The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-24
A UNIT AGAINST COMMISSIONS.
GALATIANS REPRESENTATIVES, TO
MAKE STRONG FIGHT.

They VIII BE on Hand at the OPEN
ing of the Northumberland
Geiger's support Looked FOr-Dr.
Duncan Suggests That the State
Retain Entire Control of Her Con-
victs, But That Their Labor he
Leased to Private Parties.
Chatham's representatives, Mayor p. w.
Meldrim, DIR. William Duncan and Hon. ].
J. McDonough. will leave for Atlanta
Tuesday night to be present at the open
ing of the session of the legislature We'd
nesday morning. Mayor AIeldrim may
possibly be detained by the litigation in
volving the right of council to try the fire
commissioners but the other two members
expect to be on hand at the opening SEES,
sion.
1t is hardly necessary to state that the
members from Chatham are a unit on To-
cal legislation, so far as the repeal of tho
city commissions is concerned. DIR. Dun
can doubtless expressed the views of his
brother members, as we'll as himself when
he said yesterday to a Morning News re-
porter that he was in favor of the repeat
of all the commissions.
Il am opposed to the commissions on
principle, not for personal or political rea.
sons, he said IT would be just as much
opposed to Liberal commission as I am
to Citizens commission. The the
ory is wrong. We do not
want commissions of any kind.
The removal of the departments from the
control of council is a mistake. If coun-
Gil desires to place these departments UNI
der the control of commissions it would be
done by city ordinance and the members
of the commissions appointed by the mayor
and aldermen and subject to their control,
as the sanitary commission is appointed.
s Let them be responsible to council. The
sanitary board cannot take action indie
pendent of council. 1t simply recommends
action to council and leaves that body to
enact the proposed legislation or not as 1t
sees fit"
DR.. Duncan said that he had no doubt
that the representatives from Chatham
would be successful In securing the repeal
of the commission laws. Senator Geiger,
he said, can no longer claim that he rep
resents the Views of the city adminstra-
ton in opposing their repeal, the present
administration being decidedly In favor of
doing away with the commissions. ITO
be consistent Senator Geiger must act
with us this time said DR.. Duncan.
The most important matter of general
interest to come before the legislature at
this session, DIR. Duncan said, is the dis
position of the state convicts at the expi-
ration of the present lease. He makes a
suggestion which is worthy the attention
of the legislature.
1.-THE solution of the question" said DR..
Duncan, lis simply to lease the labor of
the convicts, not the convicts themselves
as is now done, but their labor Let the
state guard clothe feed, care for and pun
ish the convlcts, retaining their entire
control in its hands. Let the state as
sumo the entire responsibility for them.
Their labor would be as desirable under
this system as ats present, and the con-
Victs would not be exposed to the horrors
of the present lease system. The boys
and women, l think, should be sent to
some centrally located pententiary, but
the men should be leased out for farm
and other work In the manner L have
stated. More than 80 per cent. of the GeOr-
gia convicts are negroes, while in the
north just the reverse is the case. The con-
ditions which apply to the northern con-
NlClS 40 not Apply 70 NHe COnNlCtS III GeOT-
gia. The conVictS in the northern states
may do well at manual labor in close
confinement, but the negro convicts can
only do rough work, and they need the
open air. 1t would not be profitable to
confne them in penitentiaries, nor would
it be to their advantages. By the state
retaining control of its convicts and leas-
ing their labor for a limited term of years
all the horrors of the present system
would be eliminated. Should anything go
wrong, the state officers could be held
responsible. The misdemeanor convicts
should remain I'm the counties to work on
roads and drainage. I am opposed, how
ever, to the appointment by the governor
al provided by the Hall bill of three COM
missioners, who shall control the convict
force. I do not believe in giving power
which can be used for political purposes
to one man. The three commissioners
should be elected by the legislature
DR.. Duncan does not think there will be
any serious attempt at anti-liquor legisla-
ton at the approaching session, except,
perhaps. in the way of higher license