The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-02
SENATE TRUSTS SUFFRAGE.
VOTES FOR ELECTION OF JUDGES
AND SOLICITORS.

The Hopkins Dill Passed by a Vote
of 30 to 12-Pnssage of the Measure
Preceded by a Long Dcbate-onIy
One More Vote Than the Necessary
TVvo-Thirds Secured-Thc Last of
the savannah Commission Bills
Given Its Death Blow.
Atlanta. Ca. Dec. 1-If the House is
as willing to give the dear people an
opportunity of passing upon The method
Of selecting the state Judiciary as the
Senate the question of elecung judicial
officers will be decided at the next general
election.
BY a very narrow majority the Senate
to-day passed the Hopkins bill proNid-
ing for an amendment to the constitution
taking the election of superior court
judges ana solicitors general away from
the general assembly. and placing the duty
I'm the hands Of the voters of the state
when the roll was called upon The pass
agv of the bill after a long debate to-day
"a lacked Just one vote Of the necessary
two-thirds. which is requisite in all pro-
posed constitutional amendments. Before
tbe result was announced. however one
of the senator's changed his vote ana the
massage of the bill was assured PreSl-
dent Berner also cast vote on the meas
IRE. putting himself on record as IN faVor
of it, The vote was 80 to L, two sena-
tors being absent.
The debate on the bill was one OF the
iiveUest in which the upper branch OF
the assembly has INDUCED this session
Several Of those who championed the
measure referred in terms of disgust to
tbe present system of election by the leg
islature. charaeterlzing it as the most fav-
orable to corruption that could be devised
They hooted at the suggestion that the
neople could inject any more, or as much
of the rottenness of politics into the cleo
ton of the judiciary as was practlced VITA
the LEGISLATURE. Some of the senators
went Sc far as to admit that they were
ashamed Of the records they had made
hut declared chat they could not help It
on account of The situation in which they
were placed.
Senator M. L. Everett was one Of those
who made strong speeches in favor of the
bill Among other things he said "Ihey
talk about political influence on the Ju
dietary IL they are to be elected. Great
Godl Where was there ever more trading
and promising than there has been in the
election of these officers by the legisla-
ture? ! speak whereof l know. l nave
been in it. and helped to do 1t. was
sent to the legislature fer a purpose, and
I discharged my duty. l had to fight the
devil with fire. They say by this method
Judges will have to get down into the
mire of politics. If ] belonged to an lntlu-
entail family in Fulton or Stewart ana
wanted to control a judge, where would l
sooner go for that purpose than to the
Georgia leglslature?"
In replying to Senator Everett and OPP
posing the passage of the bill, Senator
Brinsoa took him to task for saying things
rejecting upon the Senate. Although the
senator from the Seventh declared that
elections by the legislature were rotten,
Senator Crimson declared that he had
never cast rotten vote in his life and
hardly thought that Senator Everett had
done anything that he ought to feel
ashamed of either.
Senator Everett Interrupted with a
disclaimer. He said he was not
ashamed of his vote, but felt Inundated at
the circumstances which made him do GER
tain things.
The last of The Savannah commission
bills met its death in the Senate to-day.
1t was the bin repeating the commissioner
of public works. 1t was unfaVorably re-
ported by the committee like the other
four that were killed yesterday, and this
morning when It came before the Senate
st was summarily knocked out. This ends
the history of Savannahs local fight for
the present legislature.
The Senate killed Mr.. Kilpatricks bill
extending the power of the railroad COM
mission so that it can require railroads
TO furnish cars to other lines without dis
crimina ton, and to give through bills of
lading by routes desired by shippers.
The bill of Senator Gray raising the
rank of the adjutant general to that of
brigadier general passed by a vote of %
to /.
Mr.. Felders resolution rendering the
use of the capitol to the United Confeder-
ate Veterans was adopted. It provides
also for a committee of five representa-
tives and three senators to welcome the
veterans to the state.