Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-07-27
WOULD Be VETOED,
DECLARES BROWN
Tells Close Political Friend That
If Alexander Measure Should
Reach Him He Would Use His
Veto Power.

If the Alexander near-beer BILL now in
the limelight in the house, should reach
Governor Brown for his signature, he
Will veto II the moment II is presented.
This statement, which comes from an
authentic source answers the interesting
question that has been on evefy lip since
Friday, when the sensational scene was
enacted in the house of representatives
which gave promise of a repetition OF the
statewide prohibition fight two years ago.
The answer was made by the governor
himself in reply to the question, asked by
a close political friend:
Should the Alexander bill, now pending
before the house. reach you for your
signature, what would you do, gov
ernor?"
Il would veto it," the governor replied,
without equivocation.
SILENT FOR PUBLICATION.
Early Saturday morning representa-
tive of The Journal asked the governor
the same question. q
Governor Brown smiled upon the news-
paper man and replied:
II do not care to say what 1 will do II
the bill passes and comes to me. l leave
the public TO infer what my action will
be. 1 cannot prevent their influences,
but I can refuse to discuss my action in
That was all the governor would say
I'm answer to the vital question.
READ SECOND TIME.
The near-beer bill of Mr.. Alexander Of
DeKalb, was read for the second time
in the house of representatives, Saturday
morning, along with a lot of other second
reading bills. 1t was the single feature
of a very short session during which a
number of local bills were passed. The
house convened at o'clock, instead of
10, as many had misunderstood, and adj
journed 20 minutes later.
Neither Mr.. Alexander the Trainer Of
the bill, nor Mr.. Anderson of Chatham,
leader of the opposition to 1t, was in the
house when the near-beer measure was
read. Mr.. Alexander was on the train
headed for Chattanooga with the house
committee on the Western and Atlantic
railroad that was making a tour of in
spection of that part of the states prop
erty.
Mr.. Anderson says he reached the house
at 800 o'clock and found that body on
the verge of adjournment.
$50 THE RECORDS SHOW"
He was asked about the near-beer bill
ut was read the second time this
morning." was suggested to him.
$50 the records show" he replied, smil-
here when they get in a rush like that.
They put it down on the journal anu ten
you about 1t afterwards"
He was asked other questions about the
opposition to the bill, and what it eX-
poets to do, and replied that in its regu-
lar order it cannot possibly be reached
at this session for a third reading and
passage; and that the friends of the bill
are not enough to set it for a special
order.
SURE IT WON'T BE SET"
And I'm sure it won't be set by the
rules committee" he said. Mr.. Ander-
son is vice chairman of that committee.
The bill itself is numbered $685. Ahead
of 1t lay 562 bills, in round numbers, for
only a paltry few have been passed thus
far. Unless 1t is set for a special order
(and Mr.. Anderson says It won't bel, it
will still be waiting for attention when the
house adjourns it's 1909 session.
But Mr.. Alexander of DeKalb, Trainer
of the bill, is understood to claim at
least 1876 friends for it in the house There
are 1S6 votes to be cast on every propo-
sition.
The fight for a special order, therefore
which is the next thing in the logical Sc
duence Of events concerning the bill
will not be so difficult, according to Mr..
Alexander, as it will be according to Mr..
Anderson.