Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-10-16
CARY JUMPS ON THE
LEGISLATURE AND
THE JUDGES
SAYS THE LEGISLATURE FAVOR
ED ATLANTA AND THE SU-
PERIoR COURT JUDGES
ARE WIRE PULLERs.

Judge William T. Gary. Judge Of the
superior court of Richmond county ana
member of the legislature from Richmond
last year In a s~eech in Augusta Tues
day jumped on the legislature Of last
year for the manner in which business
was transacted, charging tnat the steer
ing committee sidetracked Richmond
county bills and all other legislation III
interest of the Atlanta depot bill.
The Augusta herald of Tuesday after
noon has the following account OF the
meeting of the Augusta bar at which GER
tain local measures to be introduced in
the coming legislature were discussed;
Major William T. Gary, judge-elect OF
the superior court of Richmond county
and a member Of the last Georgia legisla-
ture, in a meeting of the Augusta bar
Association, held in the superior court
room at IL o'clock this morning, tore up
the fur of the legislative system While
discussing his efforts to get through GER
tain bills to give Richmond county four
terms of the superior court instead or
the present system.
THE session of the association was
for the transaction of regular business,
but from standpoint Of the present
bar. the mos, important was the action
to be taken on the four-term legisla-
ton.
The change first came before the bar
last year, and a bill was drafted oy
Ion. w. II. Fleming, Salem butcher
and w. K. Miller which was presented
to the house by Major Gary. For some
reason the measure did not get through
Why, Major Gary explained as the meet
ing progressed.
THE matter was formally brought up
by Mr.. F. H. Miller, when Mr.. Ham
mond said: The bar never did a wiser
thing than framing this BILL and 1 hope
he Of he hOlSa and
Senator Sullivan will be urged to get
the measure before the legislature and
push it through He suggested that 1t
be urged before the judiciary commit
tee.
Major Gary said:
1.-THE measure had my undivided atten-
ton. The difficulty was this: There was a
keener fight over the depot bill than any
measure in several years; in fact, / be-
lieve one of the keenest fights the body
has had. The lines were sharply and clear
ly drawn. believe At was the friends of
the depot who raised a body known as
the steering committee. No bill could be
considered without the consent Of this
committee; in fact, until the last of the
session, there was no way of getting kill
before the house except through this
steering committee.
There was trouble and opposition.
There must be IS votes to pass any meas
ure, and the attendance was never over
100, so you see it would take very small
opposition to defeat bill. planned and
figured, but knew there was no opportu-
nifty to bring it up with safety. I could
some time, by maneuvering, have gotten
the bill up. but there never were men
enough in the house to vote on 1t.
Didn't Know What II Was.
IT did get one through, but, to be cam
did with you, I really don't believe any
body knew what the house was passing
on. The members heard 1t and knew it was
something about Richmond county, but
that was ALL"
Major Gary said he found several MEM
bers who honestly differed as to the con-
stitutionality Of the four-term bill.
The hitch seemed to be this: The bill
provided generally for four terms Of the
superior court year under certain con-
ditions. The impression greatly prevalent
was that 1t would Increase the expense
and burden Of the people of certain other
counties, and it was on this line that
the fight was brought. To obviate this at
the coming session. Of the legislature, Mr..
Salem butcher suggested that the bill be
made a general one on the line of local
option, allowing each of the counties to
provide for the special terms or not, as
they saw fit. and this would do away with
the question of constitutionality Of the
measure.
This brought Major Gary quickly to his
feet. again.
Judges Pull Strings.
IF you do this, am sure the judges Of
various circuits, like the northern, for in
stance, where there are eleven counties,
will combine against such an open meas
ure. 1t is different with them from cir
cult like Augustus. where there are only
four counties.
''These judges pull strings in the Geor-
gia legislature with an adroitness you
folks little understand. Where they get
their influence from don't understand
put they certainly do the pulling"