The Savannah morning news., 1903-08-04
STRONG ON LOBBYING
WAS THE TALK HEARD FROM
MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE.
OVERSTREET is REGRETFUL
FOR THE INTERVIEW CRITICIZE
ING THE COMMITTEE.

Member from Screven Declared
That He Had Talked Too Much.
InterView Given as a Fool Who
Though He Explained, He Said
He Had Nothing to Retract and
No Apology to Make-CharEed
With DemaSOguery.
Atlanta, Aug. S.-The Lobby Investi-
cation Committee held it's first meet
ing this afternoon and organized for
business. The sessions will be held
from o'clock in the morning to l
o'clock in the afternoon, beginning to-
morrow, in the secretary's room of
the Senate.
1t was decided to summon TO appear
before the committee tomorrow Mr..
Overstreet of Screven and Mr.. Tigner
of Muscogee, who made charges of
lobbyism on the floor of the House;
Senator Perry of the Thirty-third dis
trict, who mentioned the matter on
the Senate floor, and J. R. Gray, edi-
tor of the Atlanta Journal. who has
made statements in connection with
the matter in his paper. These gen.
tlemen will be asked to furnish this
committee with all the information
they have in their possession regarding
lobbying.
The lobby question produced large
case of talk on the floor of the House
to-day. Based on the interview given
out Saturday by Mr.. Overstreet, in
which he criticized the members of the
committee appointed by Speaker Nor
ris, Mr. Slaton of Fulton rendered his
resignation, stating that FROM a stand
point of propriety he did not think he
should serve. Mr.. Howard of Baldwin
resigned for similar reasons. and Mr..
West of Lowndes based his resignation
on business reasons purely.
Aimed at O~erstreet.
| Mr.. Halves of Ebert did not resign,
but he made a pretty warm speech in
which he resented the statement made
by Mr.. Overstreet, to the effect that
he was closely allied with the Southern
! Railway, is an unwarranted reflection
| and insult He declared in closing that
there were demagogues as we'll as lob
! byists, and that. the former-were about
! as dangerous to the interests OF the
state as the latter.
| Later in the session Mr.. Overstreet
| spoke to a question of personal privi-
lege. He went into details, explaining
his criticism of the House Committee
and declaring that he considered all
of them men of honesty and integrity
He said his criticism had been made In
a spirit Of kindness to the members
of the committee. He himself, had
been asked by the Speaker If he would
serve and declined, because he admit
ted that he having made the charge,
was unqualified to conduct an impair
tial investigation. THE interview was
not given as a demagogue," he de-
clared. but as a fool who talks too
much" Notwithstanding, Mr.. Over
street said he had nothing to retract
and no apology to make. He said ne
would go before the committee ana
furnish it with all the information ne
nossibly could, though he stated at the
outset. he would not prove the charge
he made.
Likewise of Cam.
sneaking of Mr. Cam of chatham
he said he had been a friend of Mr.
cann long before he ever knew him as
member of the Legislature. and con-
sidared him a man of the highest in
tegritv. He declared he would say
nothing under any circumstances to
wound his feelings. He concluded by
annealing to the members of the Com
mittee not to resign. but to serve, and
70 get all the light possible on the
question under investigation.
Speaker Morris stated that ne was
Glad TO hear the statement from the
gentlemen from Screven, commencing
the members of the committee. He
had Amounted the best possible COM
mittee, he said, because he considered
the matter one of great Importance,
and he would decline to accept the
designations of those members who had
rendered them. They will find it i'm
possible to resign now without dis
courtesy to the House, and 1t is I'M
derstood there will be no changes in
The ooup1ittee