The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-24
REFORM BILLS ON THE ROAD.
SPEAKER LITTLE AND CHAIRMAN
FREEMAN PREPARING MEASURES.

EHEEMAN PREPARING MEASA MS
Clouds of Few Days Ago Have
Cleared Away and Every body Is
Working for Reform Bill-Speak-
err LittIe's Bill a VOluminOus One.
Mr.. swift's Bill Against the Uni
versity in Progress mt Yesterdays
Adjourn and Tree Com
mission Bill.
Atlanta. Ga. Nov. 2s.-The House of
Representatives devoted itself to-day to
the consideration Of but two measures.
The first was the Ellis resolution, provid-
ing for tax commission TO sit in vaca-
ton and report the next session and the
other was the university funding act.
The Ellis resolution came up immediate
ly after the reading of the Journal as
special order. After some ltue discussion,
In which it was amended so as TO con
stitute the commission solely from the
members of the House and Senate with
out any Of the state house officers, and
the addition of a provision that il shall
In no way interfere with the passage or
consideration of any tax reform measure
proposed at this session, it was finally re-
ferred to the committee on ways and
means. This disposition means that the
tax commission is to be side-tracked for
the present in favor of some reform meas
ure TO be presented for adoption at the
present session, instead of waiting until
next year.
Speaker Little has a reform bill nearly
ready for introduction, and Chairman
Freeman of the ways and means commit
tee will present another within The next
few days.
The little scrap over the supposed agree
ment to delay action until next session,
several days ago, has had the effect of
clearing the beclouded atmosphere some
what and now all sides are working to
get something that looks like reform on
the calendar.
Speaker Little's bill will be a voumI-
nous one, containing, he announces to-
day, about 200 typewriter pages. 1t will
be a regular tax code, on the line with
the work suggested by Mr. Ellis when he
introduced his resolution for the tax com
mission.
Following the disposition of the Ellis res
olution, the Swift bill, to repeal the fund
ing act by which the State University
bonds while the state pays about half that
rate In the market, came UP. 1t was still
in progress when Announcement was taken,
and will come up again tomorrow If
Thanksgiving leaves a quorum in the
House to do business. Speeches were
made in favor of the bill by Mr.. Swift,
Mr. Bell of Forsyth and Mr.. Blalock. The
champions Of the unworthy were Mr..
Denny of Floyd, Mr. Slaton of Fulton and
Mr.. Hardwick Of Washington. All made
able arguments in favor of their respect
i've sides, and a large crowd in the gallery
was entertained by the debate.
The Senate to-day killed the Nesbitt bill
which sought to give the agricultural de-
partment all the fees from the inspection
of oils and fertilizers instead of the regu- !
lar appropriation. Mr.. Grovenstein made
a speech against the bill, opposing the
change in the manner of supporting the
department because he said the appropri-
atoms should be made direct.
Mr. Underwood introduced a bill in the
Senate to cut the pay of the clerk of the
Supreme Court from $1,000 20 $500
Mr. McDonough returned to his seat in
the House this morning Among the first
things done by the Savannah members
was to take up and discuss the Park and
Tree Commission bill, now pending in the
House. At present the delegation is di-
vded as to the advisability Of abolishmg
this commission, Messrs. McDonough and
Mcmillan being in favor of the bill and
Mr.. LaRoche opposed TO it. This is the
first thing upon which the delegation has
differed and their difference now has not
in the least disturbed the harmonious re-
lations that exist between them. AS a
result of the conference upon the bill this
morning, il was agreed that when the bill
comes up for passage, 1t shall be referred
back 10 the judiciary committee again, to
remain there until some agreement can be
arrived at for its future disposition.