girls as telegraph
| operators. His bill will break up the train
ing school Of 'plugs," while not
aiming at it. Those who have
mastered what the guild terms "Morse,"
L. g. the telegraphic alphabet, are seat out
| to the small stations on the railroads. Tho
| work is not heavy, but if only one train
! order day is received, and that should not
| be read Alright the result will be ssrious, If
not disastrous. The bill aims at securing
| better men at these imp rtant posis, Mr.
| Bofeuillet says II place iS of sufficient
| Importance 10 JUS lfy the employment there
| OF an operator, the party stationed there
| should be familiar with the exactions OF the
! post.
The bill creating a road duty or forfeit
| for Savannah has been the subject OF com
ment here during the readings Of the bill.
| All grant that the streets Of Savannah are
| susceptible of Improvement, but the reading
| of the bIll suggests the procedure OF "biiss-
borough or some other obscure hamlet,
! deslrous Of filing gully.
WE'LL EQUIPPED WITH VOICES.
When the poet pronounced good voice
"a most excellent thing in woman," he
might have, without erring, commended
similar possession by legislators. Two Of
the members Of either house are conspicu-
| ously equipped in this respect 1t damages
the chances Of O measure TO degree 10 have
the sonoroug voices OF Clerk Harden Of the
House, or Secretary "Bill" Harris of the
Senate swell out and ill tho architraves
under the dome after weak, fasetto tones
have piped OUT request for Unanimous
consent to introduce a short local bll.n
Berner of Monroe has a good voice, and
one hat compels an audience. 10 is flexible
and expressive. It will take up a dainty
sentiment or well rounded period, and invest
io with new beauties and interests as
only few men can do. Al no time, either, IS
the subject secondary 70 the manner, as is
frequently true Of those apt in elocutionary
essays.
Hon. "Bob" Whitfield is as cool az fish
in his preliminary sentences. he warns
up and Is distinct Of intOnation, and punctn-
atss with bis pauses, as carefully as II be
wGs drawing legal paper, and the absence
of a comma would jsopardizs the suit
When the speaker recognizes "the gentle
man from Coweta' the House members are
all attention, and they aro rewarded for
their interest, FOR Hon. W. Y. Atkinson
is always interesting He would not
be cast for tho bass) part ia opera. nelther
would he be sigped ~ town crier. HIS