The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1892-10-11
THE LAWS AMENDED.
THE CONSTITUTION OVEHWHEAM-
yNGLYIMENDEDBY THE PEOPLE'
Tho Amendments Have Long Beer No'"e~
and will Save Thousands OF
Legislature VIII Meet THIS A'"A'"'

The four COnSttutioHAlA
submitted to tvs people OF Georgia last
Wednesday were all overwhelmlnSy
adopted
r,he first two amendments have long
been needed They will expedite legls-
lation and save our taxpayers thousands
of dollars annually Under the terms Oh
the amendments the legislature will hold
annual sessions Of fifty days each, instead
of holding one biennial session and an al
iourned session, making the sessions aver
age $50 days for every two years, as mas
been the case since the adoption OF the
constitution of 1877.
Under the new system the legislature
will convene once q year on the fourth
Wednesday in October and sit not exceed
ing fifty days
The third amendment provides that on
the first and second reading Of local bills
and railroad and bank charters the ute
only shall be read unless said bill Is order
ed to be engrossed. Heretofore the hrst
and second reading Of these usually long
bills has been an entirely perfunctory
proceeding, and much time has been vast
ed in 1t.
The fourth amendment provides that
charters for banks, insurance companies,
railroad companies, etc, shall be issued
by The secretary OF state lin such manner
as shall be prescribed by law" This Will
avoid the hasty and often imprudent &C
ton attending such matters In the legls-
ature when there is q rush OF business,
and as the secretary of state is guided
by certain well-defined provisions of law,
he can make no mistake, and If he did 1t
would be unlawful, and therefore harm
less
Altogether, these amendments are In
the interest of good legislation and econo-
my, and their adoption is long step In
the right direction.
Legislature " ill Meet October Goth.
Though the official count of the vote in
last Wednesday, election has not been com
lpeted, Secretary of State Cook has pro
crossed sufficiently to know that the CON
stitutiona amendment providing Tor ntty
days annual session of the legislature has
been adopted.
In this event the governor will have to
call the legislature together in advance of
the time it would have otherwise mct-the
first Wednesday IN November.
The time of meeting is fixed by the new
amendment adopted and is the fourth We'd
uesday in October, each year. This is
the Goth of the present month.
The candidates for the various offices
are already active.
The most interesting contest is that for
speaker of the house. The names of hall
dozen candidates are already announced,
and their friends are working industriously
for them.
Those mentioned as candidates are Hon
orable W. Y. Atkinson. of Coweta Honor
able w H. Filming, of Richmond; Honor
able John r. Boifenillet, of Bibh, Honor
able Paul Trammell, of Whitfield and
Honorable NJ l.. Mershon, of Glynn.
For president of the senate. the only nm
nounced candidate is Honorable Steve Clay
whose friends say he has already more than
a majority of the senator's pledged.
The names Of Honorable hlilt Reese OF
Wilkes and Honorable w. A. Wilson, OF
Sumter, have, however, been mentioned
in this convention
For the clerk Of the house Colonel Mark
Hardin has no opposition, nor is there any
opposition to Colonel Bill Haines, for secre-
tary of the senate.
There are dozen candidates Tor door
kecDer and messenger of the house.
The house stands 1873 democrats. fourteen
peoele's party and three republicans.
The senate stands forty three democrats,
one peoples party.
There are but two colored members-Au-
thonv Wilson of Camden, and w. I'll. Sules
of liberty.
OF the members of the two houses twenty
two were in the last house Many have
served in the legislature heretofore