The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1907-07-05

Constitutional Amendment Fixini :,
Franchise Standard. :
I realize how difficult ii will be :
reach the standard for which l pier
when a great number of qualified Vi
ers are nopelessly ignorant and p4r
chaseable. The difficulty is greaE
Increased when a class of voters H7
for generations inherited incaDacitk
and must transmit the same incapa%t
ty for generations to come.
favor an amendment to the coli
stitutiSn Of the State which will /
new standard for the elective frat
chise. The proposed constitution
amendment VIII be before you. viii
an oath fresh upon my lips to suppoE
the Constitution of the United Stated
| favor the amendment There
no restriction upon the right of
state to fix the qualifications Of thos
who may vote, except the proVisio
of the Constitution of the Unite
States, which declares that "tae RICH
of the citizens Of the United State
to vote shall not be denied or abridg
ed BY the United States, or any State
on account of race, color or previou
condition Of seryitude.
| have no doubt that the amend
ment proposed is entirely free fror
constitutional objection 1t neithe
denies nor abridges the right of an
citizen Of the United States to vot
on account of race, color or pre-
vious condition of servltude 1t onI
fixes certain standards which mus
be reached by every citizen Of til
United States before he can becom
an elector In Georgia.
Regulate Primaries by Law.
Popular government can only exis
as a substantial reality where tn
voters are given a fun opportunity t
express their convictions at the ballo
box. In our state it is especially i'm
portant that this opportunity Shout
be given in our primaries. BY com
mon consent, an overwhelming ma
jority Of the people accept the verde
of the primary as conclusive |
machine politicians are allowed to ma
nipuate either the time or name
Of holding primaries the will of tn
people can be defeated, and tn
schemes of the machine may be sub
stituted for popular government.
common dodge is to call primary lonl
before an election when the issue
are not before the people. No pri
mary should be permitted more thar
sixty days before the election.
Regulate Railroads and Public Ser
vice Companies.
Our pledges made to the peopl
covered legislation to promote pur
popular government, and also legisla
ton upon the great question of pro
tecting the rights of the people Il
their relations with common carrier
and public service corporations.
Railroad corporations and publ
service companies are monopolistic i
their nature. It is impossible 70
the ordinary rule of competition t
protect the rights of the public in thei
dealings with such companies. Rail
road corporations and public servic
corporations are given special prlvi
leges primarily that the people dis
connected with those companies ma
be benefited.
1t is especially important at thi
time when many are ready to trans
fer all control to the national govern
ment that the state show capacity t
meet its part of the responsibility.
Western and Atlantic Extension.
l commend this suggestion to you
careful consideration. believe tn
ownership Of the State Road to be
thing of great value to the people G
Georgia, not only on account of it
capacity to produce an income, bu
on account of the influence 1t ma
have upon the future regulation G
/ transportation questions. If it ca
be extended to the sea at one or NOR
points, have no doubt the investmen
would be profitable, and its value &
the people as a whole greatly increas
ed. 1 trust that you may be able t
present a satisfactory plan for tai
completion Of the road.