The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1908-08-19
CALLS BACK SOLONS.
Governor Smith Gould Not Give
Up Idea of Extra Session.
PUSHED HIS PET MEASURES

And There Was Not Time Enough to
Dispose of the Convict Question.
Says 1t Is Too Important to Con-
slider the Matter of Expense.
The regular session of the Georgia
Legislature adjourned Wednesday
without taking action upon the con-
Wet lease system which had engaged
the attention of that body for the
past several weeks and had been IN
der investigation by a committee of
both houses. This was done in ac-
cordance with the expressed wishes
of Governor HOke Smith, who short
ly after the legislature met Wednes-
day morning sent a special message
urging that the last day of the SEES
sion be devoted to measures other
than the convict bills and signifying
his purpose to call an extra session
to dispose of this question.
Crittenden Against Extra Session.
At the afternoon session the SEN
ate killed whatever chance was left
of evading an extra session when by
a vote Of 26 to IA it voted down a
motion Of SeantOr Born to take up
all convict bills for passage. The
ayes and nays were called for,
and the vote took up considerable
time, as several of the senators ex-
planned their votes in order to show
how they stood on the convict ques-
ton and the extra session question
This is how the vote stood:
Ayes-SenatOrs Born, Brock, Bush,
Crittenden, Gordy, Griffin, Hardman
Halves, Hayes, Henderson of the fff-
teenth, Johnson, Knight, Steed
Weaver-14
Nays-Senator Akin, Boyd, Camp,
COwart, Deem, DObbs, Farmer, Eel
der, Henderson of the thirty-ninth,
Howard, Hudson, Hughes, LashIey
Martin, MattOX, Overstreet, Peacock
StapletOn, Stephens, Taylor, Turner
Walden, Walker, Whaley, Wilkes
Williford-26.
L TIC NOtGEAlOE message
The message of the governor is
as follows:
ITO the Senate and House of Rep
resentatives: Permit me once more
to suggest the Importance of using
the last hours of the regular session
to close up matters of legislation now
pending before your bodies other
than the convict lease question.
ut must be apparent from the num-
Der of new suggestions that are con-
stantly being made as to the manner
in which this subject is to be handled
that no satisfactory conclusion has
been reached upon it.
You have had a committee en-
gagged in the work of investigation of
the penitentiary system for several
weeks. This committee has not yet
finished it's work. 1t is utterly i'm
possible for this committee to pre-
sent to you full and complete re-
port today. You, therefore, cannot
have before you today that informa-
ton which has been prepared under
your own instructions that should
aid in determining what disposition
should be made of this subject, and
there are many reasons why the
work of the committee should be
completed.
1T is too important to the people
of Georgia 1t involves too greatly
the future of this state for us to hest
tate about spending a few thousand
dollars more to handle it in the most
intelligent and best manner possible.
II therefore again urge that you give
the balance of your time to other
matters pending before you, leaving
the convict question to be considered
at an extra session which / am ready
to call to meet within a week or ten
days HOKE SMITH, Governor"
Cannot Limit Length of Session.
The governor has the power to
limit the Number of subjects which
may be acted on, but he cannot limit
the time, and the extra session may
continue as long as the general as
sembly desires.
5000 to Pay Investigation Expenses
At the night session of the house
and senate a special resolution APP
prOpriating $4,000 to defray the ex-
penses of the investigating committee
was adopted. 1t is also provided that
! the investigating committee shall
continue its labOrs through vacation,
and be prepared to report when the
extra session meets.