The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-06-24
HOUSE TANDS BY
STATES VETERANS
WOULD NOT REDUCE ROLLS.
DEFEATED AN EFFORT TO CUT OFF
PENSIONS

Special Committee Was Named to
Report Upon the Question of Bal
lot Reform-A Committee Was
Also Appointed to Investigate ms
to n State Reformatory for Juve-
nile ofenders-0ther Matters BE-
fore the House.
Atlanta, June 2S.-The House of
Representatives did several important
things to-day. most notable among
which may he mentioned the appoint
ment of a special committee to report
at an early date on the question of bal
lot reform, the passage of "a resolution
providing for an investigation looking
to the establishment of a state reform
atory for youthful criminals, and the
defeat of a bill designed to cut off
from the pension rolls those veterans
who are worth $1,000 or who have an
income exceeding $500 annually.
The bill seeking to reduce the pension
roll came from Mr.. Wellborn of Union.
1t provided that no Confederate soldier
who was worth $1,000 in property or
who received an Income of $500 or more
annually should be permitted to draw
a pension. 1t was afterwards amend
ed so as to make the amount of prop
erty $4,000.
Hon. Joe Hill Hall of Bibb, noted us
ually for his economy, led the oppose
ton to this bill Others spoke strong
ly against it, while Mr. Wellborn and
Mr.. Evans of Washington urged its
| passage. 1t was a fight of sentiment
and business, and sentiment won the
day. The House disagreed to the fav-
| orable report of the committee by a
vote of 81 to as, thereby killing the
| bill.
As to Ballot Reform.
The ballot reform resolution was in
| troduced by DR.. Kelly of Glascock. 1t
provided for the appointment of a
cCmmitte of five from the House and
three from the Senate. to which the
president of the Senate and the speaker
of the House were added to be known
as the Ballot Reform Legislative Com
| mittee," and to which shall be referred
all measures looking to reformation and
publications of the ballot in Georgia.
| The committee was directed to make
an early report.
This resolution was passed unani-
mously both by the House and Senate.
! President Howell appointed from the
Senate Senators ]. H. SHELTON of the
| Thirty-first. II. w. Hopkins of the
Seventh and H. A. Mathews of the
| Twenty-third
| Speaker Morris of the House named
| DR.. Kelly as chairman, Messrs. Stovall
| of Chatham, Akin of Barlow, Gambler
! of De Kalb and Hall of Bibb.
| The committee is considered an ex-
| ceptionally strong one, and it is
| thought a measure of considerable
| !, v.Ixy in ha
sion. Ballot reform has been urged
since the last primaries, both by the
| State Convention, and in the Govern
| or's message.
For "a state Reformntory.
The state reformatory resolution was
| introduced by Mr.. Fielder of Bibb and
was passed by the House unanimous
| ly. This resolution directs the appoint
| ment of a committee of three from
the House and two from the Senate
which shall investigate and report the
number of criminals confined an the
| penitentiary and jails of the state who
are under Is years of age, white, col
| ored, male and female.
| The committee is to report the
amount of appropriation which will be
| necessary to establish a reformatory or
reformatories for the care of these
youthful criminals, to the end that they
may be kept away from older and more
| hardened criminals, and to draft bill
| looking to carrying out the objects in
view. The committee will probably be
! appointed tomorrow.
Bills and Resolutions.
A resolution by Mr.. Spence of Ware.
directing the treasurer to pay to the
estate of the late Hon. r. B. john
son of Clinch the per diem and mile
age that would have accrued to him
| for the present session, was referred
to the Committee on Appropriations.
One of the most important bills in
! troduced In the House was by Mr..
| Fields of Dooly, providing for the Gre
! alton of q Department of Commerce
Labor and immigration, in line with
| the recommendation contained in the
| Governors message. This bill provides
| for a head of such a department at a
| salary of $1,000 a year, whose duties
shall be to encourage immigration of
the proper sort TO Georgia and to gath
er and tabulate statistics relating to
labor and industry throughout the
state.
Mr.. Fielder of Bib introduced two
bills designed to fix Thursday as the
day for electing justices of the peace,
instead of Saturday
Mr.. Reid of Campbell, chairman of
the Ways and Means Committee, in
trOduceQ the general TAX Dill, anu a
bill looking to the taxation of stock in
foreign corporations which may be held
by individuals or corporations in this
state.
Mr.. Peyton of Habersham introduced
a bill designed to put telephone COM
panies under the control of the Rail-
road Commission.
Mr.. Davidson of Greene introduced a
bill to appropriate $500 to build mon
ument over the grave of Peter Early
Georgias first Governor, who was
buried in Greene county.
Mr.. Butts of Glynn introduced bill
to make it unlawful for any one to
hunt and kill wild deer on st. Sirnons
Island for a period of three years.
The Senate.
The Senate held short session and
transacted very little business Strin-
gent rules we're adopted regarding those
entitled to the privileges of the floor,
and all others will be kept outside
the Senate chamber during the ses-
sions.
Senator Mathews introduced bill
providing for state repositories at
Perry and Fort Valley.
The Senate concurred in the reso1u-