Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-06-25

|
ATLANTA, June %, 1909.
To the General Assembly:
The last Legislature passed a number
! of atcs Of lasting Importance. deem
II appropriate to call your attention 10
some of them, as they relate to sub
jects you will probably consider.
DISFRANCHISEMEN LAW.
! The new franchise act. passed the
+, legislature by a two-thirds vote. was
ratified by the people at the ballot box,
and now is part Of the constitution
of Georgia ..-.
/ 1t prescribes qualifications for the ex-
ercise of the right to vote, which will
protect even the smallest community
of the state from those, who, unable
to control themselves, are utterly UNFIT
to vote upon the rights of others. NO
! legislation since the days of recon-
struction will be more beneficial in It's
far-reaching effects. not alone at ths
ballot box, but also in the solution OF
the race problem.
! This constitutional amendment con-
tains a provision which requires each
voter to pay his taxes at least six
months prior to the election at which
he offers to vote, except when sucn
/ elections are held within six months
from the expiration of the time fixed
I by law for the payment of such taxes.
This provision will go far toward pro-
tecting the ballot box from the pres
ence Of those who permit their taxes
to be paid by others, and will help
purify elections and make them moe
fully the honest expression of the con-
victions of the voters.
REGISTRATION LAW.
In close relation to the new fran
chise law, is the act providing for the
registration of voters. The purpose or
this act is to prevent illegal registra-
tion. and to purge registration lists
before primaries are held.
! The law changes the time for regis
/ tration, so that in future a man can
register when he pays his taxes. and
thereby qualify himself to vote during
all of the ensuing year. State anu
county taxes are due by the goth OF
December. The great body of our cisl-
zens paw their taxes during November
and December. The new law requires
the tax collector TO open his voters
book or books at the same time th4t
he opens his books for the collection
| of taxes. and the payment of taxes
and registration can take place at the
same time. ;.
| This act makes IL a misdemeanor Tor
the tax collector or his clerk to permit
any one to sign the voters book or
slim unless the oath is actually taken,
and il requires the tax collector 20
! file with the registrars a complete list
of the names on the voters BOOK
books within ten days after the BOOKS
close.
II requires the books closed six
months before the date of the election,
and Il requires the registrars TO meet
nromntlv to complete a correct list nf
| the qualified voters OF the county.
/ do not apprehend any trouble from
: this bill TO the citizen who pays his taxes
and wishes TO vote from a sense of patri"
/ otto duty. This bill will make the padding
/ Of registration lists and the purchase
4 OF votes almost impossible. We de-
sire to see our elections conducted on the
highest possible plane, free from every
undue influence. l confidently believe the
new registration law will grow in favor
/ as II is understood.
The legislature passed an act requiring
each candidate to hle a statement uhoer
oath of the money spent by him In his
race. and an act forbiddlng corporations
I from contributing money to elections,
REGULATING PRIMARIES.
| The legislature also passed an act reg
ulating primary elections, and requiring
/ that a primary election NUT be held for
/ governor. state house officers, members
/ OF congress. United States senator's.
Judges of the superior courts, justices or
/
of appeals, solicitors-general, and mem
bers OF the general assembly, and provid-
4 ing that the general primary shall not be
called earlier than sixty days before the
date of the general state election In Octo-
Der.
This act requires each voter to vote in
| the militia district in which he resides,
and II throws other safeguards around
primaries intended to still further guar
] han ha fat
est and free from the control of machine
politics.
| AMENDMENT TO RAILROAD COM
MISSION LAW.
| The new railroad commission act fur
| nIshes increased facilities for the protec-
| t!cn of the rights of the public in their
relation to transportation companies and
public service corporations. The act In
/ creased the number of commissioners to
FIVE. and greatly enlarged their duties. 1t
placed under the supervision of the COM
mission express companies street railroad
| companies. dock and wharfage compa-
nies, terminal and terminal station COM
panies, telephone and telegraph compa-
| MES gas, electric light and power COM
psnies.
! While it increased a few thousand dol
! lars the expenses OF the commission, we
should consider the fact that the rail-
road companies alone collect from the
people Of Georgia forty millions OF dol
lars each year. and that the other COM
| panies placed under the supervision of the
| railroad commission collect from the peo-
pie OF Georgia twenty millions of dollars.
making a total of not less than sixty mil
lions of dollars annually, The expendi-
! ture of $4,000 a year for a railroad COM
mission is small in comparison when the
TACT is kept in mind that the commission
is to protect the rights of the public in an
. expenditure of sixty millions.
The policy OF the state should be. not
to hamper the railroad commission in per-
forming its duties, but to stimulate the
commission TO wisely and Justly guard
the rights of the public. while. at the
same time, ii accords to the companies
under it's supervision absolute Justice
Five commissioners giving their entire
time to the public service would always
find ample work to keep them busy.
There are many things which have been
accomplished by the commission during
the last two years of substantial value
10 the people Of the state. The super
vision or schedules. the requirement that
trains should make proper connections
when controlled by different companies,
the requirement Of side-tracKs for ware
houses and factories, action which has
caused the settlement by the transporta-
zion corananfes of oyar-charVes and loss