The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-06-27
MEASURES BEFORE
The LEGISLATURE
ONE AFFECTS OLD SOLDIERS
TO INSURE PENSIONS TO INDECENT
CoNFEDERATE VETERANS.

Kelly Ballot Reform Bill Ex
pected to Go Through AIso-Com-
mittees Will Get Down to Work
This Week-The Bill to Increase
the Salary of Superior Court
Judges VIII Come Up Wednesday.
Atlanta, June 26.--Although the Leg
fslature has been in session only four
days, action has already been taken on
two important measures, and others
have been put in shape for early final
consideration.
The important measures passed on
related to pensions and corporation tax
returns The House killed the bill by
Mr.. Wellborn of Union, prohibiting any
Confederate soldier owning s., 900 worth
of property or having an income of
more than $500, from drawing a pen
sion. Now Mr.. Wellborn SAYS he will
He proposes to offer a bill requiring
the payment of pension to every Con-
federate soldier who is a citizen of the
state and who is worth less than 81 900
Certainly, he says, no objection can be
found to such a measure as this on the
part of those who insist that no vet
eran should be deprived of his pension
for any cause, and he considers that
this measure, if passed, would accom-
plish in a greater degree, just what the
other bill intended. He says there are
many INDECENT veterans who cannot get
pensions now because there is not
money enough appropriated to pay
them; whereas if the veterans who own
property were cut off the rolls, the in
digent veterans would stand better
chance.
For state Board of Assessors.
The Senate has been given something
to work on during the week now be-
ginning, measure which will doubt
is the bill by Mr.. Hall of Bib, pro-
viding for State Board of Tax AS
SCISSORS to pass upon the returns of
and assess for taxation all corporation
property now returned to the Con-
troller General. 1t was considered
somewhat strange that no contest was
and a fight Is expected in the Senate,
though with the backing of a vote of
125 to 3 in the House, it is generally
believed it will be enacted into law.
The striking feature of this measure is
that it does not permit of the appoint
nient of an arbitrator by the corpor-
atoms, the interests affected, but re-
quires that the entire board shall be
appointed by the Controller General
oil IS he
necessary assessments himself, subject
to correction by a separate board in
each case. The progress of this bill
through the Senate will be watched
with a great deal of interest.
The Ballot Reform Bill.
Another matter of Importance upon
which early action has been provided
for, is the ballot reform bill. This
measure will be somewhat in the shape
of an Australian ballot law prepared
to suit conditions in Georgia. The bill
now before the House is that by DIR.
Kelly of Glascock, the same as was
passed last year by the House, but
was defeated in the Senate by small
vote. New conditions and the recon-
mendation of the state convention and
the Governor, have brought about a
demand for legislation in the direction
of ballot reform, and it is thought now
there is no doubt of the passage of
such a measure as this during the
present session.
The special Joint Committee on
Ballot Reform, of which DR.. Kelly is
chairman, will hold meeting to-mor-
row night at the residence OF Presl-
dent Howell of the Senate, at which
time the bill will be perfected. 1t will
then be reported to the House and will
be ready for third reading and final
massage by that body. To this end there
is no doubt that the bill will be made
a special order for an early date, as
its present position on the calendar
might otherwise endanger its success
at this session.
Calendar Full of Bills.
The House calendar is full of bills
ready for a third reading and final &C
ton. The policy of the present House
ia somewhat against fixing special or
ders, except in cases of great lmpor-
lance. The result Us that unless the
present calendar is weeded out quite
rapidly, many of the general pliis
which are being introduced now VIII
stand practically no chance of getting
through. Exception will, no doubt, be
made in the case of the constitutional
amendment bills because, If they are
to be submitted to the people at the
csr7,inr election in October, they VIII
have TO he rassed and signed by the
Governor at least two weeks before
the close of the present session IN Or
der that they may be advertised the
requisite two months. There are sew
eral important constitutional amend
ment bills now pending, and the com
rnittees are hard at work upon them.
The committees of both the House
and Senate will get down to hard work
this week. None of the important COM
rofttees. with the exception of the
House Committee on Appropriations
has vet started in on the measures re-
ferred to it. The Appropriations Conn
rnfttee proceeded at once TO tackle the
general appropriations bill, and signal
lied ats first meeting by cutting out
all appropriations for legislative en-
ployes In response to a motion by Mr..
Hall of Bfbb. This leaves the next
House and Senate, unless the Dill is
changed, to provide for its own en-
ployes in such manner as they may
see fit, possibly through application 70
the Secretary of State as Mr.. Hail mas
suggested is the proper course.
No Junkets in sight
So far there are no junketing trips
In sight this year, and 1t Is not likely
that there will be any. The legislature
realizes that it has important work on
hand, and the members are for dispos-
ing Of It as speedily as possible.
Steps have been taken to bring the
Senate bill providing for increasing the
salaries Of judges of the Superior Court
to 5000 per annum, UP as the special
order IN the House next Wednesday.
ThaS bill has already passed the Sem
-. o..d a. the EIottaa ofuae N aF,nrOtyaI