Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-12-22
WHAT LEGISLATURE DID IN
AGRICULTURAL LEGISLATION

The session OF the general assembly
for la0a has become a matter OF history
The members OF the house and senate
having served out the time allotted 70 them
under the constitution OF the state, ~
DAYS. have returned 70 their homes Their
record upon many matters of great i'm
uortance 10 the masses Of the people Is an
honorable one. Il has been many years
since a house and senate have worked
together so tremendously and have so
well agreed upon fair and conservative
LEGISLATION upon questions OF unusual Vim
portance. The franchise tax bill which
was defeated IN the senate year ago.
was overwhelmingly passed by both bran
cheS OF the general assembly at the session
OF Is02. there being only two votes cast
against the measure In the senate. The
corporations which are to- be affected by
the new law admitted the justice OF
franchise tax. but objected TO the method
Of levying the tax under the Gambler
bin as Il was passed The corporations
preferred the levying OF a definite per
cent upon the gross earnings Of their bust
ness. rather than undertaking 10 find the
value OF their franchise upon the same
basis Of assessing their physical property.
The law Is a new one. and If found i'm
perfect in its present shape. future iegts-
latiOn can remedy any trouble which may
be found unfair to the interests affected.
The passage OF the franchise bill Il is
thought. viii add about thirty millions OF
taxable property to the digest which has
heretofore escaped taxation. and viii add
about Sso.cO TO the state treasury. re-
ceipts annually.
SUMNER SESSIONS.
BY a practically unanimous vote both
branches of the general assembly passed
the bill for holding future sessions in July
and August instead Of November and
December as at present The governor
vetoed the bill hut BY overwhelming ma
jCAties the veto was 0verridden and the
bin becomes the law Tor the future. II
viii mean that the present members OF
the legislation will hold the sessions Of
1893 and 1904 and that the governor and
al state house officers viii retain their
present positions for eight months longer
than they were elected. IL was for this
reason principally that the governor
deemed it incumbent upon him TO veto
the bin The necessity for the change 10
holding the sessions I'm the summer is
obvious and the members OF the general
assembly felt that IL should not ne longer
delayed
November is one Of the busiest Of the
fall months in every line Of business and
profession The members are forced 10
absent themselves from the business OF
the legislature to look arIer their private
affairs at home The consequence is. that
on Saturday and Monday OF each week
during the session. there Is. rarely a quo
rum present 10 do business Again, the
climate at Atlanta is quite changeable
and the weather Is often severe in the late
fall The capitol and hotels being heated
by steam. a large number Of the repre-
eentatives are constantly suffering from
severe colds. and many Of them suffer
from pneumonia and other pulmonary
troubles. which renders them incapacita-
ted TO attend the sessions regularly. No
business man can attend the sessions in
the fan Of the year except at a great per-
s0nal sacrifice.
By holding the sessions In the summer
II Is thought that men Of larger affairs
and OF broader Craftsmanship viii feel