Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-08-02
SENATE KILLS BILL
To AMEND PRESENT
REGISTRATION LAW
Vote, at 1::55 O'Clock, was
on Motion to Disagree to
the Adverse Report of the
Committee

C0nlnlIIee
The senate. by a vote OF % to Is,
killed the senate bill to amend the
present registration law so as to al
low voters to register up TO within so
days OF the primary, instead OF six
months.
The vote was taken shortly before 2
o'clock. and was on a motion to dis
agree 10 the adverse report OF the com
mittee on the bill.
The following is the yea and nay
vote:
VOTE ON MEASURE
Yeas-Akin. Bowen. Calhoun. CoIIum,
Day. Gordy. Griffith. LongIey. Morris,
Mathews. Mclean. Mcdowell, McCoI-
lum. Mcclure. Patterson. Price. Slater,
WOmble- Nays-Burvell. Blackwell,
Burch, Galloway OF Tenth. Gates. Har-
rell. Harden. Irwin. Johnson. Jack
son. Kemp. King. Mays. McCurry, Nc
Williams, Pitts. Rutherford, RudiciI,
Sellers. Stevens, Thompson. Ward.
Wood
Before resuming consideration OF the
bill 20 amend the registration law. the
senate on Friday morning voted TO re-
main in session until I:S0 o'clock, instead
OF and TO reconvene at 10 o'clock Mon
day morning, instead OF II. the usual
hour.
On motion OF Senator Burweu, all bills
providing for appropriations were made
special orders for Tuesday morning, and
II was voted TO take up routine at L
o'clock.
At 1879 o'clock the registration bill
was resumed. and the chair recognized
Senator Jackson He said the measure
was introduced TO emasculate the great
est reform measure IN recent years. He
stressed the point that the original law
requires payment OF taxes six months
IN advance OF registration
Senator Calhoun. joint author OF the
bill. doubted II this were true. He said
II II were. he'd withdraw his bill SEN
ator Jackson said any school boy In the
state knows that Is the law.
ATTACKS so-DAY LIMIT
Next he attacked the proposition to
compromise by fixing the time limit at
80 days He said It would be worse than
the old 3e-dRy limit
Apropos OF this. he criticised Governor
Brown. ridIculed his message, and de-
clared that II the governor meant what
his language indicated, he in reality IA
vors the repeal OF the negro disfranchfse-
ment law. He read just here an extract
from a speech OF the present governors
father. in which he Is quoted as having
addressed a negro audience as my col
orsd friends" The present registration
law disfrsnchises nobody except the ne
Rross and "ioaters," he said; and every
good citizen Is anxious for both those
classes TO be disfranchised- He empha-
sized the distinction between disfran-
chisement and disqualification.
After Senator Jackson spoke Senator
Calhoun. joint author OF the bill. ar
gued for it's passage. II disfranchises
$4,000 honest-hearted white voters, he
asserted He stressed the fact that the
state having very large cities does not
close the books earlier than 80 days be-
fore election dates. Senator Harrell
aked him II he would pattern Georgias
election laws after those IN states
where vote-purchasing IL notorious.
The largest farmer in his county was
disfranchised by the registration law,
said Senator Calhoun Asked IL he had
seen OF heard OF a petition from the
people for the law TO be amended, he ad-
mitted he had not.
SPOKE AGAINST THE BILL.
Senator HarreH did not intend to i'm
pugu the motive OF any senator on the
other side. and deplored the tendency OF
- certain senator's to resort to bitter tt
rades in their speeches
THEIR ONLY REASON.
He declared that when asked TO give
one real reason why the law should be
amended. the supporters Of the measure
had only replied that six months Is
Just too long"
The newspapers put everybody on no
tfce to register. he pointed out. and the
few disqualified had nothing TO blame
but their own carelessness. In this
connection he called the senate's atten-
ton 70 the morning papers report OF the
debate on the registration bill on
Thursday. and declared IL one-sided and
unfair.
The fact that II debarred by any Of
the general qualifications citizen can
oualI.y as a descendant OF a soldier in
any American war. was argued next
Senator Longley resented some OF the
things Senator Jackson had insinuated in
his illusions to Governor Browns father.
In reply TO a quetsion whether he
thought the whole election system OF the
state should be changed In order 10 &C
commodate a few men that neglected TO
register Senator Longiey replied that
those who were disqualified are Just as
geed citizens as Their care anywhere
QUESTION IS CALLED.
The previous question was then called
by Senator Burwell, and IL was sus-
tanned The chair gave notice that the au-
thor OF the bill would have 20 minutes
under the rule. Senator Slater wanted
lust long enough 10 say a few words IN
reply 70 Senator Jackson's charge that
hts bill was either a product OF ignorance
. or a political move. He denied politics,
saying he had opposed the registration
bin from the time OF it's birth. He passed
the ignorance by. As TO mules having
been voted IN Missouri. as Senator Jack
son had said. he said he had been prompt
ed. when the remark was made to look
at Senator Jackson's ears and wonder
II any mules had voted In the 21st dis
trict-
part Of the % minutes allotted to the
chairman OF the committee was taken
nv Senator Matthews. He deplored the