The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1909-08-13

n tive COHMlJtSS. OuuST Tie new -
A tax act, provision is made for the a
A taxing OF near beer and a reso- a
A luton was passed making avail A
A able the money derived from A
A taxes on near beer already In the A
a state treasury. A
a Among the measures which at a
A tracted great attention, but A
A which failed to get through were A
A the biennial sessions BILL the A
a game law, the compulsory edu- A
A cation bill and the service, pen A
A sion BILL 4
A A A A A A A A A A A A A
Atlanta. Ga.-At midnight Wednes.
day the first session of the general
assembly of 1909-1910 was officially
at an end, in accordance with the re-
quirements of the state constitution,
which limits sessions to fifty days.
However, as usual, the session ran
on, and adjournment came at one
o'clock The legislature never COM
pletes its work is time to adjourn by
midnight of the last day of the SEES
sion and the present general assem-
bly, was not breaking precedent in
that respect.
Before midnight the usual scenes
of merriment began in both houses.
At times each stood adjourned wait
ing for the other. Moon sessions we're
organized to help while away the time
and what some senators and represent
tatives appeared to consider music was
also introduced for the delectation of
hn taff nVtffp Of
per wads, one of the invariable fea-
lures of last nights in the legislature,
was introduced in the house even be-
fore the near beer tax had been set
tied Even the watchful eye of Speak
er Holder, who has proved one of the
best disciplinarians the house has
ever had in the chair, was not sharp
enough to prevent such outbursts of
playfulness.
The last two hours of the session
were speNt in settling differences be-
tween the houses on the general tax
act. The main fight came over the
near beer section, the house finally ac-
cepting the substitute offered by the
senate
After the near beer tax had been
settled, the main contention came over
the tax on soda fountain sirups, which
was finally placed at one-fourth Of
per cent on gross receipts.
The session of the general assem-
bly, which has just closed will prob.
ably be remembered more for the
things ii did not do than for the
things accomplished. While great
many measures have been passed,
comparatively few of these are OF
such nature as TO be of any unusual
interest throughout the state
The injection of the McLendon sus'
pension and the near beer legislation
into the proceedings Of the body alb
sSrbed so much time that the mem.
bers found themselves unable to enact
many measures of general interest for
which it is declared there were sub
stantial majorities.
The biennial sessions bill which
was passed by the senate was never
reached by the house, although It's
friends assert positively that ma
jority Of the house favor the bill. The
same fate came to the bill for the
better protection of the game, which
was very strongly urged by the sports
men OF the state, No definite action
was ever taken on the compulsory
education bill, for which strong fight
was made by number of organize
tions.
Among the bills of general interest
which have succeeded in getting
through both houses are those t.
make cousty school commissioners
elected by the people, to prohibit the
use Of trading stamps; to create .
state board Of osteopathy, and Il
make February ~, Georgia Day.
The passage of resolutions sustain
ing the suspension of Railroad Com
missioner S. g. McLendon came after
days of parliamentary maneuverins
and debate which consumed this
greater part Of the session.
In the senate much time was con
sumed in an effort to secure the pass
age OF resolution approving al
amendment to the federal constitution
for an income tax, but the movemen
was without success.