Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-08-02

the state now under the jurisdiction #
the commission. The gross sum collect
ed by these companies from the people
OF Georgia annually is over $5O,OOO,0OO.
The commissioners are charged with
the responsibility of adjusting differ
ices between The pc Jple and Is systems
of railroads, 81 street railroads, gas,
electric, and water companies, 81 teie-
phone and telegraph companies, and II
compress companies.
They are charged also with the duty
Of supervising stock and bond issues
made by these companies.
These companies are to large ex-
tent natural monopolies. To perfect
system by which the public and the
corporation will each receive justice is
cr the utmost Importance.
EXPENDITURES COMPARATIVELY
SMALL.
The expenditure which Georgia makes
for the BENEFITS brought to the public
through the railroad commission is small
indeed compared to the Importance OF
the service rendered. II is smaller than
that usually incurred by other states for
such service.
We should resist every effort to dis
member the commission. We should sup
port for positions upon the commission
the ablest and purest men who are
willing to serve and We should foster
. It as a body organized to encourage and
sustain the prosperity of the state
{ through equal justice both to corpora
lions and to the public.
/ ADJUSTMENT OF CONVICT LEASE.
! The third great piece of constructive
/ legislation which came to you through
the two years Of progressive Democracy
is the adjustment of the convict lease
/ and the utilization of the convicts upon
the Public roads of the state. This was
literally and exclusively the work OF
the progressive Democracy.
| For years a system of handling con-
victs existed in our state far from cred
| liable. II was Objectionable for two
reasons: First. because the convict
passed out of the hands of the state to
| the hands of private individuals, and sec
ond, because private individuals were
4 being made rich by the use OF crimi-
| mails.
The struggle to abolish the lease sys-
/ tenn was indeed laborious. Some good
/ men in the legislature believed 1t I'M
| possible to handle the convicts except
under leases and some in sympathy with
! the lessees desired to help them accum-
uIate wealth from the use of the con-
| viCts.
THE REPRESENTATIVES OF OUR
POLITICAL OPPONENTS IN THE
LEGISLATURE WE'RE LINED UP
ALMOST soLIDLY IN FAVOR OF
THE NEW LEASE. THE CLAIM
THAT THEY HAD DECLARED
AGAINST THE LEASE is ABSURD.
THEIR LEADERS PREPARED TINE
NEW LEASE BILL, PROVIDING FOR
| THE PERPETUAL LEASING OF CON-
| vICTs. Their. leaders supported it, and
| 1t was OILY defeated by the strenuous
1 pFforfS ri nananrrafG afHod
by the fact that l publicly stated my
purpose to veto a bill which did not
provide for putting the convicts on
the public roads.
GOOD ROADS BUILT BY CONVICTS.
The people OF south Georgia already
feel the benefit which has come to them
from good roads built by convict labor.
BY the end OF ten years all south Geor-
gia will be a net work of splendid roads
constructed because the progressive
/ Democracy broke up the convict Lease
and thereby made IL possible for the
/ counties to use the convicts in the con-
1 struction Of good roads. Middle and
/ north Georgia less rapidly but surely
will, by the use of convict labor, carry
good roads throughout the entire state.
Good roads will lessen the cost OF
| transportation for the farmer, they will
make access easy to school houses and
churches. they will remove the isola-
/ ton OF rural life. they will Increase inn
mensely the value of farming lands
and tend to stop the rush from the
country to the cities and towns. They
will help build a citizenry for Georgia,
prosperous capable, independent and
happy.
| / shall lot discuss the many other
measures which were a part of the two
years service OF the progressive Democ-
| racy, but 1 do wish to call your at
| tention to the fact that the BEST IN
TERESTS OF THE STATE WERE
| CAREFULLY WATCHED AND GIVEN
ATTENTION EVEN IN THE SIM
| PLEsT DETAILS.
The appropriations to rural schools
! were increased $4,000 annually, and
/ pensions We're paid promptly.
| TREASURY STRENGTHENED
In spite OF an increase of $4,000 paid
out for education, your treasury was
strengthened and its surplus increased
: The attack made upon the treasury in
the fall of 1903 was utterly unfounded and
has recoiled upon those who published it
on account of the sound condition IN
which It had been left.
STATE FINANCES.
/ There Is no difficulty about handling the
finances of the state If they are managed
with conservatism and intelligence. Our
| appropriations are passed relying upon
the ad valorem taxes of each year at least
in part for their payment. The current
income OF the state meetg current ex-
penses, but the ad valorem taxes are nee
essary to pay the heavy appropriations
TO public schools and to pensions. BY
the latter part OF the summer, the sur
plus with which the treasury now starts
the first of the year is liable to be ex-
hausted. Our ad valorem taxes are not
required TO be paid before the 10th of
| December.
The comptroller general collects all the
taxes directly from the public service
| companies. These taxes do not pass
through the county tax receivers or
comptrollers' hands. They amount 10
over $4,000 a year.
HOW TO PAY THE TEACHERS.
| BELIEVE EARNESTLY IN THE
PROMPT PAYMENT OF TEACHERS
| SALARIES. THEY WERE MORE
PROMPTLY PAID WHILE WAS GOV
ERNOR THAN EVER BEFORE, BUT
THE STATE SHOULD NOT ISSUE
lBONDS FOR CURRENT EXPENSES.
| We can advance the time of the pay
ment OF those taxes collected from pub
lie service companies which are paid
through the comptroller general to a date
not later than September LIST. and allow
them ! per cent discount. because they