Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-06-25
HOUSE MEETS FOR
SECOND SESSION
Shall Ben Hills Representative Be
Seated? Was Subject of Lively
Debate Precipitated by Repre-
sentative Joe Hill Hal.

C;eorTia's vote in the general elections
At last October was consolidated by the
general assembly OF the state, IN joint
session in the hall OF representatives,
Thursday mornins. and Joseph NJ BrcWii
was formally declared elected as gov
error Of Geor-,d for the ensuing term OF
two years. The other stateho1se officers
chosen by the people were also an
pcunced.
loan with the farewell message OF Gov
eraor Hoke Smith unread. The reading
81 tie message had Just been ordered, AT
n clock. when the approach OF tns
,crate Was announced and the reading
kas deferred.
The first contest OF the session was re-
corded on the floor OF the house, Thurs
day morning. when a resolution iutro-
suced By Representative Joe Hill Han OF
Macon. providing for a committee 10 IN
vestigafe the right OF Ben Hih county &c
n representative IN the assembly. was
conbatted by other members and upheld
with equal vigor by still others The res
olution vas finally adopted, and the
committee vas eunounced just before ad-
tournament
The details OF the inauguration ceremo-
MES OF Goverrar-elect Joseph NJ Brown
were reported hack 20 the house BY the
special committee that had been named.
Jointly with a committee from the house.
10 arrange them The report OF the COM
mittee was accepted The Inauguration
will take place Saturday at noon Gov
rrnor Smith win precede the governor
elect 10 the hall OF representatives ana
will be present duung the ceremonies.
At 10 o'clock Thursday morning the
house Of representatives OF Georg1a's lsos
assembly convened for its second days
session with further organization yet 10
be effected. with the message Of Cover
nor Smith yet 70 be read. and with the
schedule before IL Of going into joint ses-
sion with the senate at IL o'clock TO con-
solidate and declare the vote OF the Octo-
her elections for governor and other
statehouse officers
Immediately after the call Of the roll
and the reading and confirmation Of
Wednesdays minutes. Representative
Hall OF Bibb introduced the following res
olution:
Resolved BIZ the house. That the speak
er OF the house shall appoint commit
tee OF three members OF the house VINO
shall take into consideration and report
upon the right OF the county OF Ben Hill
20 a representative in the house OF repre-
sentativeS."
said:
at tie general election last October
the people OF the state voted upon a con-
stitutionai amendment that increased the
membership Of this house from 1S TO Isl,
and provided that the additional represen-
taffve should be from the county OF Ben
Hill. On that same day the people OF
Ben Hill county voted for a representative
in the general assembly. The amendment
a - Nanr ~ l.
til II had been declared by the governor
10 have been adopted. after the vote had
been consolidated. The vote was not de-
clared. OF course, until several days after
the election
when the representative from Ben Hill
was elected there was no such office IN
existence There was no authority OF law
TO hold an election for a representative
from that county. Il Is essential that the
house itself shall act upon this question
which il serious and may affect every
act OF this house"
Representative Middlebrooks Of Newton
Objected. offering a substitute resolution
providing that the house should seat the
gentleman from Ben Hill. that this house
declare that the county OF Ben Hill Is rep
resented in this legislature"
Considerable debate on the resolution
and the substitute held the house. II was
interrupted that Chief Justice W. H
Fish, OF the supreme court. might admin
lister the oath OF office TO the members
who had not been sworn in Wednesday
The prevIous question was finally called
for by the house. Speaker Holder ruled
that the substitute offered BY Representa-
tive Nfiddlebrooks should first be acted on.
The resolution and substitute were read.
Representative Henderson Of Irwin, called
for the ayes and noes. The call was not
sustained. The vote on the substitute was
Is TO rs. The substitute was lost On the
resolution the vote was 134 TO 5. The reso-
luton was adopted
resolution by Representatives Hold
er and Hardeman OF Jackson, providing
for a committee on reformatory, was re-
fcrred TO the committee on rules.
HOURS FOR MEETING.
The following resolution by Rep
resentative Anderson Of Chatham
was adopted: That until further
ordered BY the house. the hours
OF the house shall be from 10 g. m
to .. m, and that at the latter houI
the house shall stand ADJOURNED until
the following morning. Sundays ex'
cepted."
The reading Of the governors message
declared in order. was temporarily de
ferred. in view Of the approach OF the
senate.
resolution by Representative Wright
of Floyd. providing for a committee or
forestry and waterways was referred &c
the committee on rules
The senate was announced, and thu
members OF the house rose and stood
while the senator's fled in in pairs and
took position at chairs in the front Of the
house President Slaton Of the senate
took the chair OF the Joint session Th'
resolution providing for the session wa
read
Representative Hall OF Bib. raised thu
question. which provoked some debate. a.
10 Just what statehOuse officers votes
should be canvassed BY the joint session
Senator Matthews OF the I'D. moved tina
the house and senate canvass the voters
Of the state IN accordance with the prec
edent Of 1907. which ruled the chair
would include the governor. the secretary
Of state. comptroller general. treasurer
attorney general commissioner of agri
culture state school commissioner. prison
commissioner and railroad commissioners
The vote upon this motion was loo noe
and IS nays The chair, hearing no OBJ
lection. appointed one teller from TIT
senate and two from the house. as fol
lows: Senator Griffith OF the 3Sth, ant
Representatives Barker Of Talbot. ant
FulIbrfght OF Burke The labor OF con
solidating the vote was then begun by thu