Watson's weekly Jeffersonian., 1907-08-15


On Tuesday the anti-pass bill was before the
house. 1t should have been passed long ago. There
is no disagreement over the essential features of
this bill among the members They unanimous in
favor Of such law and time is pressing for only
few days remain of this session and as yet little work
has been completed. The anti-pass law should have
passed long ago. 1t should have been passed Tuesday
as soon as it was taken up
But it wasn't And the reason was Mr. Hail. He
had substitute which he wants passed Mr. Hall
has substitute for every BILL or an amendment or
something to delay and obstruct it seems; and when
he has nothing else he wants reconsideration.
Always obstructing; always delaying the work of
the legislature
For the anttpass bill Mr. Hall had his substitute
The headlines of the Atlanta Constitution tell un-
premedtatedly but in most striking manner of
the of the obstruction scheme of the gentle
man from Bibb: six hours of talk without any re-
sult-House wrangled anti-pass measure through
two sessions-Flood of amendments offered to Hall
bill-One adopted was afterward reconsidered after
debate lasting more than two hours. Another sub
stitute offered"
For six hours Mr.. Hall managed to keep the house
in wrangle, during which he stood up and "roared"
as reported in the press, about what he had seen
in the Macon convention, and that 'oyu must take
my bill or take none" whole day killed and
nothing DONE
Again the next day, Wednesday, valuable time
consumed by Mr.. Hall in the obstruction he
had provided by this substitute of his for the anti
pass bill. He finally secured it's adoption the
members in sheer WEAKNESS yielding to the machn-
ations of this obstreperous obstructionist. Well
do the newspaper reports represent him, after the
wrangle ended and all this valuable time had
been wasted: Mr.. Hall, wearing smile yard long
less, walked down the main aisle Of the
house into the lobbies and over to the senate 1t
took him ten minutes to make the trip.
Then he took, seat in the senate where the per-
sistent smile of victory continued to attract atten
tion almost breaking up the debate on the anti
lobbying bill.'
What is Mr. Hall after in all this obstruction?
His antipass BILL the adoption of which by the house
he forced, was not better than the bill it supplanted
Mr. Hall admitted himself that it is not good. More
than that it comes in conflict with the bill already
passed by the senate and to reach agreement
between the two will probably cause further wrang-
ling and the loss of time. Was that the
of the "smile yard long? If Mr.. Hall were
the paid agent of corporations interested in defeat
ing pending reform bills, he could not serve them
effectively than he is doing by his obstruc
tive tactics
Or is it purely egotsm which makes the gentle
from Bibb play the role Of the great obstructor?
His anti-pass bill was introduced years ago. At
that time it was an up-to-date reform measure and
it is pity that it wasn't passed then. But conditions
have changed The people have made progress in
the way to handle the predatory corporations, and
they demand more now than they did then.
reform bill that was good several years ago does
not come up to requirements today. Was it purely
the exaggerated ego of the which made him
contend for his bill when the bill he seeking
to displace was by his own admission better one?
And can puffed-up vanity and egotism be given
as the explanation for his obstructive tactics all
other bills? Who can tell what it is that prompts
these tactics of the gentleman from Bibb?-The
Augusta Herald.