The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-26
OLD-TIME SCENES OF TURMOIL
INDICATIONS THAT POLITICIANS
ARE IN 4 COMBINATION.

for CIerL-SnIicnt Features of the
Governors Message.
Atlanta, Ga, Oct. 25.-The last day be
fore the opening of the legislative ses-
sion presented the old time scenes of tur-
MOL The KimbalI House lobby resem-
bled the witches cauldron, double. dou-
BILE toll and trouble; fire burn and cauld-
ron bubble"
II is the last time such scenes will be
witnessed until the people of Georgia con
sent 10 vote back The system. Hereafter
judges and solicitors WEI be elected by
the people.
The indications tonight are that the poll
ticians have made the best use of their
final opportunity and have organized the
most ironclad combination on record.
Judges and congressman mingled with the
crowd and We'd with each other in pulling
votes from members of the legislature.
Those who did not get in The combination
are vowing that they will make the trad
ing politicians roost lower when they get
before the people
The contest is close to-day between
Boifeuillet and Galloway for clerk, with
chances in favor Of Boifeuilet
w. A. Dodson will get 80 to 40 votes for
president of the Senate but as yet VIII
liam Clifton has not come down. Reuder
Terrell wild probably be president pro-
tenn and c. S. Northen will be secretary.
John d. Little has no opposition for
speaker of the House and A. O. Blalock Of
Fayette will probably be made speaker
pro. TEN.
Much interest is manifested in the con-
test over the postoffice of the House 1t
is given to women, and the speaker APP
points. There are twenty-five applicants,
among them the widow of the late w. C.
Glenn who has powerful backing
Speaker Little remained awake all East
night trying to solve this difficult prob
lem. Both candidates for the bench of
the Atlantic circuit here. 1t is hard
TO stale with certainty what will result.
Scabrook appears to be ahead. The cleo
ton is several days off. Two tax reform
bills are in sight. Speaker Little, as al
ready announced, wall be accompanied by
one from T. NJ. Swift of Elbert.
Senator Steve Clay leaves North Geor-
gia tonight for the Eleventh district,
where he win spend a week campaigning
for Congressman Brantley. He says
Brantiey win carry every county, not eX-
ceptng Lowndes, which is Wilkinson's
home.
The Senate viii have twenty-five law
yers, three doctors and three bankers, be-
sides business men and farmers. Com
missioner Nesbitt and William Little of
Jefferson county are the leading formers
in the upper chamber. The legislature
viii probably caucus over the election of
judges and solicitors. There are only ten
men TO caucus against, but the sentiment
seems to be for tightening up party lines
while the contests are on.
Gov. Atkinsons last message, to be de-
livered tomorrow, was partly given TO
the press to-day. These advance sheets
contain what he considers the most i'm
portant parts of the document They treat
Of ballot reform, law to make party prima-
ries fair and legislation TO put all unre-
turned property on the tax digest.
The consensus of opinion is that the
Australian ballot win be adopted, and that
straightout assessment law will be
passed by this legislature
IL is likely that a bill for the monthly
payment of teachers and another for the
acceptance of the Confederate Veterans
Home viii pass.
Following are the salient features of the
annual message of Gov. Atkinson. which
will be read to the general assembly this
morning:
For thirty years past the welfare and
destiny of this state have been in the
hands of one party, and the recent cleo
ton has but furnished a fresh demonstra-
ton that this condition is to continue in
definitely, at least SO long the pres
ent party algnments remain. The Dem
ocratc primary not only virtually, but
actually, determines who shall fill every
important office in the state, and in near
ly every county, and what shall be the
policy of the state government so far
as these officers may determine il. The
constitutional amendments of two years
ago and this year. making the Supreme
and Superior Court judges elective by the
people, vastly increase the responsibility
OF the dominant party by adding the bur-
den of choosing a pure judiciary.
1.-The most vital part, then, of our poll
tics is the primary, and any reform that
does not include this inceptive function
in its scope win fail to strike at the root
of the real evils of which the people are
complaining.
Recognized as the most progressive of
the Southern states. there is every con-
sideration why Georgia should lead in this
as wen as in other improvements in the
South. The practice of general primaries
upon a stated day, under fixed rules.
which has been found so satisfactory in re-
cent years, should be made the statu-
tory law, which cannot be changed at the
within of a committee, or the will of a can
didate who may control majority of it's
members, and should be binding upon all
parties.
80 satisfactory has been the practice CT
holding state primaries on one day that
i would by all means incorporate this in
the law; and l would also advise that the
date of the primary be made a fixed GaY,
at such season as may be most conyen-
lent to the masses Of the voters. If nee
essary, separate succeeding days might
be named for each party, or all could lie
held on one day.
"A great deal of comment has been
made recently about the high rate of tax
alton in Georgia That the tax rate is
higher than the people who pay the taxes
can well afford is an indsputable propo-
q he
of appropriations made can be materially
reduced without receding from the posi-
ton which the state has taken respecting
It's treatment of the old soldiers and the
education of its children, and against this
policy of retrogression all are mutually
pledged,
Il am as much in favor Of economy
in state affairs as any one can be, as 1
think the record Of my adminstra ton will
show; but the proper ana only way 30