The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-15
HOPEFUL OF THEIR REPEAL.
COMMISSION BILLS AWAITING SEN
ATOR GEIGER's RETURN.

| Mayor MeldPim Thinks the Repeal
ing Measures Are Likely to BE
Passed-The State University Mat
ter One of the Most Important Now
Before the LegisIature-RemOV
of the Agricultural College VIII
De StrenuOusIy ODpOsed-Stiu at
Sea on the Convict Question.
Mayor p W. Meldrim arrived from At
lanta yesterday morning to spend the day
in the city. He was feeling somewhat ia
tigued after hard weeks work and was
suffering from a cold.
The mayor said he could not tell def
nitely when the bills for the repeal Of the
commissions would come up for action in
the Senate committee, the matter depend
ing on the return of Senator Geiger, who
is now in Bryan county on account of the
serious illness of his daughter. The sem
ator is expected to return to Atlanta this
week. however, and these bills will no
doubt, therefore, be brought up at an ear
ly date.
Il am quite hopeful of their passage by
the Senate" Mayor Meldrim said, though
it is a difficult matter to say anything
definite about them 1t will require
twenty-three votes in the Senate to pass
the bills and while we know that some of
the members of the Senate are with US,
there are stiu some who hesitate to ex-
press an opinion in advance of a hearing
in the matter. There are several, how
ever who have told me that if the facts
are as stated, they consider the position
taken by the representatives from Chat
men who have refused to commit them
selves to either side. AS / said it is i'm
possible to say anything definite, but I
have every reason to hope for the pas
sage Of the bills"
Speaking of other matters before the
legislature Mayor Meldrim said one of the
most important questions, and one in
which he is most interested, was that of
the state university. The question of re-
moving the Agricultural College from
Athens, as recommended in the Blalock
committees report, VIII come up as a spe-
cial order, probably Thursday. The mi
nority report makes a strong reply to the
position taken, and if it is forced, an in
teresting night is going to be the result.
This is a matter of the greatest con-
cern to every friend of the university and
every friend of higher education in the
state" Mayor Meldrim said. ITO remove
the Agricultural College from the univer-
sity simply means that the old institu-
ton would be Quilted, and rendered almost
useless. All who are interested in the ed
ucation of the sons of Georgia should get
together and protest against any sucn
action being taken. The farmers boy is
given every advantage at the university
and he Is taught there, too, the principles
of farming. He may not be put in field
and made to plow, but he gains there
knowledge under competent instructors
which is, we might say, indispensable to
him when he turns to his calling"
THE appropriation, Mayor Meldrm
said, does not provide that II shall be
used for the maintenance of a purely farm
school, The language of the appropriation
is that it shall be used for the teaching
of the sciences allied to agriculture Ahat
is exactly what the university Is doing with
1t. The new science hall at the university,
which is now nearing completion, Is for
this purpose. A school to teach the boys to
plow and hoe was hardly contemplated by
congress in making the appropriation.
They learn to do that on the farm. 1t
would be hard matter, l imagine, to get
the students at a college to do this sort of
work"
Mayor Meldrim said in answer to ques-
ton that he hardly thought the leglsla-
ture would replace the appropriation by
similar amount should IL withdraw the ag-
rcultural appropriation. Without the lat
ter the college finances would be seriously
crippled.
The convict question has been made the
special order in the House of Representa-
tives tomorrow. Mayor Meldrim says the
members stil appear to be at sea on the
subject and he has as yet heard no def
mite plans about it, He still thinks spe-
cial session of the general assembly is
liable to be necessary in order to dispose
of IT,
The bill providing for increasing the ju-
risdicton of the recorders court so as
to allow misdemeanor cases, in which in
dictment is not demanded to be disposed
of there, has been introduced in the House
and referred to the judiciary committee.
1t will probably be acted upon within
few days. Both Judge Norwood and the
city administration are Interested In this
measure. 1t will remove a good deal of
the criminal business from the city court
but will not affect the solicitor general. as
he will attend also to state cases which
are disposed of by the recorder in case
the measure becomes law, as it no doubt
will do.
MEI.DRIM ON Cn-EnTC AUION