The Savannah morning news., 1903-08-06
SCHOOLS OR ROADS
WE'RE POINTS AT ISSUE IN DIS
CUSSING CONVICT QUESTION.
SUBSTITUTE BILL PASSED.
NOTICE OF MOTION TO RECONSIDER
PROMPTLY MADE BY OPPONENTS.

| PROMPILN MADE BY OPPONENTS.
Bill Passed Was the Knight-HOwelI
Substitute for Clements or Senate
BiII-PrOhibits Sub-IettinE of Con-
Victs-Minimum Price for Each
Convict Leased Must BE S175 n
Xear-COunties May Lease Felony
COnvicts at $40 IA MOnth-FiEht on
Effort to Repeal Rome Dispensary
Act.
Atlanta, Aug. 5.-The House settled
the convict question to-day, passing
the KnightHowell substitute for the
Clements or Senate bill by a bare con-
stitutional majority, IS to n.
The Clements bill which the Senate
passed provided only for a renewal of
the present convict lease system. When
it came up as the special order this
morning numerous amendments and
substitutes were offered, as was an
ticipated, among them the well-known
Gambler compromise, which was de-
feated along with the Steed bill sew
eral days ago, but chief attention was
directed to the substitute by Messrs.
Knight of Berrien and Howell of
Merriwether and others which was the
measure finally passed.
The Debate Was Brief.
The debate was brief and covered
practically the same points already
gone over in the discussion of the con-
| Wet question which has consumed sew
en- or eight days of the time of the
House. Among those who spoke for
the Knight-Howell substitute, or, in
effect fort he constitution of the pres
ent system, We're Messrs. knight of
Berrien, Steed of Taylor, West of
Lowndes, Morse of Coweta. Mr.. Wom-
BILE of Upson spoke in favor of putting
the convicts on the road.
Brief speeches were made by Messrs.
Lane of Sumter, Stovall of Chatham,
Fielder of Bibb and Gambler of De-
Kalb. On the one hand appeal was
made in behalf of the school children
of the state and maintaining the in
tegrity of the school fund. On the
other side the Importance of good
roads was stressed and was urged
NlleNA uhdCA tHC PipBOSCN pan ~ OSNh
ty would lose any part of Its school
fund. Mr.. Stovall made a strong APP
peal for good roads.
Only one amendment to the Knight
Howell substitute was adopted that
requiring lessees of conVicts to fur
nish them transportation to the point
of conviction after the expiration of
their terms, forbidding an exchange
of such transportation for money. This
Substitute was added by a vote of 81
to IA.
1t then lacked only one Of a con-
stitutional majority and there was
good deal of sparring for points.
4 The next vote was on the adoption
of the favorable committee report by
substitute, and this was done by IS
to n, the same vote by which the sub
| stitute was passed a few minutes
later.
What the Measure Means.
The Knight Howell substitute pro-
| vides in substance for a renewal of
present lease system and is similar
in effect to the Steed bill, though it
contains some minor provisions not
in that measure. 1t prohibits the sub
letting of convicts and provides that
the minimum price for each convict
leased to individuals or corporations
| shall be SITS a year. The present
| price paid to the state is 1896.
A new feature or plan is that coun-
| ties working their own misdemeanor
convicts may lease short-term felony
| conVicts whose terms are not over five
years for working the roads by pay
| ing the state $40 a month, or S12O a
year, for them, such counties to pay
the expense of guarding, clothing and
| feeding. Counties desiring to lease
such convicts must file application for
them on or before Nov. l. 1908.
Another section gives the Prison
| Commission increased power over the
misdemeanor convicts and permits that
body to fine lessees of misdemeanor
| convicts for violations of the commits
| sion rules, and even to abolish such
| camps. IT also provides that all of the
net proceeds from the hire of felony
| convicts, which, it is expected, will
amount to about $225,000 under this
bill, shall go to the state school fund,
as the present law now provides
An effort was made to have the bill
| transmitted at once to the Senate, but
| the necessary two-thirds' vote could
not be secured. Notice of a motion to
reconsider was given and an effort
| will be made Tomorrow to reverse
to-days action of the House Mr. Sto-
vail and Mr.. Harden voted against
the substitute and Mr.. Cam voted
for it.
The afternoon session was devoted
| To the discussion or contested local
| bills. Two bills to amend the charter
of the town of High Shoals, in Walton
and Morgan counties, were debated
! for an hour One of them was passed,
but the other. providing for taking in
| part of the town which lies in Oconee
| county, failed to receive the constitu-
tional majority and was lost.
Fight on DispensRry Bill.
Quite a sensational fight was precip-
itated on the bill by Messrs. Ennis
and Knowles of Floyd to repeal the
| Rome dispensary act, the same to be
| first submitted to a vote of the people
| Mr.. McHenry the/other Floyd county
representative is warmly opposing the
measure.
Mr.. Knowles made a speech in adj
vocacy of, the bill which was an excoria-
ton of Seaborn Wright, the author of
the bill under which the dispensary
was established Mr.. Knowles applied
such terms as Political Pharises" and
''Boastful and, egnostic tribune Of the
people" to Mr. Wright, and declare
false affidavits by w. S. Brooks,
prominent citizen of Rome, to the ef-
feet that Mr.. Knowles has promised to
take no steps to interfere with the
dispensary in the event of his elec-
ton. Mr.. McHenry made a strong APP
peal for the defeat of the bill, but the
House adjourned before action was
taken.
Court of Appeals Bill Passed.