The Savannah morning news., 1904-07-01
WILL INVESTIGATE
THE INVESTIGATORS
JOE HALLS COMMITTEE
HAS CERTAIN IRREGULARITIES
CHARGED AGAINST 1T.

Investigating Committee Criticized
state officials and state Institu-
tiOns Severely for Irregularities.
Now II Develops That the Conn
mittee Itself Transcribed the
Provisions of the Resolution
Createing II.
Atlanta, June 3O.-Immediately aft
er the House convened this morning,
Hon. Joe Hill Hall of Bibb, who is
chairman of the special legislative in
vestigating committee, which recent
~ made its report, arose to a question
of personal privilege in order to an
swer an attack made on the work of
the committee in an afternoon paper.
Mr.. Hall said it was reported that
certain State House officers and MEM
bers of the House had criticised the
investigating committee because it had
been guilty of similar Irregularities
to those of whom it complained. 1t
was true, he said that the committee
had employed two expert accountants
and a stenographer, whereas the res
olution authorized the employment of
only one expert accountant. Mr..
Hall said two experts were made nee
essary because of the Illness of Mr..
Mulherin of the committee, who was
an expert bookkeeper. He was him
self tentirely responsible for the em-
ploynfent of the stenographer, and the
committee had paid him all that had
I
as to whether or not it would pay the
expenses of the stenographer, which
were absolutely necessary.
This ended the discussion of the sub
ject for to-day, but Mr.. Brock of Dads
stated that he proposed TO introduce
a resolution in the House tomorrow
providing for joint committee to
investigate the work and proceedings
Of the Hall investigating committee.
There was nothing personal in this. he
said, but he proposed that inquiry
should be made into the action Of the
committee, which seemed to have
committed Irregularities while it was
complaining of irregularities on the
part Of everyone else i'm the state.
For New Election Rules.
Chairman r. j. M. Kelly Of the
special ballot reform committee to-day
reported the proposed Australian bal
lot BILL which the committee has
perfected. II was ordered printed and
was made the special order in the
House for tomorrow This bill Is, in
the main, similar 70 the measure pass
ed by the House and defeated by the
Senate last year, but contains sew
eral new provisions. One of the most
important of these is that no prim-
airy election shall be held longer than
sixty days before the regular cleo
ton. This would put state primary
elections up to the first Of August.
proposition to provide for sec
ond primary in case no candidate
received a majority in the first, as
is the case in South Carolina. Florida
and other states, was lost, Chairman
Kelly deciding the question on a tie
vote. An interesting session is pre-
dicted tomorrow, when this measure
Is taken up.
More Pay for Mrs. Cobb.
Mr.. Hall Of Bibb to amend Section
$50 Of the code so as to increase the
salary OF the assistant state librarian
from $500 10 $1,000. There was quite
a little fight made against the meas
ure, but II finally went through by a
vote OF 10 10 q. The present assist
ant librarian is Mrs. Maud Barker
Cobb, who has done important work IN
oataloging the books in the library.
Fort screVen Land Bill.
The bill by Mr. stovall Of Chatham,
Continued on Ninth Page.