The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-11-19
SLAP AIMED AT THE SOUTHERN
BRANCH INTRODUCES AN ANTI
RAILROAD RESOLUTION.

1t Orders the Governor to Have the
Attorney General Institute Pro-
ceedings when the Law Against
Combinations Is ViOIatcd-A Bill
Prohibiting Local Taxation or
Travelling SaIesmen-The Convict
Question Again Up in the senate.
Atlanta, Ga, Nov. 1S.-Mr. Branch of
Columbia the populist leader of the
House. struck the first blow at the South
ern Railway Company to-day, by the in
| PRODUCTION Of the following resolution:
whereas article 4. section ?, paragraph
4, of the constitution Of Georgia, declares
that the general assembly of this state
shall have no power to authorize any cor
poratlon to buy shares or stock in any
other corporation of this state, or else
where, or to make any contract or agree
ment whatever with any such corporation
which may have the effect. or be intended
to have the effect, to defeat or lessen com
petition in their respective business, or to
encourage monopoly, and all such con-
tracts and agreements shall be Illegal and
void.
Resolved, when the governor is in
formed that any corporation is violating
the above clause in the constitution, he
shall cause the attorney general to insti-
tute proceedings against any corporation
in any county where said corporation is
located"
This resolution, the author stated, is in
tended to give the governor statutory au-
thority to inforce the constitution. 1t is
similar to a resolution introduced by Mr..
Branch three years ago, and passed by
the House, by Gov. Atkinson's vote in
breaking a tie, though killed in the SEN
ate. The governor has never considered
that he had authority to take action in en-
forcing this provision of the constitution
even if it should appear to be violated,
because of the absence on any statute car
rying it into effect. The fact that he as
speaker of the House cast the deciding
vote upon such a resolution three years
ago may possibly be taken to indicate his
policy IL the present resolution should be
passed.
The bill in the interest of travelling sales
men introduced by Mr.. F'ogarty of Rich
mond, was taken up as a special order this
morning, and passed by a constitutional
majority Under the law. as it exists at
present, no tax can be levied by any town
or city in the state on any commercial
traveller coming from any other state as
this decision has been handed down by
both the state and the United States su-
posing this tax on drummers from the
state of Georgia. Mr.. Fogarty's bill makes
it unlawful for any town or city to levy
a tax on a Georgia drummer, thus putting
him on an equal footing with drummers
from other states.
"A resolution by Mr.. Hitch Of Brooks
to appropriate money to pay the per diem
and clerk hire of the pardon commission
created by the last legislature was pass
ed, as was a resolution by Mr.. Thomas
of Clark to turn over to the normal col
lege at Athens a balance of $3.50 of the
appropriation to the state university last
year to pay for furniture.
Among the new bills of importance were
the following:
BY Mr.. Bond of Madison-To require
assignees of contracts between landlords
and tenants to be recorded.
BY Mr.. Redding of Pike--To provide for
paying land owners for closing public
roads running through their property.
By Mr.. Boynton of Calhoun-To estab-
lish dispensary for the sale of liquors
in the town of Fort Gaines
BY Senator Hopkins-To amend the
charter of Quitman so as to authorize the
establishment of dispensary.
BY Senator Strather-iTo authorize the
governor to appoint a school book board
| and provide pay for it, the board to ad-
| Vertise for, select and buy copyrights for
school books, the governor to have the
DOCKS puDnshed and the state school
| commissioner to distribute them.
The Senate to-day reconsidered its ac-
| ton of yesterday in killing the resolution
| by Senator Fitzpatrick, providing for
| joint committee to sit in vacation and in
| Vestigate the convict question. Discussion
| OF the motion to reconsider took up the
| entire session, nearly every one in the
| House eVincing desire to say something
| on the subject of giving the committee
| the right to visit prisons and reformato-
| ries in other states. The resolution was
recommitted to the penitentiary commit
| tee and later on another effort will be
| made to pass 1t in shape to give the COM
| mittee this Inherent power
| The Senate to-day passed the joint res
olution which went through the House
| several days ago, empowering the COVER
| nor to make a temporary loan for the
! purpose of paying the common school
| teachers their salaries for the quarter
| ending oct. /. Gov. Atkinson will now
| proceed to get the money without delay.
and the teachers may expect their money
by next week The state is six weeks be-
hind with them and the arrangement to
| pay them off win be received with much
| iOy among them.