The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-11-30
CEORCIATOPAY THE BONDS.
The House Passes the Bill TO That
Effect by a Vote Of SO 10 81.

L
three Years Ago-Local Bills of
Representative Guerard and os-
borne Passed - Several Speeches
Made on the Bond Matter.
Atlanta. Ga. Nov. 29.-The Senate de
voted itself to-day to passing bills inter
esting to Savannah. The bills passed
were: that of Mr.. Osborne, regulating
municipal elections and those by Mr..
Guerard authorizing the city to own and
operate its own electric light plant, and to
authorize the city TO levy and collect a
tax on telephone, electric light, telegraph
and other poles.
Mr. Guerard's holiday bill" was also
passed. while another by the same mem
Der. to amend section 27S3 of the code was
killed.
The following were also passed:
To establish public schools at Way
cross
To incorporate the town of Conner, in
Madison county.
To permit the town of Miner to issue
bonds to construct school houses.
MIR. Wooten's bill to establish a state
naval militia
Gordon, Of the Georgia Hussars, from his
bond for safe keeping of arms
A bill to empower the city of Waycross
to issue bonds to build school houses, was
passed.
Mr. Wilcox introduced a bill to estab-
fish a registration law for Liberty county;
also to require the county commissioners
of Liberty county to publish the minutes
of each meeting
A VOTE TO PAY THE BONDS.
The House to-day, after debating the
proposition during the whole session,
voted to pay the Hayes and Scott bonds
without interest since maturity, which
was twenty-three years ago. That is,
new bonds 10 the amount of the principal
of the old ones will be issued to meet the
obligation, if the Senate confirms the
action of the House.
Mr.. Gambler Of DeKalb, who was
speaking on the bill when the House ad-
tourned yesterday, concluded his speech
this morning. He made d strong plea for
the state, maintaining her integrity by
paying of these bonds, which he argued
were a just debt
Mr.. Wheeler, of Walker. introduced an
amendment that no interest be paid on
the bonds on the ground that a sovereign
is not liable for interest on matured in
debtedness
Mr.. Harrison, of Quitman, spoke against
this amendment.
Mr.. Sears, of Webster, opposed the
payment of the bonds.
Mr. Battle of Muscogee, said he was
born democrat, raised democrat, and
considering democracy to be honest, he
favored the payment of the bonds, inter
est and principal, dollar for dollar
Speaker Atkinson followed Mr.. Battle
for paying the bonds. He said that dur
WVpfr Flras aTrw1nf L.. L., 1.
OF the House, there never had been a
valid reason advanced why the bonds
should not be paid. Mr. Atkinson made
most able and convincing speech in
favor of paying the bonds, but he was op-
posed to paying any interest that had ac-
crued after the bonds had matured.
BACON INTERPRETs THE LAW.
Mr.. Bacon, of Bibb, also spoke in favor
OF the bill, because, he said everything
showed that it was an honest debt and it
should be paid. He said that while he
believed interest should be paid from the
time the bonds matured up to the time
the money was paid, while he thought il
was right between man and man, as
lawyer he was forced to agree with the
speaker Of the House that there was no
legal right for the state to pay this inter
est.
He was followed by Mr. Gambler, of
Dekalb who took issue with him on the
question of interest, maintaining that the
state should pay all the interest, as it
was part of the public debt.
Mr.. Allen, of Upson spoke in favor of
paying the bonds and the interest
The vote was then taken on the amend
ment of Mr.. Wheeler, of Walker 1t re-
suited in 50 for and 50 votes against.
Mr.. Martin, of Fulton, spoke against
the amendment when it came up in the
House on the passage Of the bill but it
was adopted by a vote of 20 to O., thus
killing the interest on the bonds. which
amounts to 900, more than the princi-
pal, which is only S205O0.
NJ BRIDE AGAINST PAYING.
At this point, Mr. Mcbride. of Haral-
son, introduced a resolution that the gov
ernor should appoint a committee of
three to investigate these bonds and re-
port to the next legislature.
Mr.. Mcbride made a speech in favor of
his resolution to dodge this issue which
has been lodged so often before
Mr.. Graham, of Appling, wanted to
amend the resolution by appropriating
$1,000 TO defray the expenses of the com
mission.
Mir. Render, of Meriwether. called the
previous question and the call was sus-
tanned
The amendment to appropriate $1,000
was overwhelmingly lost and so was Mr.
McBride's resolution.
On call of the ayes and nays the bill
was passed by vote of 50 to 81.
MIR. Rankin gave notice that he would
move to reconsider
The House then adjourned until Friday
morning. as tomorrow will be spent by
the members in Augusta at the eXposi-
ton.
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