The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-01-03
PARDON RECORD OF
GOVERNOR BROWN
CIemenCy Has Been Exercised
in Number of Cases
BIG DEATH RATE AT zoo
Care of the Animals at Grant Park in
Atlanta Has Not Kept Them
From Dying Fast, and Few
Are Now Left.
BIG DEATH RATE AT zoo

Atlanta, Ga. January 2-(SpeciaL) AS
a result of efforts which have been made
in certain quarters apparently to exaE-
gerate the record of Governor Brown in
granting pardons and combinations to
misdemeanor and penitentiary convicts.
some interesting figures have been COM
piled from the records in the executive
office, by one of the secretaries
During the year just closed 2aS convicts
have been pardoned, paroled or had their
sentences committed by two governors
In five months and twenty-six days
while Governor Hoke Smith was in Of
flee, the first part of the year, he grant
ed pardons, paroles and combinations to
1877 eonvicts as against 1of granted by
Governor Brown in six months and four
days.
These are divided as follows:
Governor Smith granted clemency In
one form or another to As misdemeanors,
90 felonies other than murderers and al
legged rapists. So murderers, and four ac-
cused of rape.
Governor Brown granted clemency to
"A misdemeanors, 36 fe1onies other than
murderers and alleged rapists 10 muir
derers and two accused of rape.
Taking the comparison for the closing
six months of the year. Governor Smith
granted clemency in $50 assorted cases
during the last six months of 1908 as
against Governor Browns 101 for the last
six months of 1909
Some of the papers of the state antag-
onistic to Governor Brown, have been
referring to him as the pardon COVER
nor' of Georgia.
Considering past records. however, the
governor has been quit conservative in
the exercise of the power of executive
clemency.
Governor Brown has moi followed the
policy of his predecessor in granting
clemency without reference to the action
of the prison commission and over it's
recommendation. In the one or two in
stances where he has disagreed with the
commission, he has sought to reconcile
the difference in views between himself
and that body, so that there has been
no antagonism.
Future OF the zoo.
The future of the Grand park zoo, is a
question which the park board and the
city council will have to consider early
in the year.
The recent death of two lions which
cost the city about $500 less than two
years ago, has given the zoo sort of
discouraging setback, and the response
to suggestions for subscription fund to
replace them has not been met with any
outpouring of lavish generosity.
There is talk now of making the zoo
either pay institution in order that 1t
may be to a certain extent self-support-
ing, or gradually abandoning 1t, though
the former seems the more favored prop
osition. Many of the public ZOOS are
coming to the plan of charging small
admission fee and setting aside certain
free days for the benefit Of those who
cannot pay, just as is done in the case
of museums in the larger cities
Several years ago when the elephant
died, subscription was taken up and
new elephant purchased 1t looks as If
the city will now have to 90 into its
own Golfers If it Is to secure any new
lions, and a zoo without lion Is hardly
half a zoo.
The death of the two lions is said to
have been due to bad meat. Some time
ago, to save money, II was decided to
feed to the carnivorous animals the
bodies of horses and mules which had
to be killed on account of accident, such
as broken legs and the Ike. Where such
animals were properly killed and treated.
there have been no untoward results. But
the belief is that in supplying this sort
of meat. some that was bad was fed to
the lions, resulting in their death. 1t
will result at least in more care in feed
ing the animals in the future.
The Grant Park zoo has had death
rate of about Is per cent ss compared
with 20 to % per cent in some of the
larger ZOOS of the north.
Pay of Teachers.
Casting up accounts with the Georgia
school teachers at the close of the year,
the treasury records show they have
been paid a total of 81, s9a,571 out of "a
total appropriation for 1909 of 81 10000 or
approximately Is per cent.
This leaves a balance due the teachers
on 1909 of 1855, 42e, which will be paid them
along in the early months of the year as
funds come in.
This is the most remarkable record yet
made by any state administration In the
prompt payment of the school teachers,
nothing like it having been known in the
entire history of the school system.
over from 1908 was $4,000 out of $1,000
900 appropriation, and the balance carried
over from 1907 out of a similar appropria-
ton was $4,000.
Liability for Taxes.
Comptroller General w. A. Wright is
publishing a statement today calling the
attention OF all persons engaged in those
classes of business which subject them
to q specific tax, to consult the law and
ascertain TO what extent they are liable.
A number of important amendments
and additions were made In the new gen
eral tax act, among the most important
of which was the increase in the tax on
near beer which is now $500 on retailers,
instead of $500 as formerly, and $1,000 on
wholesalers and manufacturers instead
of $500
There is also tax OF 81 each on dogs.
but this has to be returned to the tax
receiver and paid along with other taxes
in the fall
Special attention is called to the in
crease from $500 to 5000 in the tax on sew
ing machine companies, and to the grad
usted tax on automobile dealers and
agents, required to be paid to the tax
collector of the county, wherein the ma
chimes are sold. Photographers must also
pay q tax of $40 to the tax collector in
the county where their business is car
ried on.
Both domestic and foreign corporations
doing business IN the state must pay a
graduated tax in accordance with the
amount of capital employed. and foreign
corporations must register with the sec
rotary of state. This tax is graduated
from IS on a corporation with $4,000 cap