The Savannah morning news., 1901-11-01

tion-Another Flood of New Bills
in the House Yesterday-County
Teachers Want Institutes Abolish
ed-HaH of Fnnnin Wants a 81
Poll Tax-Mr. Hitch's Bill to Re-
duce Tax Receivers Bonds Passes
House-BIlis Introduced by Mr..
Hitch for Protection of Primars
Elections, and to Place BniiinS
and Deputy Sherins on salary.
Atlanta Oct. 31.-Another flood of
new bills was poured into the House
to-day, the House spending more than
two hours in receiving, reading and as
signing to committees, new matters
Perhaps the most important of these
new bills in its effect upon the whole
people, is one introduced by Mr.. Bur-
nett of Clark, to amend the constitu-
tion of the state so as to limit the
power of the Legislature to levy taxes
to five-tenths of per cent
Mr.. Burnetts bill, which was referred
to the general judiciary committee, pro-
vides in its first section, that section
/, article Z, of the constitution of Geor-
ga be and the same is hereby amend
ed by adding at the last of said sec
ton new paragraph to be designated
as paragraph s, which shall be in the
| words following. to wit:
The General Assembly shall nave
no power to impose for any purposes
Whatever except to repel invasion. SUD-
| press insurrection or defend the state
In time of war. a rate of taxation in
excess Of five-tenths of per cent"
subsequent sections Of the bill sim
ply provide that if the bill passes the
Legislature by a two-thirds vote as Is
required, It shall be submitted to the
people at the general election in 1902
for ratification.
Mr.. Hogan of Lincoln wants the
| conduct and management of the Soil
| diers Home investigated by ioint
committee from the House and Senate.
ana introduced a resolution In +hs
| House, providing for a committee ~
nve from the former body, and three
iioii the latter for this purpose.
Soldiers Home Inquiry.
MY resolution" said Mr.. Hogan. in
speaking OF the matter, 'is In nowise
| intended for reflection. | introduced
~ because ! understand there are but
1
formerly on the pension rolls. whereas
my understanding of the matter was
tnat the home was intended to relieve
| the pension rolls"
10 Abolish Teachers Institutes.
The abolishment of the county
teachers institutes is the aim of a bill
| introduced by Mr.. Bruce of Lumnlsin
Mr.. Bruce introduced this bill at the
request OF a number of teachers. 1t
provides for the repeal of section 1249
OF the code which relates to these in.
| stitutes i
These Institutes are held in each
county every year, lasting five days.
ana all the public school teachers maid
by the state are required to attend
tnem. Mr. Bruce says the reason why
tne teachers want them abolished is
tnat tney have to pay their own ex-
penses, and on their meager salary of
Sizo TO sl50 year, this is quite hard
snip. Bills of this nature have been
introduced before, however, and have
always failed to pass the Legislature.
Messrs. Park and Boswell of Greene
introduced two measures, providing
that no Confederate veteran or widow
of Confederate veteran. who has az
much as $1,600 worth of property or
mas an income of $400 year or more
snail receive a pension from the state.
To Increase Poll Tax.
A decidedly new move was that bv
Mr. han OF Fannin county who intro
duced bill to amend the constitution
so as to make the poll tax SO instead of
IL as at present. Mr. Halls idea is to
increase the school fund and the adon-
tion of such an amendment would do
that by about $500, 900.
voters who pay the poll tax would.
OF course, have to pass upon the
amendment
IL the Legislature passes a bill bv
Mr.. Slaton of Fulton the salary Of Su-
perior Court judges will be Increased
from $4,000 to $2,500
Mr.. Steed of Taylor introduced a Joint
resolution inviting the Southern Edu-
cational Conference to hold its next
session in Georgia.
Mr.. Houston Of Fulton introduced =
resolution providing that a commission
OF nfteen, fVe of whom shall he from,
the present House and three from, tba
senate, be appointed to devise plans
Tor the erection of statues to two prom
lnent Georgtans in Statuary Hall in the
Capitol at Washington, the expense 10
be defrayed by popular subscription.
georgia is at present unrepresented in
Statuary Hall.
To Relieve Tax COLLECTORS
The bill by Mr. Hitch of Chatham.
amending section 932 of the code os
for tax receivers in Georgia at $4,000
was passed by a vote of 90 to l. Be
fore the bill was put on its passage
Mr.. Hitch explained that under the
present law tax receivers had to give
bond to the extent Of one-fourth OF
the taxes due the state. while they
handled no money. and he saw no rea-
son why the bond should be so heavy.
At present Mr.. Hitch said the tax re-
ceiver Of Chatham county was reuuir
ed to give bond of $50,000 The bill.
II II passes the Senate, will relieve
many tax collectors in the larger coun-
ties.
A bill by Mr.. Taylor of Houston
amending section 4S02 of the code. re-
ducing the life Of a bond on a pos
sessory warrant from four years to
thirty days. was passed
A resolution by Mr. George OF Nor
gan, providing that the House adjourn
at 1880 each day, was passed
Among the other new bills I'm the
House were the following:
BY Mr.. Hardwick OF Washington-To
provide for the payment OF costs in
cases I'm Superior Courts where Defend
ants are convicted and sent TO the pen
itentiary.
BY Mr. Harkins OF Gordon--To
amend the law preventing the sale II
whisky within three miles Of any church
lConffnu.a "a, Estftt ss....,