The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-05
SKIN GAME ON THE STATE.
LAWMAKERS SHOW Up FOR THEIR
PER DIEM AND SKIP.

Sneaker jenkins Orders the Door
keepers to Use Force to Prevent a
Quorum From Slipping AwRy-All
His Efforts Fail and the states
Money 10 BE Paid Ont for Services
Not Observation-Disclosures Hogan Of
fcrs a Substitute for the Convict
Bill.
Atlanta, Ga, Dec. 4-To-day's session of
the House was a repetition of the usual
Saturday scramble for a quorum except
that il was made a bit more lively by
Speaker Jenkins, who ordered the doors
locked and told the doorkeeper to use
force to prevent members from gong out
The speaker was rather positive on the
subject. The conduct of the members eX-
asperated him, exceedingly, and he was
ready to take almost any action to force
the House to a realization of its duty, but
his endeavor was all in vain.
In spite of the orders to the doorkeepers
TO use force in preventing members from
leaving the hall, enough of them slipped
out to rob the House of a quorum and
nothing could be done. For all the good
that Saturday sessions have yet done they
might as well be prohibited by law and
the state saved the per diem, or like the
Senate the House might habitually ad-
journ over to Monday on Friday and
make no pretense of doing business on
Saturdays.
There was a bare quorum present when
the roll was called, but it soon began to
dwindle away, members having gone to
the capitol to answer their names for the
sole purpose of collecting their per diem,
intending to leave again Immediately.
When he saw the rapidly increasing num-
Der of empty seats before him Speaker
Jenkins made a prompt stand to prevent
the depletion. Mr.. DooTkeeper," he said
rapping the House to order, Il wish you
would go out into the highways and
hedges and bring enough members into
this banquet hall to assist in the public
feast"
The apt paraphrase sounded like the
speaker was in fine humor but he was not
In as happy a state of mind as his words
Indicated, for he followed them up with
strict orders for the arrest of all mem
bers who could be found outside the hall.
He ordered the roll called to note the alb
eentees, and in the shaking up enough
members were rushed in to make the quo
rum.
The bill had hardly been completed,
however before members began to slip
away again. Speaker jenkins then gave
his order for the dOorkeepers TO use force
to prevent the exodus, but it came too
late to be effective, for the quorum had
already vanished and an adjournment was
made necessary in consequence.
Mr. Knowles moved to note on the Jour
nal the names of those who left after the
call, as a word of reproof to them but
the motion could not be put. The men,
Der from Fulton will renew 1t Monday,
however and then the delinquents will
probably be reprimanded
The sergeant-at-arms made repeated eff
forts to get absentees. pursuing one refu-
gee several blocks down Hunter street
only TO lose him as he made for the depot.
An order of business was fixed by the
House this morning before the quorum
slipped a trolley. BY this order bills are
TO be taken up in such order as will give
the House chance to get at the more i'm
portant ones without unnecessary loss of
tire.
An effort was made by Mr. Fogarty of
Richmond to amend the order so that it's
application would have prevented the read
ing of the Senate bill to elect judges and
solicitors by the people. but it failed and
termined opposition, and the chances are
against the House passing it,
Mr.. Hogan of Lincoln, the popullst lead
er, offered a substitute for the commit
tees convict bill to-day 1t embodies the
Island plan, or the working of the long
term convicts on a state farm. He does
not name Sapelo, but provides for the
purchase of some island on the Georgia
coast or other lands Mr.. Hogans bill
calls Tor the appointment of a principal
and assistant keeper, and a commission
to put into effect the provisions of the
measure. After having established the
system the commission would be abolished
and the keepers would take charge. The
three members of the commission are to
be appointed by the governor The COM
mission is to be clothed with the privi-
lege of buying an island or other lands
as already described. Here the long term
convicts would be placed and worked in
agricultural pursuits. Convicts serving a
sentence of ten years or less would be
worked on the public roads or other public
works in the judicial circuit where they
are convicted. The counties and even cir
cults, when there is no need of such la
Dor, are given the privilege of transfer
ring them to another circuit The wo-
men, juvenile and infirm convicts would
be placed on the states land near Mil
ledgeville. He would give absolute con-
troll to the counties of all misdemeanor
convicts. He thinks the next legislature
should make the appropriation as it would
be better able to determine what the ex-
penses were, and his bill asks for only $780,
V0 to put IN operation the system advo-
Gated.
Mayor Meldrim has the idea that Geor-
gia should have Chattanooga, and with 1t
large slice Of Tennessee territory. He
has offered a bill to authorize and direct
Mr. w. A. Wimbish, special attorney for
the states railroad, to examine and con-
slider all information touching the ques-
ton of the true northern boundary of
Georgia. This is the second bin that has
been offered with view to take a slice of
land from Tennessee and North Carolina