The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-12-06
ATL.ANTAG AGETSDEPOT
HOUSE PASSES THE BILL AFTER A
DAYS DISCUSSION.
FILIBUSTERS FOUGHT HARD.
SCENES or WILD EXCITEMENT
FOLLOWED RESULT.

Rental of the Western and Allan
tic Observation-Disclosures Are to Pay,
the State q Per Cent on the Invest
ment.
Atlanta, Dec. 5.-The bill to erect a
union railroad station on the state of
Georgia's property In Atlanta, passed
the House of Representatives late this
afternoon by vote of 1O7 to 55. The
bill provides for a commission of seven,
to be headed by the Governor of Geor-
gia and consisting of four members
each. from the House and Stalate, to
be chosen by the speakers of those
bodies This commission Will receive
bids and inspect plans for the erection
of the depot and advertise the project
in the newspapers of New York. Phla-
delphia and Baltimore. One-half mil
lion dollars of the states money is
made available for the project on Jan.
j, 1903, but the commission is empow-
cred to proceed with the work as soon
as the bill shall have passed the Sen
ate. which is expected by next Tues
day
Amid noise and tumult from applause
and shouting, Speaker Little announc-
ed, at O'Clock, that the Atlanta depot
bill has been passed. The House hav-
Ing been in continuous session since
$3.50 a. m, then adjourned until to-
morrow morning.
Hardest Fight of the Session.
The fight over the depot bill was the
hardest of the session; every inch of
ground was contested. But the ave-
nues of tilibustering had been cut off
and the House accomplished in one day
what it wasted weeks on at the last
session.
The bill was fixed on yesterday as
the special order for this morning, and
| IL was read immediately after the
journal was disposed of. The same
crowd that filibustered last year. with
rev exceptions, conducted the fight
against the measure this time All
sorts OF dilatory motions were made
az the outsets and when Mr. Hall OF
Blbp, the main opponent of the meas
ure. round that he could not secure
unlimited debate in the Committee OF
the Whole. he moved TO indefinitelv
| postpone the bill. This motion was
lost by a vote of 101 to a. which was
considered test vote on the measure.
and it was then practically a fore
gone conclusion that it would be pass
ed.
or course the motion was acted on
| by an aye and nay vote Mr.. Hall
called for the ayes and nays on every
motion made. but the previous ques-
| ton was called at the right moment
and that shut off filibustering. The
House voted to extend the session until
the bill had been disposed of, and lust
as tnis was done several of the op-
ponents of the measure were on their
Feet Speaker Little refused to recog-
nize anybody and at once resolved the
House into the Committee of the Whole
| with Speaker pro. tenn. Morris of Cobb.
in the chair. Previous to this resolu-
tion had been adopted limiting debate
in the Committee Of the Whole to one
hour on each side, at the end of which
time the committee was directed to re-
| port back to the House.
All sorts of points of order were
made and as promptly overruled and
about forty or fifty amendments to the
hill were offered by the orponents OF
the bill for the purpose of delay or de-
feating it If possible
Speakers on Both sides.
Mr.. Park OF Greene opened the de-
bate in favor of the bill, urging the
Importance of keeping the states prop
erty in good condition. Mr. Kelly of
| Glascock was against the bill, because
! of the present condition of the state
treasury. Mr. Wilson of Clay spoke for
| the bill. 1t was not Atlanta's depot
he said. but the states depot, that
they were trying TO build. Mr.. Field
er of Bibb was against the measure.
because, he said. it would result in an
increase of the taxes OF the state.
Mr.. Everett of Stewart. one of the
farmers of the House, said he was
tired of the demagoguery of some
members of the House, who were try
ing to create a prejudice against At
lanta.
Mr. Hardwick of Washington opposed
the bill because, he said, il was his
duty to the people to do so. No such
appropriation should be made. he de-
clared. unless there was taxation to
meet IL.
Messrs. Steed of Taylor and Perry OF
Gwinnett then followed IN favor of the
bill. Mr.. Perry voted against II last
year.
Mr. Wright Of Floyd made one OF
the most eloquent speeches of the ses-
sion in favor OF the bill. II was fol-
lowed by prolonged applause and the
speaker had difficulty in restoring or
der.
Other speeches against the bill were
made by Messrs. johnson of Barlow.
Drawdy Of Clinch, George Of Morgan
and Hall Of Bibb. They called atten
tion to the Governors message saying
there would be a deficiency OF $237 .00o
IN the Treasury next year. and used
that as an argument against the bill.
The report Of the Committee of the
Whole was ADOPTED by a good majority.
Mr. Hall of Bibb had submitted
minority report as a member of the
Western and Atlantic Railroad Com
mittee for the purpose of getting twen-
ty minutes in conclusion.
Filibusters Knocked Out.
Every conceivable motion and point
Of order was made by the filibusters,
but the previous question was called.
and that settled 1t. Nothing was then
in order, not even a motion to adjourn
until the business in hand had been
disposed Of. Mr.. Hall made a twenty
minutes speech against the BILL and he
was followed by Messrs. Freeman or
Troup and Speaker Little, who were
given the time OF the chairman OF the
committee.
The aye and nay vote was taken on
the passage Of the bill with the result
stated. A motion to Immediately trans
| NIT the bill 70 the Senate was carried
by an almost unanimous vote. the hli.
busters refusing TO vote. This docs
4 Continued on Fifth Pagol