The Savannah morning news., 1901-12-03
WILL SAVE HALF A MILLION.
lF CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
ARE ADOPTED.

So Senator Bell Declares-An
Amendment Introduced to Strike
Out the Section which Prohibits
Banishment and the whipping
Post-AtIantn's Charter Amend
ment Takes Up Much Time-Is the
Exact Language <Of Portion of
snvannnh's Charter, which Has
Been Upheld by the supreme
Court, Says Senator Howell.
Atlanta, Dec. 2.-The greater part
If the time of both the House and
Senate was consumed to-day i'm con-
sideration of the Atlanta chapter
amendments. When the Senate con-
vened the bill providing for amend
ments to the constitution was taken
up as the continuous special order. and
Senator Hiram P Bell, of the Thirty
ninth, continued his explanation of the
amendments proposed. He said it was
the intention of the committee to make
the terms of all State House officers
as we'll as the Governor, four, instead
of two years. He declared that all of
the proposed amendments, If adopted,
would save the state at least $500, 900
a year.
Senator Cobb of the Thirty-first
spoke on the amendments briefly. He
favored some of them, but was par
ticularly opposed to that amendment,
which intended to give to the negro
for education, only an amount proper
toned to the tax paid by the negro.
He thought Georgia would make a
great mistake to adopt such an amend
ment as that.
During the debate on the constitu-
tional amendment bill. Mr.. BoYnton
OF the Ninth, introduced an amendment
TO strike out that section of the con-
stitution which prohibits banishment
and the whipping post The object is
to open up the way for legislation on
the subjects in question.
Another important amendment was
offered by Mr.. Smith, of the Forty
fourth, providing for the exemption
from taxation of all farm products
and family supplies on hand at the
time the tax returns are made. 1t was
decided that when the Senate next
meets the amendments shall be taken
up in order and voted on separately.
The new Atlanta charter bill was
and read for third time. 1t was vio-
lently opposed by Senator Ellis, of the
Twenty-s second. who held that the pro-
vision taxing public utility corpora.
tions was drastic and unjust
senator Howell took the floor in de-
fense of the substitute and declared
that the measure was in the nature of
compromise, and that he had copied
the exact language without changing
a letter, of that portion of the charter
or savannah which permits an occupa-
tion tax on public utility corporations.
and which had been upheld by the Su-
preme Court.
Senator Ellis said some of the cor
poration people wanted a hearing on
the measure. 1t was then agreed that
a hearing should be allowed before
the committee tomorrow morning. The
Dill is to be taken up and acted on at
10 O'clock
In the House an effort was made by
Mr.. Wright of Floyd to reconsider the
other Atlanta charter bill which had
passed the Senate because the taxation
feature had been left out. Nearly two
hours were consumed in discussing this
question, and the House then refused
TO reconsider. The bill was approved
by the Governor this afternoon 1t
contained all the amendments, upon
which there was no contest.
A Labor Contract Docket.
The bill by Mr. George of Morgan.
TO require the clerks of Superior Courts
OF this state to open and keep a con-
tract docket, was taken up and passed
by vote of 100 to "a The bill is
an important one and relates to- the
hiring of farm labor. Farmers can un-
der this bill make contracts with la
borers and file the contract with the
clerk of the Superior Court
III the laborer or farmer should break
the contract suit can be instituted in
the courts as on any other contract
which should be broken.
An effort to have the Atlanta depot
bill made the special order for We'd
nesday was defeated by the House. An
other effort viii be made to do this to-
morrow. 1t is said now that unless
the depot bill can be made a special
order 1t has no chance whatever, as ii
is too far down on the calender.
A number of local bills were intro
duced and read the first time.
Joe Halls Railroad Bill killed.
At the afternoon session the House
by a vote of 5s to 54. defeated the bill
by Mr.. Hall of Bibb requiring all rail-
road companies doing business in Geor-
gia to become Incorporated in this
state. The bill was admittedly aimed
at the Southern Railway Company.
Mr. Hall and Mr. Morris of Cobb spoke
for the measure, while Mr.. Slaton of
Fulton, and Mr.. Wilson OF Clay, made
strong speeches against IL.
The same measure was defeated in
the House two years ago