The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-24
WORK FOR THE LEGISLATURE.
CALENDAR FOR THE COMING SEES
SION CROWDED.

IA FhNor-lhe schoot BOOK Oni~
formity Scheme to BE Considered.
Pope Browns College Plan win
Cause "a stir-BnIIOt Reform, Bet
terment of Banking Laws ana the
Anti BarrOOm Problems to Come
Up, Besides the InnumerabIe BIa-
lock Reforms.
Atlanta, Ga, Oct. 2s.-The annual session
of the general assembly will convene next
Wednesday and for fifty days the solons
will wrestle with the problems of state.
Some few of the members have already
put in their appearance about the hotels,
but the incoming tide will not reach the
food until Monday or Tuesday. There are
enough on hand, however, to start the
habitual talk that always accompanies a
meeting of the state legislature and to
provide the outline skeleton for the chief
work 10 be done. Before Christmas puts
an end to the deliberations, next Years
gubernatorial candidates will all be groom
ed, ready for the sweepstakes, and some
of the most important legislation
within the past decade viii have been en-
acted.
Although it is an off year in politics.
there never was more promise of a lively
time in the Georgia legislature, for the re-
cords of few sessions in the past show as
varied an assortment of vital issues as are
to be passed upon during the APP
preaching fifty days. The calender is so
crowded that it is hard to see how the
work already mapped out can be done be-
fore the law calls time on the celebrating
statesmen. The overshadowing issue is, Of
course, the convict problem, and this leg
islature win have to provide for some dis
position of the $3.50 felons who viii be re-
turned to the state, unless it is to be left
off until the eleventh hour.
The labors of the Joint penitentIary COM
mittee and it's subcommittee are fresh In
the public mind. and 1t is seen that "a
sentiment more or less definite has crys-
talized around the suggestions of Prlnci-
pal Keeper Turner and Gov. Atkinson, but
the details of the plan are not agreed on,
and the sub committee is anything but
unanimous on its report The bill which
they drew will be submitted to the general
joint committee on Monday and poss-
bly, emerge in some shape by the open
ing of the session, but IL Is more likely
that the committee win take more time
to consider the measure before launching
it on the sea of discussion that is sure to
follow in the House. 1t Is extremely
doubtful whether big committee of oven
100 members will be able to present
report with anything like unanimity on
a subject upon WHICH opinions are so d.
verse. Up to. date the sentiment may be
described as favorable to the principal
keepers plan, or something better. "
something better can be found, but no
one has been able to present a practical
plan which meets with as much favor as
that outlined by Judge Turner and In
dorsed with some modifying suggestions
by the governor While the penitentiary
committees were doing their work 1t be-
came apparent that some strong inhu-
ences were at work to prevent the much
needed reform In the penitentiary system
and in favor of another lease. There are
those who want a perpetuation Of the
same system that has disgraced the state
for twenty years, ana 1t may be regarded
as certain that the lobby which
just showed its head in the
general and subcommittee meetings.
will appear on the scene with war
paint and feathers IL the slightest encour-
agement Is given 1t by wranglng over de-
to eDgraft personal hobbies into the new
plan regardless of ultimate consequences.
The emphatic declaration of Gov. Atkln-
son, that he would veto a lease act similar
to the present one, gave the lobby black
eye during the committee sessions, but
they have not abandoned the fight. Gov.
Atkinsons term expires before another
legislature is chosen, and It might happen
that the coming session cannot solve the
problem. If such a result could be achiev-
ed BY encouraging dlscord, the state would
have close call to escape another lease.
The school book commission will sub
init a report which is likely to set at rest
the agitation for state uniformity. They
will present an array Of facts 50 over
whelming as almost to make discussion
hopeless. The effort to curtail the school
appropriation, which was increased from
$600,O 900 to $l000,O00- al the last session, is
not likely to succeed, but a qualifying
clause, requiring any county receiving IT
TO raise some stated amount for schools by
home taxation, may be adopted. The SEN
tlment is growing that the counties ought
to do more for themselves.
The question raised by Hon. Pope
Brown, chairman of the house committee
and president Of the state agricultural So
ciety looking to the diversion of the agri-
cultural and mechanical college fund from
the state university TO a distinct and sep
arate agricultural college, Will
doubtless cause a stir. Mr.. Browns
prominence as a prospective candidate for
governor will add the weight of political
forces to the contest on both sides and
will doubtless Intensity the feeling which
has been aroused on the subject
Reform in banking laws Is another i'm
portant subject that will come before the
legislature. This matter has attracted at
tention, especially during the past year
by grave abuses of confidence in few in
stances and the state treasurer and bank
examiner have found II necessary to take
q firm stand on the subject
The question of ballot reform, which has
claimed some attention from past legisla-
lures may come up at this session again
On this subject, it is understood that the
governor will have something interesting
TO say I'm his message. The question in the
shape which 1t Is likely to come up, will
prove a live political issue, and may have
personal bearings calculated to provoke
spirited and acrimonious debate.
There is an anti-barroom bill pending
and the proposition TO elect judges and
solicitors by the people will also have an
other trial.
In addition to all these great questions
TO say nothing of the multitude OF reforms
10 be pressed by the Bialock committee