The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-11-17

Senate and these have been promptly
acted upon by the various committees
to which they were referred. But few
discussions have been had over the
passage of measures, the subject-mat-
ter of the bills having been pretty well
threshed out in committee meeting.
Considerable interest centers about
the two bills introduced last Friday
having reference to the future plan of
disposing of the felony oonvicts of the
state. One of these measures was in
troduced by Senator Gordon, Lee, OF
the Forty-fourth District, and the
other by Senator +. H. McMichael, of
the Twenty-fourth District. Both are
of paramount importance just at this
time and the consideration of them by
the Penitentiary Committee of the up
per house will doubtless be watched
with interest, particularly so as bills
touching the same general question
have been introduced in the house.
One of the most important bills that
has yet been introduced in the Senate,
and one which has occasioned much
comment throughout the state, is the
measure by Senator MoMichael. which
proposes to amend the constitution so
as to permit the voters in the various
counties and militia districts of Geor-
gia to levy a local tax for the purpose
of establishing and maintaining sys-
TENS of public schools.
Under present conditions it is we'll
nigh impossible for systems of this
character to be established by local
taxation, for the reason that 1t re-
quires a two-thirds' vote of the reg
istered voters in the county or militia
district to fix the necessary tax. Incl
dentally, it may be stated, such cleo
ton can be called after two consecu-
tive grand juries have recommended
the plan, but it has been found that,
while a majority of the voters may
favor a local tax for school purposes,
it is extremely difficult to secure a two
thirds vote to legalize it,
Mr. McMichael proposes to amend the
constitution so that majority Of the
registered voters may determine the
question. This would be equivalent to
a two-thirds' vote of the votes polled
and would give a majority of the citi-
zens the authority to say that a tax
should be levied in order to provide the
children of the county or militia dis
trict with proper school facilities. Ac-
cording to the provisions of the consti-
tuition, which requires two thirds
vote. a failure to vote is equiv
alent to a vote against the plan, and
this usually means the death of the
scheme.
Speaking of his bill. Senator Nc
Michael said:
81 believe that the passage of the
measure will prove a boon to a great
many sections of the state that are
now suffering for the want of proper
school facilities. Since introducing the
bill l have received a number of let
tiers from prominent people all over the
state who tell me they are in hearty
sympathy with the plan proposed. The
object of the bill is to allow a majority
of the voters in any county or militia
district to decide the question Of
whether they will have this local tax.
The money derived from the levy can
be used in building the necessary
school houses, equipping them with
desks and other furniture and for pay
ing the salaries of teachers. OF course.
1t is provided that proper restrictions
are to govern the levying of this tax.
ard the expenditure OF the money SO
that each community will receive the
greatest possible benefit The commit
tee is favorably disposed toward the
measure and / have every assurance
that the bill will be favorably acted
upon by the members of the General
Assembly"