The Savannah morning news., 1904-07-15
TO ASK PARDON
FOR MAMIE De Girls
SENATE PASSED RESOLUTION.
MEASURE PROVOKED LIVELIEsT
DEBATE IN SOME TIME.

j. Rice Smith Champion of "Dia-
mOnd Quecn"-COncerned Not SO
Much for Fate of woman as Fame
of State-License Required to Sell
Domestic Wines-Immig ration Bu-
reau Bill Made Special Order.
Anti-TicI<et ScaIoers Bill Passed
without Debate.
Atlanta. July 14.-With Senator J.
Rice Smith as her champion on the
floor of the Senate Mamie De Girls par
don resolution won a signal victory in
the upper House of the Legislature
to-day. The adoption of the resolution
was preceded by the liveliest debate
heard in the Senate in many days, the
features of this debate being the
speeches of Senators Smith and Snead
in favor of the resolution and those of
Senator Atkinson and others against
it.
The resolution was as follows: by
Senator Snead. of the Twenty-ninth,
resolved by the Senate. the House of
Representatives concurring, that His
excellency the Governor be and he is
hereby requested to grant a pardon to
Mamie De Girls, a convict who is con-
fined in the penitentiary farm of Bald
win county" In urging the resolution
Senator Snead. said, 4 cannot see
the distinction between signing pc
tition for this woman's pardon and vot-
ing for this resolution. 1t seems to
me 1 would represent the people of
the eighteenth senatorial district just
as much one way or another"
For Honor of Georgia.
"Ah, gentlemen" he went on, step
ping out into the main aisle of the
Senate chamber and lifting up his
voice, II am not condoning crime, nor
am 1 in sympathy with the evil things
this woman has done, but l care not
one whit whether she stole some IS
pin or a 100000 necklace of gems. That
matters nothing. What / am concern
ed with is the honor of my state The
blots laid upon the fair name of Geor-
gia by the lash that struck this help
less woman must be wiped out. and
must be wiped out by an official vote
of the Legislature of this state"
He took his seat amidst a burst of
applause, upon which Mr. Atkinson
arose.
Il was one of the legislative COM
mittee which visited the prison farm"
said he. land ! found that this woman
was intractable. unhumbled. unpeni-
tent for her sins. The advocates of this
resolution are impelled by sentiment
alone. Do we adhere to the idea of no
corporal punishment for disobedient
conviets. and do we discriminate
among individuals. saying one shall be
ase1.
when the offenses are of equal magni-
tude? Away with this sentimentalsm,
say it might do in the House Of
representatives., but it should find no
place in the august Senate"
The resolution was passed by a vote
of 20 to 16.
License TO Sell Wines.
Another important measure passed
by the Senate was the bill by Mr..
Ledford Of the Fortieth. providing that
all persons retailing domestic wines.
whether or their own manufacture or
otherwise, should be required to pay a
license fee as other liquor dealers are.
Immigration Bureau Bill.
The immigration bureau bill by Mr..
Matthews of the Twenty third was the
special order in the Senate and was
taken up the first thing after the pre-
liminares OF the session. Mr.. Mat
thews was the first speaker saying in
part: Il cannot see how there could
be intelligent opposition 70 this meas
sure, for with the possible exception
Of the Orient and certain crowded cen
ters in Europe the value of increased
population Is recognized the world
over"
Mr.. Shelton spoke briefly against the
bill and Mr.. Matthews then asked
unanimous consent that the special or
der be set aside. No objection was Of
fered and the Senate proceeded to other
matters.
Passed Ticket scalper's Bill.
The anti-ticket scalpers bill by Mr.
Howell of the Thirty-hfth was passed
without debate by a vote Of p TO O.
This bill prohibits the traffic in nom
transferable signature railroad tickets
A House bill by Messrs. johnson OF
Clinch and Singletary Of Thomas pro-
viding that no one should carry certain
weapons without first procuring a IL
csnse was defeated.