The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-12-01
LAWMAKERS OF The STATE.
The House Votes TO UnSeat the POpuliSt
Member From Forsyth.


Fight for 1.-THE House Adopts the
Majority Report by Vote of e5 to as.
A Bill to Prevent the Spread of Clan
ders-Another Fight to Be Made for
the Military Appropriation.
Atlanta, Ca, Nov 3O.-The House work
ed itself up to an interesting pitch to-day
over the election case from Forsyth
county, in which the committee on priv
ileges and elections reported in favor of
ousting Mr.. Boyd. pop, and seating Mr..
Blalock. dem, the contestant, but mi
nority report was submitted by the popu-
list members of the committee and upon
this the fight occurred. The minority re-
port was signed by Mr.. Price of Lump
kin, dem, in addition to the populists. Mr..
Price, however, accompanied his signature
with a statement to the effect that he
was absent when the rule under which the
Forsyth case was decided and adopted, and
for that reason Joined the populists in ask
ing that the case be reported back to the
committee again with certain instructions.
These instructions were set forth in the
minority report and were that the com
mittee should take into consideration GER
tain evidence that was excluded during the
hearing, because it had not been procured
by the contestee within the thirty days pro-
vided for by the code under which the
committee was acting.
Mr. Battle Of Muscogee opened the ball
for the democratic side. He argued from
the first that the question involved was
solely Of law rather than facts. After re-
citing the facts leading up to the contest
Mr.. Battle quoted from the code as to
the law bearing upon contested elections
and laid particular stress upon the thirty
day clause for taking testimony. He show
ed that Mr. Cooks testimony was not
taken within the thirty days, and was
therefore excluded by the committee. Mr..
Battle took up the act of 1898 and argued
that II related only to officers to be COM
rnissioned by the governor Of the state,
or municipal officers. The speaker claimed
that the act of 1898 did not repeal the cod
ified law by implication or otherwise.
Mr. Hogan of Lincoln was the cham
pion for the populists and opened fire
from that side He said the minority does
not ask that the contestee be seated, but
that the committee be instructed to admit
all the evidence in the case. His conception
of the duties of the committee on privi-
leges and elections was to fairly try all
contested election cases; to do everything
possible TO reach the bottom and to deter
mine who was legally and honestly elect
ed I'VE populists,' he exclaimed, may
differ with you democrats in political
matters, but we are not northern carpet
baggers. We are native Georgians, born
and raised on Georgia soil, brothers of
all of you and entitled to justice at your
hands. So sure as you refuse this justice
it will rebound to the party perpetrating
the injustice in manner leaving no un-
certainty as to the disapproval of the
people"
Messrs. Barnes and Fogarty of Rich
mond made speeches in support of the
committee.
Mr.. Reagan of Henry also argued that
the majority report was legal and just
and should be adopted.
Mr.. Rockwell of Chatham declared that
he would resign both from the committee
and from the House II the report was re-
pudiated.
Mr.. Hall of Coweta, the law partner of
Gov. Atkinson, made a sensation when he
took the floor and in an impassoned
speech denounced the adoption of the MI
nority report. He denounced PARTISAN
ship, and as a member of legality and
justice argued that the committee should
be requested to consider all the evidence,
whether taken in accordance with any
rule fixed by the committee or not. The
House. he said. was the sole judge Of the
election of its members. No statute could
interpose, and it was the duty of the
House to see that the truth was arrived
at.
Mr.. Hall also made lengthy argument
upon the legal aspect of the question, sup
porting the populist claims.
The closing scene of the debate, when
Mr.. Hogan of Lincoln and Mr.. Harrison
of Quitman, the one the champion of the
minority report and the other the chair
man of the committee, were closing the
debate, was exceedingly interesting The
members left their seats and punched
themselves about the two opposing cham
pions. Mr.. Hogan spoke without inter-
ruption. but Mr.. Harrison was contin-
ually interrupted by a cross-hring OF
questions and comment. Mr.. Hogan be
ing the leader in this proceeding. Rules
had no effect at all. the member from
Lincoln being determined to say his
say.
When the roll was called the populist
report was killed by vote of 45 yeas &c
95 nays The majority report was Their
accepted. and later Mr. Blalock was sworr
in by Chief Justice Smons.
Law, the Liberty County negro
member of the House, came forward the
first time this morning in introducing
bill to amend the law regarding those do
ing road duty so that none under is year:
old win be subject to that duty.
Mr.. Boyett of Stewart introduced bill
this morning to prevent the spread O
CHAMBERS among horses. 1t provides tina
the owner of the stock, if he thinks
CHAMBERS has affected any horse or mule
shall notify the governor at once and h
shall send a veterinary surgeon to in
spect the diseased animals If he decides
that it is CHAMBERS the owner shall motif!
the ordinary and he shall appoint thre'
free holders to examine the an
imal assess its value. The stat
shall then have the animal killed ant
burned and shall pay the owner 70 pc
cent. of the value.
Mr. Holland of Cobb introduced a bill
to repeal the penalty now imposed upol
telegraph companies 70 the non-deliv
cry of a message. The bill was introduce
at the solicitation of the railway com
mission to facilitate the telegraph ser
vice IN the small towns of the state.
Mr.. Rockwell of Chatham introduced
resolution giving into the custody of tn
Georgia Historical Society one history 0
the Province of Georgia recently donate
by Mr.. Edward DeRenne.
Tomorrow the special order will be tn
general registration bill, it being displacei
to-day by the Forsyth county contestet
election case.