The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-11-15
FLOOD OF IMPORTANT BILLS.
ONE PROPOSES TO CHANGE THE
TIME OF THE SESSION.

II Is BASED on the Belief That SUM
mcr sittings of the Legislature
would Be More Convenient for the
Farmer Mcmbers--A Dill Prohibit
ing the Use of Free Passes by Pub
lie Omcers.
Atlanta, Ga. Nov. IA bill has been
prepared by Mr.. Johnson Of Taliaferro
county to effect an important change in
the constitution of the state. Two years
ago a similar bill was before the general
assembly. but somewhere in the archives
of the committee it got lost and did not
see daylight during that session again. Mr..
Johnson's bill will provide for the change
of time for holding sessions Of the general
assembly from the winter TO the summer
months and viii abolish the per diem pay
nent to members and fix an annual salary
of $500 for each member. Mr.. Johnson
claims in support of the bill that the limit
ing Of sessions to fifty days has bad eff
feet as the day for adjournment approach
es. Bills in the rush do not receive, he
claims, the careful attention that should
be given them and many of real value to
the state are killed 10 make room for more
pressing ones. because some leader on the
floor secures little more attention for To-
cal bills. 1t is also claimed that the summer
months are in every respect more cOnven-
tent to members for holding sessions. To
begin in July and if necessary continue
through August would meet the approval
OF the farmer members because at that
season of the year their attention is less
needed at home than at any other period
of the year.
Senator Carter, populist. to-day intro
duced a bill to prohibit public officers
from accepting passes or franks and to
prohibit railroad, express, telegraph and
telephone companies from issuing free
tickets passes, franks or transportation
to such officers. The offense is made
nisdemeanor both to the receipt and the
party issuing the free pass or frank. In
case of the latter the penalty is not less
than $500 nor over 81, 600, but the man who
accepts the pass is in the hands of the
Judge who has the discretion usually
left with the court in mlsdemeanor cases.
He may be fined from 81 10 $1,000. or con-
fined in the chain-gang one day or one
year. or the judge may inhict both nne
and Imprisonment within those limits.
To make prosecution effective, the bill
provides that the governor shall remove
any prosecuting officer who fails to faith
fully prosecute such cases when the Of
tense is brought to his attention by any
citizen of the state. The bill is In pur-
suance of the pledge of the populist plat
form to enact a law against free passes.
In the House to-day Mr.. Craig of Bibb
introduced a bill providing that no child
under 13 years old shall be employed in
any factory laundry or workshop of any
kind in the state, and that where chill
dren are employed every factory shall
keep a record in which the names, ages
and places of residence of all between
the ages of lS and l6 shall be kept.
The bill to put the Georgia drummer on
an equal footing with drummers from
other states was taken up for passage,
but owing to the small attendance it was
feared that the bill could not receive the
constitutional majority so it was made
the special order for next Wednesday. The
bill was introduced by Mr.. Fogarty of
Richmond, and provides that all cities
and Incorporated towns shall be prohibit
ed from levying a tax on travelling sales
men taking orders for goods. when the
goods are not delivered at the time the
order is taken. Mr. Fogarty explained
that the bill was one TO put the Georgia
drummer on an equal footing with the
drummers from Alabama, Tennessee,
New York and other states Under de-
cisons from the supreme court of the
United States and the supreme court of
Georgia these cities and towns could not
tax drummers from other states, but they
could tax Georgia drummers.
Dr. Taylor of Meriwether introduced a
bill which provides that when anyone is
TO be tried for a felony and expert medical
testimony is needed the presiding judge
shall appoint medical experts to represent
the state as well as the defendant and
the court shall fix reasonable fees to be
paid these experts.
Dr. Taylor also introduced a bill appro-
priating S32 600 for Improvement at the
Georgia school for the deaf.
If there is no senatorial nomination by
the caucus Monday, ex-Chief Justice Lo-
gan E. Bleckley will deliver an address
Monday night before the legislature in his
interest as a candidate. A resolution TO
this effect was offered by ex-Gov. Boynton
of Spalding this morning and passed.
Mr. Bate offered a resolution rendering
the use of the House Monday night to Cal
Win c. Ross for a political speech. No
one knew who Mr.. Ross was and the res
olution was under discussion or explana-
ton when the Senate appeared and the
Joint session was called to order to take
the customary sham ballot for United
States senator.