The Savannah morning news., 1902-12-01
The BUSIEST WEEK
OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION BE-
GINS TODAY.
APPROPRIATIONS UP FIRST.
HOUSE WILL TRANSFER THE MAT
TER TO THE SENATE.

Rested With WOrk-Frnnchise Tax
Bill as "a Special Order-The Cues
tion of ,Taxes-What Is Said of
summer Sessions of the General
AssembIy-The Australian Ballot
Bill.
Atlanta, Nov. 30-This will be the
busiest week of the session with the
General Assembly. The Senate is up
with all of its work, except the bills
which were passed by the House Sat-
urday and will not reach that body
until tomorrow.
But the House will finish the appro-
priations bill tomorrow, and then for
a few days the Senate will have all it
is looking for. The bill will, of course.
have to go to the Senate Finance
Committee, but 1t is predicted that
committee will make short work of it
and it is expected the Senate will have
passed it by the end of the week.
The House has several appropriations
before it yet, which will cause inter-
esting discussions. The first appropria-
ton that will be taken UP when con-
sideration of the bill is resumed to-
morrow will be the appropriation to
the Soldiers Home. The Appropria-
tons Committee, after a hard fight,
cut this appropriation to $12,500, which
is $500 less than was given last year.
An amendment will be offered in the
House to restore the amount taken
away, and two interesting sides to the
question will undoubtedly be present
ed.
Immediately following the Soldiers
Home the appropriations to common
schools will come up. This the COM
mittee put at $780, 900, the same as last
year. There is every indication also
that an effort will be made to cut this
amount. but it is believed it will be
allowed to stand as has been the case
with all the other appropriations, en-
cept that to the State Santarium.
There has been a rumor current that
a strong attack would also be made on
the military fund. The committee
put $4,000 in the bill for the support
of the state troops, the amount that
has usually been given when a mill
airy appropriation has been made, but
almost every time there has been a
fight on it, and this occasion promises
" DC liO CACtpliol " tic Iuie.
Other items in the bill such as the
appropriation to the Department of
Agriculture, and for expenses of trus-
tees of the State SanitariHm, trustees
of the State University and other like
matters may have their status chang
ed so that they will be taken from the
funds appropriated TO those depart
ments or institutions. This has already
been done in the case of the salary of
the superintendent of the State, SAM
tarium. and the precedent will un-
doubtedly be heard from again.
Two Sessions Daily.
The House is SO congested with
work that it has been found necessary
to hold two sessions a day during the
remainder of the session. The meet
ings hereafter will be from 8 o'clock
a. m. to l p. m, and from to 5 p.
m. Next week there will probably
be night sessions.
1t is believed the appropriations bill
will be completed at the morning ses-
sion tomorrow, but the chances are
there will be wrangling enough to
carry II, through the day. The trouble
will not end, it is stated, when the bill
Is reported back to the House by the
Committee of the Whole. as several
members propose to make efforts there
TO cut the appropriations to state In
stitutions. 1t will be a case of rally
ing forces, but if the friends of the
Institutions keep their supporters In
line the chances are the results will
be the same as they have been in the
committee.
Following the appropriations bill,
whenever 1t is completed, the fran
chise tax bill comes up as the special
order. This bill has been reported
favorably by substitute by the Ways
and Means Comittee, and the fight
over 1t will unquestionably be one OF
the most interesting of the session.
More has been heard about the fran
chise tax at this session than ever be.
fore, and the supporters of the meas
ure, declaring that such law is nee
essary, II the state is to meet its obli-
cations, are going to push 1t with
logged determination. But its oppo-
nents are manifesting the same spirit,
and the tug of war will be one worth
witnessing. The original bill by Mr.
Reid of Campbell, provides for an
amendment to Section T67 of the Code
defining franchises as taxable prop
erty. The substitute is by Mr. Cand-
Ter of DeKalb, and is the same as the
old Howard franchise tax bill which
was passed by the House last year, but
killed in the Senate.
The House resolution authorizing
the Governor to borrow not exceeding
100000 to supply casual deficiencies, il
necessary, also comes up as a special
order this week, and will be consid-
cred as soon as the general tax bill
has been disposed of. This resolution
is passed every year so that the states
finances may be tided over whenever
necessary.
The Matter of Taxes.
If appropriations cause so much of
a stir, the question of taxes will cause
even a greater one, because that
touches peoples pockets.
No sooner will the appropriations
bill be laid aside than the general tax
bill will be taken UP by the House and
the fun will begin again. Notices have
been given of several interesting
amendments that will be offered. The
franchise tax amendment has already
been tackled on by the committee, and
can be adopted in the bill by a ma
Jority of a quorum. instead of con-
stitutional majority. 1t is reported,
too, that the interesting amendments
which were finally killed by the Ways
and Means Committee will be offered
again In the House. including that to
Increase the tax on dispensaries to
$l,000 and to put a. tax of $50 on liquor
dealers for each county into which
they ship liquor to any but dealers.
Then there is the convict question TO
be disposed of. The convict bill by
Mr.. Steed of Taylor. providing for an
extension of the present system for
five years and the tNeation OF a prison
fund for the purpose of providing the
convicts with other work at the end
of FIVE years. has been favorably re-
ported and ordered printed. II will