The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-10-29
GEORGIA'S PUBLIC ROADS
THE CONGRESS IN FAVOR OF
WORKING TIE CoNV1oTs.

Abolition OF the Lease system On en'
Exri-s+ion of Existing Contract;
recommended "A Vice President
Cnosan From zach Congressional
District-Lowering Of Certain renal
ties Advocated.
ATLANTA. GA, Oct. 2s.-The Georgia
road congress met at the capitol tins morn
inc at 10 O'Clock. Gov. Mortimer maue
br5sf address. welcoming the delegates and
axnlainins the results sought TO be accom-
rIisbed by the congress There are ntty-
eight delegates in attendance.
After the roll call the election OF officers
took place. and resulted as follows:
Presidert-Gov. W. J. Northen.
Secretary-W. G. WILDLY.
A vice president for each congressional
district was elected. They are
First District-H. P. Smart Of Chatham.
Second-O. A. Barry of Randolph.
Third-G. W. Jordan. Jr., Of Pulaski.
Fourth-W. j. Weeks of Talbot.
Fiftb-Dr. J. W. helms Of Fulton.
Sixth-W. A. Huff of Bib.
Seventh. o. Waddell Of Polk.
Fipbtb-C. NJ. Stahan Of Clarke.
NINTH. W. Robertson Of Habersham.
Tenth-O. P. H. Beall of Washington.
EIeyenth-A. T. Putnam OF Glynn.
At the morning session nothing else was
accomplished, the committee on business
reporting that it would be 3 O'Clock before
they were ready TO make report on the
order Of business. The congress then I'D
tourned until o'clock in the afternoon.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE.
At the afternoon session the committee
made its report, which was unanimously
adopted. The salient points in the report
were as follows:
l. II is the sense Of this congress that il Is 20
the interests of the people Of the state that the
labor Of her convicts should be utilized upon her
public roads, and that no lease OF eoIyicts
should be made after the expiration of the pres
eut leases. We further hold that the present
convict force now used in working the public
roads can be and should be greatly increased by
lowering the penalties for certain crimes.
. We hold that any legislative action lower
conflict with the present convict leases for the
following reasons.
Supreme court decisions are then oited TO
substantiste this point.
8. We further hold that labor and property
should each bear their fair proportion OF the
burden of road duty, the latter by an sd valo
rem tax in Iust proportion TO the same, and
that large discretion should be left each
county as to the amount and character of the
work to be done; and further,
that all road laws shall be
go framed ss TO provide such penalties as will
enforce the full measure of duty in the public
interest from the person or persons in charge
Of said road working.
4 We hold that in all cases the efficiency of
road working Is greatly increased by each
county owning and furnishing its road hands
with the proper tools We further hold that no
greater or more positive benefit could be CON
ferred by the legislature upon the farming in
terests OF the state ian interest whose prosperity
underlies the prosperity Of all other interests)
than by sucn revision OF the read laws as will
insure that interest better facilities for trans
pOrtation.
We earnestly recommend that each member
of this body do urge upon the representatives
aud senators of his county the necessity and
Importance Of legislation on the line suggested
We recommend the formation OF highway i'm
provement society as an auxiliary of this body,
whose object shall be TO collecs and print in
formation relating 70 good roads, acting as q
bureau Of information ON the subject OF high
way improvement
Ali the members of the convention were
constituted delegates to the southern road
congress, which assemblies tomorrow morn
Ing. Delegates from all parts Of the south
will be in attendance aud Gov. Northen
will preside