The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-11-15
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
THB CHATHAM COUNTY BILL,
PASSES THE HOUSE.

Bills - The Convict Lease System
Again Under Fire.
ATLANTA, GA, Nov 14.-The bill max
ing the commissioners OF Chatham county
elective by the people passed the House TO-
day and has been transmitted to the Sem
ate. When the bill was called for third
reading this morning Representative Doolan
presented by request two memorials which
we're sent him to the House on the subject.
One was protest from about l5O taxpayers
and well-known citizens OF Savan-
nah and the other was in favor Of the
adoption Of the bill signed by 400
citizens. A striking feature of the two
memorials was that several names appeared,
both protesting against the bill and asking
for its adoption. The House received the
memorials as information and voted 10
agree to the committees report. The bill
was then put on its passage. Opposition to
the measure In the House would have been
fruitless in view OF the facB that the special
Judiciary committee had recommended its
adoption, and the temper of the representa-
tives in the present legislature is to give the
people all possible scope In electing public
officers. The bill passed without dissent
ing vote.
The general Judiciary committee reported
favorably the bill to repeal the acts giving
grand juries the right to select county COM
missioners, and it was read the second time.
This measure, which is "a general state law,
Will pass the House tomorrow. The result
OF this bill puts the election oftcouuty com
mlssloners IN the hands OF the people
throughout the state and would affect Chat.
ham county without the Osborne bill.
THE NEW ELECTION LAW.
Representative Osborne's registration bill
for municipal elections in Savannah was
considered by the special judiciary commit
tee this afternoon and will be reported
favorably and read the second time to-mor-
row. At the request Of Representative
Osborne the committee struck out the clause
in reference to the right to count ballots
during election hours. which has drawn forth
unfavorable comment, and inserted a para
graph preventing the managers from look
ing at or counting the ballots until after the
closing Of the polls This removes the prin-
clpal Objectionable feature.
Representative Hopkins registration bill
for Mcintosh county was also favorably
acted upon by the special judiciary COM
mittee. The bill provides for keeping the
registration bookSopen SIX consecutive days
in Darisn and one day each at ten other
places in the county.
THREE RAILROAD BILLS.
Three bills of Importance bearing on the
railroad question were introduced by Mr..
Bacon of Blob. These are the measures
which have been expected from Maj. Bacon
and promise to furnish some Of the most
important If not the most important legis-
lat.ve issues Of the session.
MIR. Bacon's first bill is "To make the
wrecking OF a railroad company or an at
tempt or conspiracy TO wreck q railroad
company, felony: To define the same and
TO prescribe penalties therefor" The bill
fixes the penalty for wrecking or conspirinR
TO wreck a railroad at confinement in the
penitenti0ry for not less than three nor
moro than twenty years, or by fine Of not
less than $4,000, nor more than $4,000.
His second bill limits the issuance Of
stocks and bonds and the creation of float
ing Indebtedness by railroad companies and
prescri6es the manner in which the same
may be authorized and issued beyond GER
tain limits by authority of bhe stockholders
under the approval of the Railroad Com
mission OF Georgia, and fixes the liability of
directors Sor unauthorized Issues.
The third OF Mr.. Bacon's series of bills Is
TO fix IA lien in certain cases Of liability of
railroad companies for wages due Its en-
ployes, aud for personal injuries 10 passen-
gers and employees in running its engines
and cars. and prescribe the manner in which
the same shall be paid.
THE CONVICT LEASE SYSTEM.
The convict lease system came in for a
good share of attention to-day. Three
measures bearing upon it were introduced.
Mr. Ashburn Of Dodge offered a resolu-
tton providing for joint committee of five
from the House and three from the Senate
to examine the convict lease act of 1875, as
to whether the lease has been violated. This
committee is instructed to report by bill or
otherwise. The resolution went over.
Mr.. Bennett from Wayne brought In a
long bill providing for the breaking up OF
the entire convict system now in force at
the expiration of the lease act. His bill
contemplates putting the convIcts 70 work
on the public roads, and for that purpose
creates every senatorial district road dis
trict, to be supervised by q road commits
sion. aud provides for the return TO each
district of all convicts or illegally sentenced
from that district
Mr.. Graham Of Appling continued the
bombardment of the convict system by the
introduction OF a resolution requesting the
governor TO adopt such measures as he may
see fit TO prevent lessees from locating con-
victs at temporary camps for the purpose
of working them at steam saW-mis and IN
the manufacture Of lumber. The bill in
hibits the working of convicts away from
the site OF the Georgia peni-
tentiary at any work other than
mining. working on canals roads,
qusrries and in making brick. Its effect
would be to abolish nine lumber aud saw
mill camps established by the penitentiary
companies No. 2 and No. 3, in Eastern and
Southern Georgia. The penitentiary com.
mittee met after adjournment and decided
to visit the camps in North Georgia on
Thursday, Friday aud Saturday in order
to make full report on the subject and suR-
gest future provisions for convicts.
THE TAX ON DOGS.
The discussion inI the MORNING NEWS
some months ago as to the constitutionalty
Of the dog tax has had good effect Rep
resentative Fleming Of Richmond intro
duced to-day bill making dogs personal
property in order TO give the constitutional
right to tax them, which he says does not
now exist
The military committee Of the House met
to-day and organized. Representative
Doolan OF Chatham was elected secretary.
The ecommttee will consider tomorrow the
advisability of reorganizing tie state mil
itia on a higher basis and putting 1t under
control Of a brigadier general, who shall be
an active military man. Under the new
scheme all unattached commands will be
assigned to some battalion or regiment
at once. and the standard OF efficiency will
be increased so as compare with the organ
ization Of the volunteer forces in the