The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-28
THE GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
MANY TOPICS OF INTEREST THOR
OUGHLY DISCUSSED.

xict Question in All It's Bearings
Given Careful AttentiOn-Other
Ventures Rearing Upon State Mat
tiers.
state of Georgia Executive Office, Allan
70 Ca. Oct. q, 1S97.-Gentlemen of the
General Assembly: During the session up
On which you now enter matters of great
interest to the people of the state must be
considered and acted upon by you. 1t has
been many years since so many grave
questions demanded consideration by a
general assembly.
Before discussing some of these, I in
vite your attention to the reports of Hon.
w. J. Speer, treasurer; Hon. w. A.
Wright, controller general; Hon. R. 7.
Nesbit commissioner of agriculture; Hon.
]. S. Turner, principal keeper of the peni-
Tertiary; Hon. L. N. Trammen, T. c.
Crenshaw, and Allen Fort. railroad COM
rissioners; Hon. A. D. Gambler, Secretary
# State; Hon. G. R. Glenn, state school
commissioner; Hon. J. NJ. Kell, adjutant
general; Hon. Richard johnson, commits
sioner of pensions; Hon. j. M. Terrell,
attorney general, and of the various state
institutions required by law to make re-
ports all OF WnlCn Will De pflHieu ana ldiu
before each member.
To the recommendations in the reports
from the respective departments L call
your attention especially. They are made
bv men whose ability has been recognized
by the state and who, by reason of their
daily contact with them, understand the
questions of which they treat.
NORTHEASTERN RAILROAD.
On the 18th day of May 1896, after adj
49, i. IA -N.1 =, . 4arr
thorizlng a lease, the Northeastern rail-
road was leased TO e. A. Richards & Co,
at the sum of eighteen thousand six hun
dred dollars per annum, payable quarter
~, for a term of twenty years, from the
first day of June, 1896, and a bond taken
in conformity to law.
The rent was paid for two quarters.
When the rent for the third quarter fell
due on the first day of March, 1897, it was
not paid, and when the two months time,
in which they were permitted under the
law to pay this, had expired, the rent was
still unpaid.
BY virtue of authority vested in me, I
then seized the road and have since oper-
ated it for the state under the direct man.
agement of Hon. r. K. Reeves, who was
appointed by me state agent.
Under present conditions We can safely
rely upon 0he net earnings Of the road
earning a good income on the sum at
which it was purchased by the state, to
wit: one hundred thousand dollars, and it
win more than pay interest on the series
of bonds issued to retire the $2S7, 900 of
bonds on said road, upon which the state
of Georgia was endorser.
RAILROAD COMMISSION.
Your special attention is called to that
part of the report of the railroad commits
sioners in which legislation is recommend
ed to enlarge their powers, and to better
enable them to enforce their DEGREES.
These recommendations, briefly stated,
are:
Control of Issuance of stocks and bonds
of railroads.
Removal of all doubt of authority of the
commiss on to require the erection of de-
pots, and additional power to require the
construction of side-tracks.
Power to regulate the interchange of
freights and cars in order TO secure to
shippers the right to route their goods
and to prevent determinations.
Speedier methods of enforcing the or
ders of the commission to compel railroads
to Immediately accord to the public rights
which are due them.
You cannot be too careful in legislating
upon the subject of railroad control. wise
and rigid control of these properties is of
the utmost Importance to our people, and
is essential to the growth of our commerce
STREET RAILROADS.
1 advise that the authority of the rail-
road commission be so extended as to give
them power to regulate charges on street
railroads, and exercise such control over
them as may be needed to give good SER
vice to the public, and adjust disputes be-
tween them and the public when made by
any party interested, or by the authorities
{ the city in which such street railroad
tc ~ be operated. The sole power to de-
nrine those questions should not vest
t ne street railroad corporation. The
hority to pass upon them should be
Ted in some tribunal, and that tri-
stGnal should not be in the control of, CT
created by, those directly interested III
the questions to be submitted to it,
TELEPHONE SYSTEMS.
The railroad commission now has juris-
diction over railroad, telegraph and ex-
press companies.
The same reasons which induced the
state to give them authority over these,
demand that their power be so extended
as to bring under their control all tele-
phone companies.
The charges made by telephone com
panies should be fixed by the commits
sion. In my opinion, they are now so eX-
eessive in their charges as to demand the
interference of the state in behalf OF the
citizen.
Each of these companies are what are
AAASAANtSN'-N~f
should be controlled by the government.
EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS.
There has been a constant and marked
improvement in our common schools. The
steady and gradual increase in the appro-
prldtions for their maintenance has re-
suited in multiplying the number of per-
mahent schools, arousing greater interest
among the people in education, improving
The character of school buildings and in
credsing the efficiency of teachers.
n this campaign against ignorance our
columns should not retreat, but, move
steadily to the front until the enemy is
Nehquished, and the banner of light,
knowledge and virtue floats in triumph
over the field.
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA.
ne people of the state are to be con-
sIdlulated upon the ever-increasing pros
Peilty and usefulness of their university.
WIN the increased room and facilities fur
'lSH7d by your late appropriation there
w. ana the purchase of the new farm, IL
a en- Of permanency of its income, its
''G sreater usefulness cannot be doubted.
Cn me 9TH of October last 267 students
i'au oeen registered. OF them 65 per cent.
M MEMBERS Of various churches, to wit:
i hundred Methodists, eighty-one Bap-