The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1894-09-17
GIVES GREAT POWER.
WHATTHE ADOPTION ONE OF THE
AMENDMENTS WOULD MEAN.
Governor Northen Throws Light on Mat
ter THAT Is of Interest to the People.
Other Political N ews of the State.

election, vote upon three proposed aiiienu-
ments to the constitution.
One of these amendments provinces ioi
an increase of the number OF Justices VI
the supreme court, making the court con-
sist of one chief justice and four assocl".e
justices-five in all-inStead OF thIee do ~
Is now constituted.
Another amends the section OF the con-
stitution providing for pensions, SO as "
give to the legislature the power TO pro-
vide pensions for those old soldIerS "no'
through old age and poverty, physical as
ability and poverty, or blindness anu poE-
erty, may need help.
The third amendment provides that aI'ei
its passage the sessions of the legislature
shall be held in July instead of October.
Arguments for and Against the h'F"t
Two.
The reasons for and against two OF these
amendments have been presented IN the
public print.
The arguments for the increase OF the
number of judges on the supreme coui'
bench has been given very fairly. Inc
only arellment that is made against 1t at
all is that on account of the fact that
several gentlemen have announced their
candidacy for the position, some people
think that il is an effort to create Offices
for some particular men. There is, Oh course
nothing in this, and the sentiment of those
mousiy in favor of the increase on the
ground that it is necessary for the good of
the public service.
The amendment referring to the increase
of the pension list, simply gives to the leg
islatnre the power in its Judgment to eX-
tend the benefit of the act to certain needy
old soldiers. The amount of this is in the
discretion of the legislature.
As 90 Summer Sessions.
The amendment providing for July ses-
sions has been discussed less than either of
the other two. 1t, however, means more
than appears on the surface.
II Will be remembered that during the
last legislature a bill was passed specificaI-
ly providing for summer sessions. This
was vetoed by Governor Northen as being
contrary to the letter and spirit of the
constitution Subsequently, by two-thirds
vote of both houses, it was decided to sub
NIT to the people this amendment. This
action, it seems, was rather hastily tal<en
and from a study of the situation, it looks
as if the members of the legislature bad
not taken pains to see what would be the
result of the adoption of this proposed
amendment.
The Governor Explains It.
81 do not hesitate to say said Governor
Northen Thursday, that l shalt vote
against that amendment. I believe that if
it is adopted the people will be extending
to the newly elected legislature an amount
of power which they have no idea of
tending to it, You will remember that l
vetoed a bill on the question of the summer
session and that this came to me after
wards. | was urged by some to veto this
also, but for two reasons I did not do SO.
[ favored summer sessions, and having
just vetoed one BILL I determined to let the
people pass on this other one. Then, again,
the bill had been passed by more than
two-thirds vote of both houses and il would
have been useless for me to have vetoed it,
because it would have been passed over my
veto by the same vote.
MY reasons for opposing the present
amendment viii be apparent when ! show
you what the effect of Toe adoption of that
amendment would be. Understand me, how
ever, that for almost every reason / think
summer sessions preferable to winter ses-
sons and if the change can be brought
about without running counter to the obJec-
tons which l mention l shall gladly sup
port such a change.
''In the first place, there must necessarily
be session of the newly elected legislature
in October Of the present year. That is
necessary to arrange for the finances of the
state. Then, under the amendment the same
legislature win meet in July. 1895, and in
July, 1896. That would mean three sessions
of the legislature which is to be chosen in
October, and each session costs in round
numbers $4,000. The last session cost $67,-
239 Sc.
Wholesale Election Of Judges and
Solicitors.
''Now. as to the election Of judges end
solicitors The time Of one-haf Of these
EXPIRES on January 1. 1925 and the other
half on January /. 1897. But the legislature
which is elected in october, 1885, VIII noC
convene until July, 1857. The constitution
provides that the judges and solicitors SHAH
be elected by the legislature in session mn
mediately preceding the expiration oil their
terms. That will, you see, be this next leg
isiature, and to it will be given the election
of every judicial officer in Georgia, with
the single exception Of the chief justice
of the supreme court.
And GordOn'S Successor, Also.
ITO the legislature which is soon to be
elected falls the lot of choosing a senator
for the short term which Senator Naish
is now holding by appointment, and one for
q fun term of six years. Under the present
lew a successor TO Senator Gordon Will be
chosen by the legislature elected in October.
1886 but if this proposed change Is made
that Legislature would not take us seat
until July, 1897. Now, the term OF Senator
Gordon expires March 4. 1884, and, therefore,
the legislature which Will sit in July, 1886,
if the amendment is adopted, viii! choose ms
successor. That is the legislature to Which
is given the power of choosing the ether
senator-the legislature elected in October,
1o94.
Now Of course I have no objection TO
the present legislature choosing both az the
full term senators, but do not believe that
the people of Georgia mean to give to any
one legislature so great power as would
belong to this one if this amendment IS
adopted. I did not veto the bill providing
for the submission of this amendment for
the reasons have given, but reserved the
right to vote as l choose, and L certainly
shall vote against it,"
LARGE CROWD AT DALTON.
Judge Maddox and Secretary smith