The Savannah morning news., 1902-11-19

meanOr to bet on Games.
Atlanta, Nov. 1S.-The House to-day
decided that it wanted continuation of
free passes. 1t killed the anti-free pass
bill by Mr.. Han of Bib. after a brief
but pointed discussion. The vote was
6S for the bill and 20 against it. the
measure lacking twenty votes of con-
stitutional majority.
The measure came up as the special
order for the day, after a number Of
unanimous consents had been disposed
of. 1t provided that no railroad, tele-
phone telegraph, express or sleeping
car company should issue to any Off
cial in Georgia, state, county. or mu-
nicipal, any free pass or franking priv
ilege under penalty of 1000 fine, and
that any such official accepting these
courtesies should be deemed guilty of
misdemeanor and punished as pro-
vided in Section 1899 of the Code.
Some of the members INDUCED in a
little fun at the expense of the bill
when 1t came up, and several humor-
Gus amendments were offered. Mr..
Cam of Chatham proposed to amend
1t by excepting everyone from the
provisions of the bill save its author.
| Mr., Franklin of Washington proposed
that no man should be allowed to lend
his horse and buggy to another. and
that no man should permit another to
hunt or fish on his lands. Mr. Ennis Of
| floyd proposed to amend by prohib-
ting any Judge of any court from tax
ing meal with lawyer or litigant
on either side of the case that was
being tried before him. All of these
amendments were either withdrawn or
held not germare, and several others
were killed by the House The only
amendment adopted was one making
tne Dill apply to street railroads, as
| Wen as to all other railroads.
When the amendment by Mr.. Cam
OF chatham. to make the provisions of
the bill apply only to the author. was
read, Mr.. Hall obtained the floor. Mr.,
| flali declared that the measure was not
one to be treated lightly. He asserted
u was a measure the passage of which
the people demanded. and that II
| would sooner or later become a law
In the interest of saving time Mr.. Cam
withdrew his amendment
! Dem"BOHuery, said One.
Speeches for the bin were made by
Mr.. Hall, Mr. Howell of Meriwether.
Mr.. Deal OF Bulloch and Mr.. Tigner Of
| Muscogee. Against the bill speeches
were made by Messrs. Miller of Mus
cogee, steed of Taylor, Moses of Cow
| eta and others
IL was argued in behalf of the hin
| that even II members of the I,egisla-
ture ana other officials were not infiu-
enceu by the use of free passes, the
temptation should be taken out of their
way. 1t was asserted that some were
SO influenced, and for that reason the
| Dill should be passed Mr. Hall said
! the people were fast losing Confidence
In the courts OF the state, and this free
pass business was one of the reasons
Tor IT. One of the opponents of the
goguery.
Il am used to being called dema-
gogue," Mr.. Hall said, land 1t has no
| more erect on me than shooting straws
at bull rhinoceros."
In opposition to the bill II was de-
clared that it's passage would be a con-
Iesslon or weakness on the aart Of
state officials, If not of corruption:
that the passes issued were of small
consequence and influenced no action,
| ana II never had been shown that any
evil resulted from the custom.
The yeas and nays were called. with
the result stated. All of the members
from Chatham voted against the bill.
| Mr.. Steed Of Taylor introduced in the
House the majority report of the Joint
committee appointed to investigate the
convict system and report the best and
most humane method of disposing of
the labor of the convicts. The re-
port declared in favor of an extension
or the present system for five years
no
| be used five years hence under appro-
Pirate legislation for providing other
work for the convicts. Two bills are
| now before the General Assembly pro-
posing legislation on this line.
The Speaker appointed the following
committee to investigate conditions al
| the Soldiers Home: Messrs Beall Of
Paulding, chairman: Jones of Dougher-
ty Knowles of Floyd. Stanford of Har-
ris and Harden of Chatham.
Local Taxes for Education.
The Senate. by vote of So to 1, to-
day passed the bill by Senator Nc
! Michael, of the Twenty district.
providing for an amendment to the
constitution so as to allow counties. mi
| litia districts and school districts IN
Georgia, to levy local tax for school
purposes. According to the measure.
this. levy may be made upon a two
tuiTuS NoLe Oh LnOSe voting on the SUBJ
ject in the localities named. In the
event the bill also passes the House.
the act is to be ratified by the people OF
the state before II becomes operative.
Senator McMichael made a short
speech, in which he said the people of
Georgia had for many years been
studying the question of taxation and
school facilities for the children of the
state. He believed his bill was calcu-
lated to accomplish the best ends. ana
would enable residents in all parts OF
the state to give their children adeauate
school facilities.
Senator Perry, chairman of the Con-
stitutional Amendment COMMITTEES.
also thought the step contemplated was
wise one. He had observed, he stated
that people were willing to place a local
tax on themselves when they were very
much opposed to the idea of increasing
the general tax in even the slightest
respect.
The bill by Senator McMichaeI seeks
70 amend Article 5, Section 4. Para
graph ] Of the constitution. 80 that
the section. as amended. viii read as
follows: Authority may be granted
counties. militia districts. school dis
4 tricts and TO municipal corporations.
upon the recommendation OF the cor
/ porate authority, 10 establish ana
maintain public schools IN their re-
Continued on Fifth Pass)