The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1911-07-02
INAUGURATION A
VERY SIMPLE ONE
TOUCHED ON MANY IMPORTANT
MATTERS IN HIS lNAU-
euRAL ADDRESS.
Recommends a Change in Date of In
aucuration, Increase in State sor-
rowing Power and Favors High
way Commission. y

Atlanta, July Simple ceremonies
marked the Inauguration today OF Gov
ernor Hoke Smith, who took the relns
of office at noon, succeeding Jos. NJ
Brown who, just two years ago, sue
ceeded the present governor.
The ceremonies during the inaugu-
ration were presided over by John M.
Slaton, president of the senate, and
the oath of office was delivered by
Chief Justice Fish of the Georgia SUI
preme court.
After the Inauguration Governor
Smith delivered his address to the
general assembly, which was in joint
session. He dwelt on many matters
of interest to the state. Touching on
the question of changing the date OF
inauguration the governor said:
In this connection, also, l desire
to urge the Importance of changing
the time for inaugurating the cover
nor and installing the new statehouse
officers to the first of January.
THE governor is required to man.
age, to a large extent, the finances
of the state. Our fiscal year runs
from January 1 to January l. The
same governor should have the oppor-
tunity to plan and manage the finan-
ces of the state for the entire fiscal
year.
There are many things connected
with the governors office and with
the statehouse officers which are all
in the midst of execution on the first
of July.
Take, for instance, the returns, as
sessments and arbitrations connected
with the property of these corpora.
tions which make their returns to the
comptroller general. The work is
done from the first of May to the first
of September. 1t is most unfortunate
to change officers during this period
Again, consider the movements OF
the military. They go into camp usu
ally in July. All the arrangements
must be made for them to go into
camp prior to that time, and yet the
money to be used to meet their ex
pChoCo anu IHC puy yolCdl udnulluS vi
the encampments depend upon the
judgment of the governor who is in
charge after the first of July.
Other reasons could be given, but
I do not deem them necessary.
Il urge that the legislature meet the
second Tuesday in January immediate
ly after the biennial election and hole
then short session at which botf
houses can organize, the result of the
election be declared and the governor
and statehouse officers installed
Twice out of six years it will be nee
essary also for the legislature to elec
United States senator.
AT this first short term of the leg
islature, committees could be appoint
ed and bills introduced. Eight or tel
days would be ample for this shor
term, after which the legislature coult
adjourn to a summer session.
While this would cause three ses
sions of the legislature, there woult
be no necessity for increasing tn,
number Of days that a Legislature
holds, and the increased expense tt
the state would be but nominal. Th,
advantage in the management of tn,
business of the state would be yer,
great.
Railroad Commission.
Our new railroad commission law
adopted in 1907 has made it posslbl
for the commission to render broade
and more valuable service to the pub
lie. 1t placed under the supervision
of the commission express companies
street railroad companies, dock AM
wharf companies, terminal and termi
nal companies, telephone and tele
graph companies, gas, electric ligh
and power companies. Indeed, practi
cally all public service companies il
Georgia are now subject to the super
vision of the railroad commission.
Public service companies are, to
large extent, essentially monopolies
They exercise privileges under chal
ters and special grants from the stat
in the interest, not alone of thei
stockh olders, but of the entire publ,
These corporations, created by tn
state, owe duties to the public, an
supervision by commissions similar t
that which we have created in Geo.