The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-10-24
THE LAST MESSAGE.
Continued from Eighth Page.)

Continued from Eighth Page.)
ratification or rejection at the next
general election.
Preservation of the Archives.
l beg again to call the attention of
the General Assembly to the in1por-
lance of making some immediate pro-
vision for the preservation of Georgias
Colonial, Revolutionary and 'Confed-
crate records. Many of these records
have been already lost or destroyed,
and many more are going rapidly to
decay and will soon be lost unless pro-
vision is made at once for their preSer-
walton. Even the copies of the mus
ter-rolls of the Georgia troops in the
war between the states, obtained some
years ago from Washington, are wear
ing out from frequent handling and
there are in the war office rolls of
many Georgia organizations Of which
we have never had copies Our CO.
lonial and revolutionary records have
Jared even worse. Many, perhaps most
of them, have been lost, and In a few
years more but few of them will be
left if provision for their preserva ton
in an enduring form is not made at
once.
1 therefore earnestly recommend that
the Governor be authorized to appoint
not to exceed two thousand dollars a
year, for not exceeding three years, to
take charge of the work and cooperate
with these ladies in compiling and pub
fishing the Colonial, Revolutionary and
Confederate records of the state. He
should be allowed a reasonable amount
for copyists and typewriters, and the
printing and binding should be done by
the state printer at the same price and
n "a COZ -
printing.
Louisiana Purchase Expositfo m.
The General Assembly at its last ses-
sion provided for the appointment of a.
commission Ito take proper steps to
see that the state of Georgia is prop
eriy represented at the Louisiana
Purchase Exposition, and authorized
the said commission ito devise any
legal means to see that the agricultural
products and other resources of Geor-
gla are represented at said exposition"
Ii VIII be impossible for the commits
sion TO make decent exhibit at this
exposition, and one that would do ius-
uce TO our boundless resources, with
out the financial aid of the state. An
EFFORT was made to have exhibits at
ooth Buffalo and Charleston, and for
lnls purpose the paltry sum of a thou
Il
money was worse than wasted. The
exhibits that it was possible to make
WIN so small sum were Of no value
TO the state, but did actual harm. Per
sons seeing these Georgia exhibits"
We're impressed with the appa rent
paucity of the states resources. when
not one-twentieth part of them were
represented
II we are to make any sort of a dis
pay OF our resources at the great ex-
position ut st. Louis, we should make
one that will be a credit to the state,
otherwise we should make none. To
make such display as should be made
money should be appropri a ted
10 enable the commission to
90 IT,. In the past it has sometimes been
urged that an appropriation for such a
purpose would be unconstitutional and
ms mas been the excuse for the scanty
appropriations for the Buffalo and
1naIleston expositions. But it was a
ttliie excuse. If an appropriation of one
tnousanu dollars could be made with
out violating the constitution, ten thou
sahd could have been appropriated.
ne truth Is there is no constitutional
! ., The constitution declares
mat the General Assembly shall not.
py vote, resolution or order grant anv
uonauon or gratuity in favor of any
TTTLL ,' corporation or association"
~, LIS is all. An appro-
p.idtlon from the state treas
uly 10 exhibit and advertise the
resources of the state at a great ex-
posltion is not donation or gratuity.
anu II 1t were. it is not made to "any
trelson' corporation or association" It
20 simply the use by the state of the
4.n.oheE or the state for the benefit Of
.ne state. Georgia should exhibit her
i ~ at this great exposition. and
n ~ Hruer to enable her commission to
A sso credttable exhibit the General
assembly should appropriate an ado
Qaate amount for this purpose