The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-17
COLLEGE AND THE CONVICTS.
two BURNING SUBJECTS BEFORE
THE HOUSE AT ATLANTA.

One--The House Votes Down N
Proposition To Make IL IA Joint
Hearing of the Two HOuses-The
Small Progress Made.
Atlanta, Ga, Nov. 16.-The State Uni
versity continues TO be the burning Issue
in legislative halls. Tomorrow is the day
set for hearing from the trustees and from
to-day's Developments, 1t Is likely that
the event will cause complications between
the Senate and House that will lead to
troublesome breach between the two bod
les. Already the Senate is piqued because
of the Blalock committee, which was oom-
posed exclusively of members of the
House, the Senate being given no show
ing at all in the investigation of the de-
partments for which it was appointed. In
addition to this the Housc again gave Of
fense to the Senate yesterday in support
ing the Blalock committee in It's demand
that the university trustees be heard not
in joint session, but by the House In COM
mittee of the whole The Senate felt that
common courtesy should have caused the
House TO provide for a joint session when
the university trustees were 10 make the
defense for that institution.
Senator Battle called attention to the
way in which the Senate had been ignored
by the Blalock committee, and the House
in sustaining Its contention yesterday. This
morning he followed this up with reso-
luton providing for joint session of tho
two Houses for tomorrow morning to
hear from the trustees. He based his res
olution upon the governors message.
Probably foreseeing a breach between
the two Houses Senator Turner amended
by making the joint session tomorrow
night and the resolution passed In this
shape.
This, however, brought President Ber-
ner down from the stand with a motion
to reconsider for the purpose of passing
the original resolution for joint session
tomorrow morning.
A lively debate ensued, but finally the
motion to reconsider prevailed and then
the Battle resolution, as originally offer
ed, was passed and ordered Immediately
transmitted to the House. 1t will reach
that body the first thing In the morning.
Tonight 1t Is said that the House will de-
cline to agree to il, and insist upon its own
position providing only for a hearing
from the trustees In committee of the
whole without the Senate. This would be
q direct slap In the face to the Senate
and under the present strained relations
there would probably be open war.
1t is said that Mr.. Blalock will oppose
the joint session as per the Senate resolu-
ton, insisting that as the Blalock commit
tee, which made the charges against the
university, the Senate has nothing to do
with the matter until It reaches that body.
anN mil
tee is expected TO be made early In the
morning so as to get Il In in time to have
1t before the House when the university
trustees appear.
A meeting of the committee was held to-
night to get the report in shape. 1t will
severely criticise the management of the
university, and Mr.. Meldrim of Chatham
will make a minority report defending
the university.
The convict question came up in the
House this morning as a special order,
but small progress was made, the discus
sion being put off until tomorrow. The
university matter will interfere with 1t
then. and 1t will go over again.
A good deal has been said about Gov.
AtlSinson's position relative to the con-
Wet matter, and an effort is being made
to cause members to think he is trying
to dictate to them in the plan to be adopt
ed. This talk Is based upon the governor y
declaration that he would veto a bill re-
enacting the present lease. Those who
are at work on this line, doubtless for the
purpose of defeating the reforms sug-
gested by the governor and principal keep
er, and securing a re-enactment of the
present lease are trying to put the gov
ernor and legislature at loggerheads. To
day Gov. Atkinson, when asked for an in
terview on this phase of the convict sit
uation said that there was no friction be-
tween himself and the legislature When
he stated his intention to veto another
lease act, he said he simply desired
to deal frankly as one coordinate branch
of the government with another, both be-
ing equally interested in the solution of
the problem. He said he had pledged him.
self to this course to the people before
he was elected, and, therefore, felt Ia duty
and honor bound to remind the legisla~
ture of his pledge and probably thus pre-
vent complications that might otherwise
occur. He could not ignore his pledge to
the people, he said, and in making his
statement about a veto thought 1t was
but due in candor to the legislature, and
was never intended in the faintest to be
in the nature of a threat.
When the penitentlary bill came up this
morning two substitutes were offered One
of them is a straight lease bill, differing
only in detail from the present lease sys-
tenn except that 1t provides for the cleo
ton by the people Of the principal keeper
Of the penitentiary. This substitute came
from Mr.. Stone of Walton.
The other substitute is the Hall bill.
which reflects the sentiment of the pres
ent administration and looks toward
reformation of the lease system. 1t is the
original bill, Of which the committees
measure which bears Mr. Halls name is
a much battered likeness, or, rather, not
a likeness at all, since all Of its most radi-
cal features have been effaced.
The House went into a committee Of the
whole to consider the measure, which It
was proposed 10 take up section by Sec
tion, but It got no further than the first
section. Two amendments to this were
offered and then the two substitutes TO the
entire bill.
Upon motion of Mr.. Hall of Coweta the
House was instructed to have these two
measures printed for distribution among
the members.
This ended the preliminary skirmish and
the House took up the consideration Of
other matters. The fight seems likely to
continue for many days.
Among the great number Of new bills in
troduced was one by Mr.. West Of Lowndes.
providing for state uniformity in school
books, and for a book commission. The
bill Is in lire with the minority report of