Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-05-23
LAWMAKERS GATHER
FOR 1912 TERM
FIVE WEEKS HENCE.
Governor Brown Goes Out,
Governor Smith Goes in.
Session Will Be ConStruc..
tive in Its Work

Five weeks from this approaching. Wec- i
nesday, the legislature of Georgia for the
years 1911-1s12 will convene in Atlanta.
Senator John NJ Slaton, of Atlanta, win +
be elected president of the senate John
N. Holder, of Jefferson, the representa- 1
tive from Jackson county, will be elected
speaker OF the house. Both of those gerl- {
tlemen will succeed themselves in office
1t may be that either or both of them
will be defeated But the probabilities
are the other way.
Shortly after it convenes. the Legislators
viii receive the farewell message Of {
Governor Brown and hear the inaugural
address OF Governor Smith.
Governor Browns message is not yet en-
paper, even as to notes The governor
stated. Monday, that he has Just begun
to formulate 1t in his own mind He said
that he did not know yet whether he
would again recommend that the control
of municipal public service corporations
be taken out of the hands of the state
railroad commission. or that the state
election laws be changed. 1t was his
message upon those subjects, last year.
that precipitated the gubernatoriaI cara
paign. The governor viii emphasize his
belief that the pardoning power should be
used with great discretion.
AGRICULTURAL RETIREMENT
Governor Smith. on going into Office.
viii stress every angle of Improvement in
agricultural education and methods. HIS
attitude on this big question is wsil
known. He has stated 1t himself, often
Governor Smith will urge the 1mpoFtance
of the state studying agricultural meth
DDS and disseminating her information
among the people.
Governor Smith VIII recommend hat the
state cooperate with the national gov
eminent in a soil survey-an analysis or
the soils throughout Georgia. the object
of which is to determine what degree and
kind of soil enrichment each particular
neighborhood needs.
Governor Smith will also In his inslu-
guraI address, urge the need Tor I'm
provements along agricultural lines in
the rural schools of Georgia He VIII
emphasize the importance Of the st'i-e
Incorporating with the national govern
ment in the county demonstration
farms He will ask more funds and
more facilities for the state college OF
agriculture and the experiment sfation-
And he will urge provision for the pub
licatfon and dissemination of all the val
liable information along farming lines
that the~atate can get hold OF.
Some effort will be made during the
Legislature to establish an agricultural
a sort of publicity bureau.
The old biennial sessions fight VIII
come up again and there viii De a SPLIT
over 1t. Governor Smith opposes bien-
NAL sessions
Four-year terms may also come up.
They will find strong opposition.
ANTHOLOGY BILL WILL PASS.
lis predicted that an anti-lobby bin
will pass A filibuster in the last leg
islature killed the anti-lobby bill utat
the house passed.
1t is strongly probable that the incom-
ing legislature will create a state high
way commission or make some proSis-
ion for central and expert supervision or
the convict road building forces A.
highway engineer will doubtless be pro-
vided. The prison commission may,
however, be given the duties Of a high
way commission to perform.
There will be change IN either the
prohibition law or the near-beer tax
law. There may not even be a flight
Both sides are apparently willing to
maintain an armed truce for while
yet
1t is quite possible that the leglala-
ture will change the time Of the gov
ernor's Inauguration TO January !.
Governor Smith has expressed himgelf
in favor of the change, and has offered
six months of his own term as governor
for the purpose. This change may call
for a constitutional amendment OF per-
NIT the secretary of state or some special
commission to Consolidate the election re-
turns or to permit the assembling o.
the legislature for day or so to in
augurate the governor.
Governor Smith has recommended
that the October state election be con-
solidated with the November CONGRESS-
ional election. This viii be one OF the
questions before the legislature.
The Legislature may pass law put
ting county jails under the supervision
Of the state prison commission. The,
prison board has been strongly urging
this, because of the direct connection
Through convicted prisoners) between
the county jails and the state camps
Filthy conditions are described in num-
erous complaints filed with the board.
and those same conditions are spread in
to the state camps. But the commission
is powerless to help matters.
The automobile registration law will
be changed in one or two minor parsic-'
ulars. 1t may result, though, in even
an amendment 10 the constitution, MAX
ing substitute tax for the ad valorem
tax on automobiles as personal prop
erty, making it payable annually, and
devoting it to the expenses of a state
highway commission or some similar
purpose.
An appropriation Of $4,000 viii be
voted by the legislature, as the states
ernment's expense in making survey
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