The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-08-16
LEGISLATURE NEAR
 CLOSE OF SESSION Georgia Assembly Careful
 and Serviceable NO PROHIBITION YET Appropriations Bill Most Important. None Was More Far-Reaching
 Than the Revision of the
 School Laws-Other Bills
NO PROHIBITION YET

Atlanta. August 15.-tspecial) )-The leg islative session of 1911 is nearing it's enl. Some time Thursday night, or perhaps in the wee small Hours of Friday morning, with the clock hands set back or sheet covering It's face the general assemly will adjourn sine die. and the state will be given nearly years cessation from making disturbance.
 Altogether this general assembly has not proven bad one. It has been con- servative and careful stretching appro- priations little bit perhaps, but in en- acting comparatively few general laws II has done the state probably material service.
 The appropriations bill was, of course, the most important measure with which this general assembly had to deal. It was necessary to keep the state going, but outside of that measure there was none enacted that will prove more far reaching and, no doubt, beneficial, than the re- vision of the school laws of the state, which were, in the main, anticipated and out of date.
 In the general appropriations bill prac- ,llCdlIy every euuCdtiOudl anu ciccibosy nal institution in the state got an increase over its last years maintenance fund; and these increases were, in a measure, es- sential With the growth of the state in population, the demand on these institu- tions is increasing every year until every one of them is lacking in the facilities. Almost every time an appropriations bill makes it's appearance 1t is a signal for an increase too. in the amount of money given to common schools and to pensions.
 The time is rapidly approaching when the state will have to do one of two things, either create state and county boards of tax equalizers with view to getting property returns capitalized and upon higher basis than at present, or in- crease the tax rate. The former can be done by nactment of general law by majority vote of the general assembly, while the latter can only be done by amendment to the constitution, requiring a two-thirds vote of each house and a majority vote of the people, and 1t is pretty difficult to get anyone to vote to increase his own expenses. The equaliz- ing plan would have the same effect, of course, but the average taxpayer wouldnt see it.
 The educational bill is regarded by thoce
 interested in the progress of education in Georgia, as a distinctive achievements. There is nothing radical or particularly new about it except that it tends to bring the states educational system up to date The bill was in the main prepared by leadinr Gaorqia educators fbosa familiar with the laws on the subject and with their defects, and its enactment was rec commended by the Georgia Educational as- sociation. It was opposed by some of the
 interests, particularly those interested in the book concerns, and the feature to which they seemed chiefly to object was the appointment on the state board of education of four capable and expert ed,.- cators. Heretofore the state board has consisted entirely of state-house officials, and has been little more than an auditing board. Evidently the feature will prove good one for the school system, as the responsibility for 1t Is put upon men who are directly interested and who are in position to know what ought to be done. The system will now have an auditor of its own and other features calculated to strengthen it financially and in other ways.
 Undoubtedly there will be several fights over the appropria ations bill between the house and senate before agreement is reached on it. The history of appropria- tions in the senate has been to keep thc,n as nearly as possible within income and the two bodies have had not fey, wrangles along this line. It is usually these appropriation fights that carries the last day of the session way into the night.
 Other causes of disagreement are also promised this year. notably the senate amendment to the labor bureau bill, in which the senate has provided that the