The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-11-02
ILAWMAKING FOR THE STATE
The House Votes TO Create Two New
Supreme Court JudgeShipS.

Several Members Speak in Favor OF
the Proposition Before It's Passage.
a Bill introduced to Establish the
Altamaha Cirouit-The Bill to In
crease the Salaries of Judges Of the
Superior Court to be Reported Ad-
versely-The Cigarette Bill Buried in
a Senate Committee.
Atlanta, Ga, Nov, 1.-The House this
morning by vote of III TO 81 passed the
bill introduced by Mr.. Wilson, of Ware,
increasing the number of justices for the
supreme court to five. For forty-fve
years the court has consisted of three
justices under the constitutional enact
ment, and the bill passed to-day, If the
Senate concurs, which is almost assured,
viii have to go before the people for rati-
ication, as il is an amendent to the con-
stitution. 1t is generally considered that
the necessity for expediting business in
the supreme tribunal Of the state is
urgent and after much talk on the
subject it finally appears that the much
needed relief to the over-crowded court
is in fair way to materialize. Mr. Will
its passage read from the governors mes
sage, in which the executive called atten-
tion to the fact that the present supreme
court was organized forty-fve years ago
when the work was about one-sixth what
it is now. 1t showed that the cases FROM
one county now are sometimes more than
what came from the entire state in years
past and the number is rapidly increas-
ing. Mr.. Wilson stated that in
the Georgia supreme court moro decisions
were made every year than in South Car
olina, Florida and Mississippi combined.
FORCED TO WORK TOO FAST.
Mr.. Turner, of Putnam followed Mr..
Wilson. He said that the supreme court
now was compelled TO act with undue
haste.
The members . were overburdened
with work and were unable 10 reach de-
cisions with that patience, diligence, care
and pains taking methods which should
characterize the judiciary
Mr.. Bacon, Of Bibb, in speaking on the
bill, stated that there was a popular idea
to the effect that the mea-
sure was in favor of the Judges
themselves. This was not the case.
Chief Justice Logan e. Bleckley had said
only yesterday Inc buIEB men QOn u
live in Georgia who can determine cor
rectly, satisfactorily or safely in the ma
jority of the cases that come before the
supreme court, what ought to be law and
what is law.o The measure affected the
rights, the property, the liberty, and
even the lives Of the people of the state.
1t was true, Mr.. Bacon said, that several
years ago the question had been passed
upon in the negative. This was due TO q
luptf Df in al that fiu1n "a IN
favor Of submitting the matter to the
people again, and felt confident Of the re-
suit.
NEW JUDICIAL CIRCUIT.
MIR. Hopkins, of Mcintosh, who vigor-
ously opposed a division Of the eastern
circuit last session, o-day introduced
bill establishing q new judicial circuit to
sbe known as the Altamaha circuit. The
counties comprising the proposed new Cir
cult are Bryan, Efingham, Mcintosh, and
Liberty from the eastern circuit, Bullock
and Tatnall from the middle, and Mont
gomery from the OcOnee circuit. The
principal purpose of the new circuit is to
put Chatham county in circuit by itself.
Judge Falligant is strongly in favor of the
bill, and Mr. Hopkins says IL is generally
supported in the counties affected, excepS
in Montgomery county, where opposition
has already manifested itself, and pro-
test will be made in the house when the
bill is put upon its passage.
tSihce the opening of the session the
house has practically kept open doors.
Everybody who has had a mind to look in
at the statesmen in action have been in
the habit of coming and going on the
floor at will. This has become a nuisance,
and to-day Speaker Atkinson instructed
the doorkeeper TO keep out everybody not
entitled to admission on the floor here
after,
PAY OF SUPERIOR COURT JUDGES.
The House bill to increase the salaries
Of the superior court judges from $1,000
to $500 was considered in the finance
committee this morning. 1t was agreed
by decisive vote to report it adversely.
The prospect is that a Georgia superior
court judge will, in the future as in the
past, be obliged to get along as best he
can on q salary less than the income OF
any justice Of the peace in Atlanta, and
less than many third-rate lawyer
makes.
The bill Of Mr. West, Of Hancock, sub
mitted at the last session of the House
providing that free books be furnished
the common schools Of the state was adj
versely reported upon to-day by the edu-
cation committee.
THE CIGARETTE BILL,
LII bIG lDblhbb Lll6 tlEdEbbbo JILL
the House created a little ripple. IL came
up for third reading. Senator Parsons,
Of the Twenty-hfth district, wanted the
bill recommitted.
Senator Chambers, Of the Twenty-frst
district, offered an amendment for the
bill being made the special order for
Nov H. This was voted down.
The ayes and nays being called, the
vote to recommit stood; Ayes 81, nays 8,
and the bill was recommitted. Conserv-
ative senators say the bill will never see
the light Of day again 1t is to be buried
in the committee room.
There was another discussion on the
resolution by Senator Smith of the Nine
teenth district, to take from the table
the Ramsey-Reese contested election case.
But the final aloutcome was that the billwas
not taken from the table, and as a conse-
quence Senator Reese remains the repre-
sentative from his district.