The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-11-08
ELECTIONS AND CONVICTS.
The Leading Issues With This General
Assembly.


An Elections Bill Embracing the Aus
tralian Ballot System Presented in
the House-A Dispensary Liquor Bill
That Isn't Like South Cardinals Law.
Mr.. Gray of Houston Wants TO Stop
Melon Trains on sundays-The Senate
Orders a General Registration Bill
Prepared.
Atlanta, Ga, Nov 7.-Elections and the
disposition of the states convicts are the
two questions that will be the leading is
sues with the legislature. There is an I'M
mistakable demand by the people for both
a change from the present manner of dis
posing of convicts and the present meth
DDS of conducting elections. Already sew
eral bills have been introduced in the leg
islature on both of these subjects looking
toward reform. Committees have also
been appointed to investigate the situa-
ton and suggest remedies. The legisla-
lure itself appears to be united in the de-
sire for a change, and the prospects are
that there will be a genral shaking up of
the election laws and the law governing
tho states convicts.
To-day Mr.. McMichael of Muscogee
county introduced a bill which
provides for radical change
in the election laws. Mr.. Nc
Michael went into the subject thoroughly
corresponding with all the various states
having election laws similar to that which
he contemplates for Georgia in his BILL
before he completed it. The bill provides
for regulations on the order of the Aus
tralian ballot, the voter being required to
single out the names on the ticket for
which he desires to vote in the presence OF
the managers and no one else. TIL COVER
nor is invested with duty of appointing
superintendent in each county for all cleo
tons national state, county or municipal.
At the last session of the legislature a
bill which greatly modified the libel laws
of the state, was passed by both houses.
in the Senate, however, another bill, which
had been introduced, was enSrossed in
stead of the bill that had really passed.
On this account Gov. Northen did not APP
prove the bill and it did not become a law,
although but for the clerical mistake, it
would have done so. To-day Mr.. Boifeuillet
of Bibb introduced a bill which has
the same provisions as the unlucky bill of
last season. If precedent has any weight
# will have smooth sailing this time.
If the legislature passes the bill intro
duced to-day by Mr.. Baker of Mitchell,
who is chairman of the committee on
temperance, Georgia will likely have a re-
petition of some of the scenes in South
Carolina since the operation of the dispen-
sary law although it could not be as bad
here, because Georgia has no Ben Tillman
in the executive chair Mr.. Bakers bill
provides for the abolition of barrooms and
the prohibition of the manufacture and
Gale of all liquors except by dispensaries.
The law, however is not to apply to coun-
ties now governed by prohibtory laws.
These counties cannot even have a dispen-
sary under the Baker bill. 1t was referred
TO the temperance committee.
Mr.. Gray of CatoOsa has introduced a
bill for the appointment of memorial
committee by the governor. His idea is to
instruct such a committee, which is to
serve without compensation, with the
work OF preserving the identity of the his
toric battefelds in Georgia, to gather
data about them, have monuments and
do a number of other things to preserve
the memories of the lost cause.
Mr.. Wright of Floyd, who is himself
one of the young lawyers of the House
and evidently acts by the card. to-day pre-
scented a bill to establish examining boards
in each judicial circuit which shall meet
twice year, to pass upon the applications
on the aspiring disciples of Blackstone
before they shall be admitted to practice
in the state courts.
Several other important general bills
and a lot of local bills were introduced in
the House, among them were the follow
ing: By Mr.. Polhill of Bib, to prohibit
corporations not municipal, from refusing
TO accept bonds of employees from guaran-
tee companies. BY Mr.. Moore of Clayton
TO pay justice court jurors 81 per day. BY
Mr.. Gray of Houston, to prevent the run
ming of special freight trains loaded with
melons or fruit on Sunday. BY Mr. Allen
of Pickens, to elect poor commissioners by
direct vote of the people
The Senate to-day appointed commit
tees to act with a similar committee from
the House already appointed for the pur-
pose of consolidating the election laws,
TO prepare a general registration law
The senators on the former committee
are Messrs. Harris, Wade and Snead,
and on the latter Cummings, Bussey and
McGregor.
Senator Harris to-day introduced a bill
providing for divorces when either the
husband or wife has remained insane for
five years.
Senator Stone presented a bill to-day
which requires bank presidents to report
how many shares of stock in the bank
any defendant in any execution may own,
for the purpose Of submitting ii to a levy
Senator McGregor. pop, to-day offered
a resolution for the appointment of a
Joint committee on ballot reform. There
was considerable discussion over it, on the
points that such committee was not nee
essary as other committees that would
do the same work had already been ap.
pointed. Finally the resolution was ia.
hed
At y o'clock the House and Senate met
in joint session to receive the consoida.
tion of the vote cast yesteray for United
States senators. The consolidated vote
was as follows: For the short term
Walsh, Is; Hines, g. Buck, g. For the
long term: Bacon, 1872; Hines, 81; Buck, 8
Capt. Bradwell of Mcintosh county
who is an applicant for reappointment t.
the Office of state school commissioner
has presented to the governor indorse
ments from the county school commits
sioners of 12S counties, large number Of
the college men and city superintendent
nearly all the public school teachers il
the state and many educational institu
tons. Thirty of the democratic senator,
called to see the governor in a body II
behalf of Capt. Bradwell. and he hai
Endorsements from a majority of tn,
members of the House A large mum
Der of the leading politicians OF the stat,
have indorsed him also.