Fitzgerald enterprise. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1895-1912, 1907-07-11

Temperance, Knight, chairman Lashley vice
chairman.
Western and Atlantic railroad, Flynt, chairman,
Walden, vice chairman
Wednesday afternoon at 2:30 O'Clock there
will be Joint session of the temperance committees
of both the house and senate for the consideration
of pending legislation. All eyes are upon this
meeting as the most intense interest is being mani
tested in the bills which seek to declare the state
of Georgia dry. Citizens will be heard ON both
sides of the question and the committees will prob
ably have to have several sessions before they are
ready to report That there will be some sort of
temperance legislation at this session seems to be
admitted by all. The advocates of prohibition
claiming 81 volts i'll the senate for the pending
bills, while there is doubt about the measures
going safely thro the house.
Governor Smiths attitude on liquor legisa-
tion is of interest and he has authorized me to
state that his position is just what it was thro
out the campaign He regards the local option
law as a good one and as a legislator would vote
for it, In a local option election he would vote
against the sale of liquor AS governor he proposes
to leave the entire matter to the legislature and
will approve state prohibition law if the legislI
ture passes it.
In order to expedite their passage two impOr-
tant reform bills will be introduced in the senate
Tuesday and referred to the proper committees.
Senator Fielder, of the 22nd, will probably intro
duce the dsfranchsement measure of Representa-
tive William of Laurens and Senator Ove1street
will introduce the railroad bill of Representative
Murphy Gambler of DeKalb. In this way the
bills can be carried thrO both branches of the
legislature simultaneously Other reform meas
ures will be handled in the same way and every
effort made to get the Macon platform carried out
before the season ends.
Governor Smith, Monday, took an important
step when he deputzed Secretary Calvin N. Hitch
to act as auditor of the executive department. This
is new departure and indicates the purpose of
Governor Smith to know the nature of every ex-
penditure and to check all extravaganza. Here
tofore the executive department has been without
an auditor and it was impossible 10 keep up with
the expenditures in that department. In this con
connection the governor states that he will not
sign warrant for agent Of the state for travel
ing expenses at three cents per mile if the agent
used mileage book He proposes that the state
shall pay only two and half cents per mile.
Senator Fielder, of the 22nd, Monday morning
introduced resolution, calling for plans by which
the convicts of the state can be worked the pub
lie roads and not hired out to lessees. The resolu
ton asks that a committee of two from the senate
and three from the house be appointed, whose duty
it shall be to report to the general assembly prac
ticable method by which the able bodied cOnvicts
of the state can be worked upon the public roads.
The committee is also requested to investigate the
sub letting of cOnvicts and ascertain what prices
are actually being paid by individuals and corpor
atons working the convicts The resolution declares
the state of Georgia should not delegate it's sovereign
power to punish violations Gifts laws to any private
individual and corporation nor should the state
by the leasing of it's convicts lessen by competition
the wages of the honest Iaborers discourage by
this unjust competition the industries of the state
which employ it's honest laborers."
Governor Smith is working upon the
organization of the national guard of the state and
many changes are expected. 1t is understood that
the governor will appoint new heads to practically
every department connected with the military.
Col Andrew j. Scott has already been named ad-
jutant general with the rank of brgadier general,
succeeding Judge Sampson w. Harris. Hon. W. B.
McCants of Winder, will probably be named com
msSary general of subsistence, with the rank of
colonel succeeding Col. Morris WesIosky, of AL
bany, Captain Barry Wright of Rome, will be APP
pointed Judge advocate general, succeeding Col.
George NJ. Napier, of Atlanta. Hon. H. H. Fitz-
patrick, of Madison will succeed Col Harry Silver
man, of Atlanta, quartermaSter general The
following will in all likelihood be named aides
on the military staff Capt John A. Clark, Of Au-
gusta; Lieutenant Rodney Cohen, of Augusta;
Hon. j. A. Horn, of Milledgeville; Hon. s. NJ.
COfN-