The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1911-07-27
PROCEEDINGS OF THE GEORGIA LEGISLATURE

| ira session of the committee after
the present legislature adjourns IT, the
investigation is not completed at that
time.
Gov Hoke Smith formally acquaint-
ed the Legislature with his views on
finances Of the state in line with in
formal statements that had previously
been given out for publication. A
special message was transmitted to
each house by the governor, setting
forth these views Because approx
imately seventeen thousand dollars OF
the public buildings fund of $4,000
! had been expended by the preceding
administration during the first half Of
the year and about nine thousand dol
lars of the contingent fund of $4,000
had also been disbursed within the
half year, the governor asks special
! appropriations to meet the deficit for
| the last half of the year. A statement
from the office of the state treasurer
is submitted showing the status of
the states finances. Governor Smith
urges that the legislature keep in
mind the amount of funds available,
| and not allow appropriations to exceed
| the estimated revenues for the year.
To raise additional revenue, the gov
ernor formally makes his suggestion
| that a special tax based on horsepow-
| err of cars be assessed on all owners
| of automobiles. The governor points
out that pensions and schools con-
sumo about three-fourths of the rev.
enue Of the state and advises the leg
islature not to increase the appropri-
atoms for these causes this year.
Again the Sunday freight train bill
has passed the house and gone to the
senate. The bill Of Mr.. Anderson of
Chatham was passed by vote of lis
to 1. 1t provides that the present law
be amended so that the hour for de-
laye trains with consignments of per-
ishable matter be extended from Sum
days at a. m. to a. m. to reach its
| destination.
The anti-lobby bill of Senator Har-
ris "a direct copy of the LaFollette,
Wisconsin, measure, which was turned
down by the general judiciary commit
tee, which submitted substitute diff
| fering but little from the original bill,
held the floor of the Georgia senate
for full hour, but it finally passed by
3S to 4.
The appointment of D. w. Krauss
by Governor Smith to be judge of the
city court of Brunswick was confirm
ed by the senate in executive session.
Judge Krauss' appointment was held
up some time ago on the ground that
his term would begin after the next
legislature had convened. Governor
Smith said that was misunderstandJ
ing due to a typographical error in
the commission and sent the appoint
ment to the senate again, having
changed the time of it's effectiveness
from July 1, 1912, to January 1, 1912.
Governor Smith reappointed Judge
the railroad commission for period
of four years beginning August %,
when Judge Hines present term ex-
pires. During his first administration,
four years ago, Governor Smith ap-
pointed Judge Hines special counsel
of the railroad commission under the
new law increasing the membership
of the commission from three to five
and charging its powers.
Initiative and referendum for the
state of Georgia and for all counties
and municipalities in the state are pro.
vided for in a bill introduced in the
house by Representative Payton Of
Worth. 1t provides for submitting to,
the people at the polls constitutional
amendment authorizing the addition of
these modern additions to democratic
government, and provides that when
the voters have endorsed it at the
ballot box it becomes operative with
out being again referred to the legis-
lature for the enactment of the nee
essary laws to make it effective. The
bill as presented does not contain the
recall feature, but Mr.. Payton says
that will be incorporated in an amend
ment when the bill comes from the
general judiciary committee No l, to
which it was referred.
A Georgian's life won't be property
not entirely so just yet. But bill
passed by the house amending the
damage suit laws gives it added
or new value. Administrators are
given the right to sue for recovery on
the score of homicide, but are limited
to suing for whatever interest pos.
sessed in the life in question by rela-
tives or dependents. Under existing
laws only persons with blood in
terest' can sue to recover damages
on the score of life taken in rail-
road accident, for instance. Exception
is made in the case of railway en-
ployees, on behalf of whose estates
suit may be brought already But they
have jobs at stake. Because some
people have no relatives, but often
leave obligations behind, Representa-,
tive Tarver of Whitfield, introduced a
bill in the house giving administrators
the right to sue for recovery on be-
half of the estate of any person kill
Cd throuoh the Oeolioanca of soma in.