The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-23
CAN'T AGREE ON C0NVICTS.
THE PROBLEM AGAIN A TOPIC IN
THE HOUSE.

gested-The House PASSES the Cal
vim Bill Relating to AduIternted
Flour.
Atlanta. Ga. Nov. 2.-The convict
problem was before the House again to
day but nothing was accomplished. sew
eral speeches were made upon II, or rath-
er. speeches were made at it, for no one
seems to have any very well defined ideas
about the matter.
To clarity the situation, Mr. Duncan of
Houston undertook to have all the bills
bearing upon the subject now before the
House committed to the penitentiary com
nittee. with specific instructions to re-
mort back in five days with new bill,
embodying new features. In this connec-
ton he suggested the following: A lease
of all felony convicts by the governor for
a term of years not exceeding twenty, and
not less sthan five, in squads of not more
than 200, nor less than fifty, the lessees
TO furnish food, clothing and shelter; the
appointment by the governor of princl-
pal keeper and an assistant keeper and
of the physicians connected with the pen
itentiary SYSTEM for the appointment By
the principal keeper Of officers al every
camp to administer punishment to the
convicts; for the inspection of misdemean-
or convicts by the state through officers
appointed by the principal keeper and for
the setting aside of a certain amount to
be derived from the leases with which
the governor, principal keeper and as
sistant keeper, acting as a commission,
shall purchase a farm for the women, de-
crepit and child convicts under the age
of 16 years
Mr. Duncan made a very strong argu-
ment in support of his resolution, which
was opposed by Mr.. Hall of Coweta. When
put to a vote the resolution was lost.
The slow progress made with the convict
question, and the consequent talk of an ex-
ira session to deal with it, has caused
some people who are supposed to reflect
the views of Gov. Atkinson TO predict that
he would refuse to issue the proclamation
for the extra session if the present session
should expire before a plan is determined
on 1t is said that the governor believes
the legislature has ample time to settle
the question during the regular session,
and if they do not do It, he would construe
such action as an indication that the pres
ent legislators intend to abandon the task.
>
session before the actual expiration of the
lease contract. and it would be possible
for that body to dispose of the matter but
the short time between the assembling of
the legislature and the expiration of the
lease would put the state at a very great
disadvantage, in fact, almost at the mercy
of intending lessees, as new lease would
be the only way out of the trouble for the
state then.
After the defeat of Mr.. Duncan's resolu-
ton this morning the House went into
committee of the whole and took up the
convict bill, framed by the committee. The
discussion began at the first section, and
1t was again under fire.
Mr. Stone of Walton offered to amend
this section, which provides for the APP
pointment of a prison commission so as to
provide for the election of the principal
keeper of the penitentiary by the people
instead of by a commission. This brought
on a prolonged discussion, Mr.. Freeman
of Coweta making an extended and forci-
Bile argument against the proposed amend
ment.
Mr.. Hall of Coweta also opposed the
amendment. He said that it was not in
accord with the rest of the bill
Mr. Stone spoke at length in advocacy
of the amendment. No vote was reached,
however, the time of adjournment having
arrived before the conclusion of Mr..
Upon motion of Mr.. Fogarty, of Rich
mond, the bill offered by Mr.. Hall of Cow
eta and that introduced by Mr.. Stone were
given second reading, in order to sim
pity the discussion of the question.
The House passed the Calvin bill requir
ing adulterated flour TO be branded by the
sellers. The bill requires the words
MIXED Flour to be branded or marked
on each package containing a blending of
wheat flour and corn meal, so as to show
what per cent. of the contents is made
from the food product of wheat and from
the food product of grain, other than
wheat. The purpose of the bill is to put
purchasers on notice as to what they are
buying, whether straight flour or mixed
flour. The bill, as passed by the House,
will become operative March l, 1898 This
bill does not deal with flour adulterated by
the use of tale and other minerals.
number of other bills, most OF them
local, were passed by the House
On Wednesday, the Henderson bill, pro-
viding for the election of judges and solic-
itors by the people will come up on the
special order.
Tomorrow the House will begin TO hold
two sessions daily.
The session of the Senate to-day was de-
voted to the passage of local bills. and
first and second reading of House bills
The Senate has its work well in hand. and
conscious of this fact the upper house is
talking of an adjournment for three DAYS
on Wednesday, Thursday being Thanks
giving day.
One of the important local bills introduce
ed in the Senate to-day was by Mr.. Bla-
lock, and it proposes to put the officials of
Fulton county on salaries instead of fees
The bill submits the question to a vote of
the people before it is to become "a law if
passed by the legislature. Here are the
salaries named: Ordinary, s., 600; clerk of
the superior court, $780, sheriff, $1,000;
tax collector. $1,000; tax receiver, $1,000;
coroner, $500; solicitors of the city courts.
5000; solicitor general of the superior
court, $1,000; official stenographer, 81. 200
Hon. Nat Harris, president of the board
of trustees; Lyman Hall, president of the
archaeological school, and State School
Commissioner Glenn, appeared before the
House committee on education this after
noon, advocating the bill now before the
House, making an appropria ton of $4,000
to establish a textile department to train
young men for the construction and opera
ton of factories. 1--WE export $250OO0 600 of
raw cotton every year" said President
Harris to the committee, land it is coming
back to us in manufactured form at four
20 six times the price Germany took 100000
bales Of our cotton In 1882, 100000 in 1898.