The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-11-16
ELECTION OF The JUDGES.
HOuStOE'S Bill Almost Sure 10 Be De-
ieated on TO-day'S Vote.

Bills Introduced by Populist Members
of the House KilIed-A Number of
Election Contests Brought by Popu-
lists Dismissed.
Atlanta. Ga, Nov. 15.-Mr. Houstons
bill to elect judges and solicitors by the
people will come up in the House tO-mor-
row morning as the special order of the
day. The bill has been adversely acted
upon by the judiciary committee and al
though it represents one of the articles of
the pcpulist creed, being a plank of their
platform, the democrats will allow its fate
to be settled upon the floor OF the House,
In defiance of the populist votes. While
there is little or no doubt that the bill
will be killed finally, there is still much
importance attached to the action of the
House tomorrow.
The most important legislation likely to
be accomplished by the present general as
sembly will be a revision of the election
laws. The demand of the people for new
laws to govern the selection of their ju-
dicial representatives is in part due to dis
satisfaction with the present system of
choosing the judiciary, which system it
ton to combinations that defeat the will
of the people and tends toward the estab
lishment and perpetuation of ring rule in
the government of the state. This con-
dition of public sentiment makes the pro-
posed change in the method of selecting
the judiciary of vital Importance. 1t more
closely affects the people than almost any
thing else the legislature can do. Among
the legislators considerable opposition has
developed. Many are opposed to any
change at all from the pres
ent system, whiel those who
want a change are divided be-
tween election by the people and appoint
ment by the governor. Between these
three factions, with the peculiar situation
in which the legislature is placed by the
populist representation, some of the wisest
predict that no change can be made. In
the House it will take III out of the 100
democratic votes to pass any constitu-
tional amendment to which the populists
are opposed. Without a democratic eau
Gus on such measure it would be very
difficult to get this vote, as the democrats
themselves are divided. On the other
hand, the populists, who are pledged to
the elective plan, would have to get fifty
one democrats to help them pass such a
bill. majority of the House can, how
ever, kill any bill that is adversely re-
ported by the committee, and it is prob
able that the bill tomorrow will meet
its fate in that way.
So much interest is felt in the question
that Gov. Atkinson has received teIe-
grams to-day from people who would
come on to Atlanta to take a hand in
the fight in the Hobbies. The members
have also received numerous messages
from their constituents on the subject.
A good part of the time of the House
to-day was spent in killing bills intro
duced by populist members. The first
was by Mr.. Henderson of Forsythe to
abolish the fees of solicitor general in
the state and put them on a salary of
$1,000 a year. 1t was reported adversely
from the committee, and the report of
the committee was sustained and the
bill killed.
The bill Of Mr.. Fulwood, the popuIist
member from Polk, to require officials
TO afiX the date upon all papers witnessed
by them went the same way
The committees report was adverse to
the passage of the bill of Mr.. Allen, the
republican member from Pickens to
from taxation $500 worth of household
and kitchen furniture, and the house
sustained the report.
The same action was taken upon the
bill of Mr.. Allen to elect jury commission
ers by the people.
The bills by Mr.. Reese, dem, from
Floyd. prescribing the time when records
shall be docketed in the supreme court
came back with an adverse report and
was killed
The bill of Mr.. Moore, dem, from Clay
ton to compensate jurors in justice courts
was also killed, burdened as it was with
an adverse report.
Mr.. Branch's bill to reduce the sala-
ries of the railroad commissioners to
$1,000 a year, was adversely reported from
the committee and killed. His resolution
authorizing the governor to see that the
attorney general prosecutes all corpora
lions who own stock in other companies
IN violation of the constitution was also
killed on an adverse report.
The House committee on privileges ad
elections hit the populists a heavy blow
this morning by dismissing all but six
of the contested election cases. those dis
missed being from the counties of An
ping, Baldwin, Banks. Butts, Clay. FL
bert, Cobb, Clayton, Chattooga, Hart
Hancock, Heard, Henry, Jefferson, Lee
Paulding, Pierce, Quitman, Rockdale,
Talbot. Terrell. Troupe, Twiggs, Upson
and Walton; all of these contests, with
three exceptions, were filed by a popuIist
10 GUST democrat regularly elected. The
committees action shows that there were
no grounds for a contest. The contests
from Baldwin, Gwinnett and Jefferson
were made by democrats, but were not
sustained by the committee. The only
contests now on hand are from Fayette.
Gwinnett.
This afternoon the case of Blalock, dem.
who contests the seat OF Cook, pop, the
sitting member from Fayette was heard.
Tomorrow morning the case of Bird,
dem, against Sheer, pop, from Efingham,
will be heard.
Then will come the Pike county case.
where the throwing out of a number of
precincts changed the result from Hines
20 Atkinson in the gubernatorial cleo
ton.
In the Senate Mr.. Hardman, who CON
tested the seat of Senator johnson. the
populist member from the Thirty-third
district, to-day withdrew his contest
which leaves Senator johnson I'm undis-
puted possession of his seat
The Senate committee on elections this
afternoon heard testimony I'm the case Of
Mr. Whitley, who is asking the Senate
10 unscat Senator wilkins, pop. from the
Thirty-sXth district. The contest for
the seat of Senator Brand president pro
tom OF the Senate. will be heard next
Tuesday. by which time all the contests
viii probably bc disposed Of
Mr. Bush Of Mitchell introduced a bill
this morning which provides that no PEN
sion shall boz paid 10 any man with more