The Savannah morning news., 1903-07-27
WORK BEFORE IT
uUsY WEEK THREATENS THE
LOWER HOUSE.
SPECIAL ORDERS ARE FIXED
,vn THE CALENDAR STANDS But
LITTLE CHANCE.

Meeting With FavOr-Other Mat
ters That viii Occupy the Atten-
tim of the Legislators.
Atlanta, July 26.-There will be all
sorts of time in the House this week.
INST before the adjournment of the
House on Friday. a number of special
orders were fixed and the indications
ara that the calendar, or the regular
order. has very little chance.
If was thought that last week would
witness the final disposition Of the
convict question, so far as the House
is concerned, but it was not to be-
Two weeks have been spent in dis
cnssing the disposition of the felony
convicts and as a matter of fact, the
House has done little else. Local
hills have gotten through with practi-
cally no difficulty, but general meas
ures outside of those relating to con-
victs, has been ignored. Many think it
better that this is so.
However, the settlement of the con-
vict question is in sight now, and
Tuesday will see a vote taken on the
matter. While the ardent advocates
of the Steed bill, providing for con-
tinuation of the present lease system
with the contribution of the entire net
revenue to the school fund, seem hope
full of getting their bill through with
out material modification, it begins to
look as if the House will insist on
some amendment that will break in on
the lease plan. The last substitute
for the Steed bill, which has been de-
nominated the Gambler, compromise"
has attached to it the names of TWEEN
ty-odd members of the House, several
Of whom were warm in their opposi-
ton to the Fielder bill.
This so-called compromise bill, it is
said, is meeting with considerable ia
v0r in the House. 1t will give those
counties that want felony convicts for
road work an opportunity to get them,
and it will not, it is stated, diminish
the school fund of any county that de-
sires to retain the full amount it now
receives from the treasury for school
purposes. 1t proposes to let such coun-
ties as desire to do so, use on the pub
lie roads their felony cOnvicts whose
terms are ten years or under, and in
Tho event any county wants more con-
yicts than it can secure in this way, il
A. lease them from the state on the
same terms as anyone else. Such
counties is retain these convcts, how
ever, are not to participate in the di-
vision Of that portion of the school
fund that comes from convict hire. The
bill fixes an upset price of SIS per
month or $3.50 per year for each con-
Vict, and prohibits sub-letting
The House has adopted a resolution
shutting off debate on the convict
question at II o'clock Tuesday
morning. After that Chairman Steed
Of the Penitentiary Committee, and
Mr.. Fielder of Bibb as signer of the
minority report, will each have twenty
minutes, and a vote will be reached
before noon.
Exhibit at st. Louis.
Despite the fact that the House cal
endar is crowded with general meas
ures, the House fixed a number of
special orders for the week. There are
BUT seventeen days of the session left
ana 1t will take fast work to dispose
OF any considerable number of them.
one Of the interesting measures that
was liked for consideration this week,
IS the resolution by Mr.. Dunbar of
Nehmond, which appropriates $4,000
Ior an exhibit of the states agricultu-
raj and kindred resources at the
louisiana Purchase Exposition at st.
LOUIS next year The resolution comes
from the general Appropriations Com
mltee with a favorable report, and
there anpearS to be a very general
sentiment among the members in favor
VI dong something in this direction.
Gov. Terrell, it is reported, is anxious
70 see appropriations held down at the
present session. While there promises
10 De an unusually large increase in
ule tax returns this year. it is the Gov
erhors desire, if possible, to use this
Ior the purpose of reducing the tax
rate However, there is quite a strong
sentiment in favor of Georgia being
properly represented at the st. Louis
p puria fair The recent speech of
rnVate John Allen, government COM
missioner for the exposition, made
qulte an impression on the members
VI the General Assembly, and it is be-
seVed they will do something in this
WTectlon. This resolution will be con-
sluered on Tuesday Immediately after
me convict bill has been disposed of.
Inc first special order of the week
VIII be considered on Monday. 1t is
me bill by Mr. Adams of Putnam,
when proposes to make it a msde-
rnedhor for any person to procure
IoHey or other advances on a con-
al . IAork as a laborer, with intent
~ ue1raGd. Under the present law
Such an advance, no matter how
fraudulent the intent in securing 1t,
p considered only in the light of
Following the Dunbar resolution
mere will be considered the bill by
NJ Howard of Baldwin to appropri-
@'e $4,000 for the use of the state SAN
;;."rlum at Milledgeville. This money
IL needed before the two new build
HIss at the sanitarium can be finally
completed and made ready for the re-
eepuon of patients.
Uniform Text Books
The first special order for wednes-
NY ~ the House is the uniform text
NJ, NIX Dill. Senator Dodd's bill, pro-
tSlaing for a uniform system of text
bpooks, has already passed the Senate,
Jul the House has not taken up that
leisure. Instead of reporting on the
a Dolu Dill the House Committee on Edu
tSSuoh has presented a substitute for
i irls several House bills on the subject,
iouuced by Messrs. West OF
Wgt"fHHues, Mitchell of Thomas, and
t "ni'iey of Douglas, and the substi
roo., years the name of each of those
tior oers 1t provides for the adop
boai-o OF uniform system of text
sto4S lor the common schools of the
at through the medium of the
a4ee. BOARD of Education. but does not
MIN. local or city systems. 1t is not
The 9to. the Dodd bill in it's provisions,
ter NtIerences being rather in the mat
tio "DETAILS. There is warm Opposi-
do,n' 70 this measure, and there is no
ine OF OF its precipitating an interest
S"SHt on the floor of the House.