The Savannah morning news., 1903-07-31
HOT IN The HOUSE
WHEN OVERsTREET AND TIGNER
WE'RE HEARD
ON LOBBYING RESOLUTION
THAT HAD BEEN ADOPTED BY THE
SENATE.

Senate Wanted Committee to In
Vestigate the Charges of Lobby
ing-''Statement n D. Lie and No
body but D. Fool Would Make
IT." Said OVerstreet-His Refer
ence Was to the Language of the
Senate observation-disclosures Sticks
to His Charges.
Atlanta, July 90.-The sensation of
the day in legislative circles is the
passage by the Senate of a Joint reso-
luton for the appointment of a com
mittee of three from the Senate and
five from the House to investigate the
charges of lobbyism that were recent
ly made upon the floor of the House
The Senate resolution. by Senator
Shelton of the Thirty-first district,
quoted the language used yesterday
by Mr.. Overstreet of Screven and de-
clared it was an insult to every mem
Der of the House and Senate, if UNI
founded.
Mr.. Tigner of Muscogee had several
days before INDUCED in similar
charges on the floor of the House,
when the child labor bill was under
discussion Both he and Mr.. Over
street had stated that lobbying exist
ed, but it was difficult to prove it,
because the lobbyists approached only
those whom they were sure of.
Senator Porry, in the Senate, also
made a similar statement, but this was
not refererd to in the Senate resolu-
ton.
When the House Received 1t.
When the Senate resolution reached
the House two other resolutions were
offered. Mr.. Grice of Pulaski moved
that the whole thing be referred to the
Committee on the State of the Repub-
lie. Everybody knows there is no
criminal lobbying going on here" he
said, land the report will so show. 1t
will also defend the rights of citizens
to come here and use argument"
Finally the House referred the whole
matter to the General judiciary Com
mittee, with instructions to report to-
morrow morning. The committee met
this afternoon and adopted a substi-
tute for the Senate resolution, which
is similar in effect, but does not con-
tain the details about the charges that
are found in the Senate document. It
provides for a similar committee, and
empowers it to summon witnesses and
hear testimony. and requires it to re-
| port within one week.
Following the action of the commit
tee, Mr.. Overstreet made some en-
phatic statements The Senate reso-
luton had stated that his language.
which it quoted, If unfounded, was an
insult to every member of the House
and Senate, or words to that effect.
II want to say" said Mr.. Over
street, that that statement is id
lie and nobody but a id fool would
make it,.
Tigner Reiterated His Charges.
Mr.. Tigner of Muscogee then took
the floor and reiterated his charges,
He proceeded to arraign the Senate
for basing it's resolution wholly on
the statements of himself and Mr..
Overstreet, when it had ignored SINH
lar charges made by Senator Perry
on the floor of the Senate.
1--WE should tell them to mind their
own business and clean their own
skirts first" Mr. Tigner said. II want
10 reiterate the charges / have made
that there was lobbying in the popu-
lar sense, and that this is unhealthy
for the proceedings of legislation.
1--WE are morally sure that the UNI
wholesome practices do exist, and that
they are deleterious to Georgias best
interests. / meant TO charge no man
deliberately with crime, but if it hits
any ScOundrel VINO has violated the
law, God knows l meant it then and /
mean it now to apply to him. 1 have
not struck at any innocent man, but
at the Shiny. sneaky creature who
says Come out in the hall; don't stay
here where they can see you
Mr.. Tigner declared in conclusion
that the denouement in the vote on the
convict bill, meaning the disappearance
of four members, was a demonstration
of the charges he had made of the de-
leterious influences of such methods.