Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-08-08
NEGRO FIREMAN
BILL IS PASSED
BY HOUSE
Measure Aimed to Bar Blacks
From Locomotive Sticking
Barely Gets Majority.

BY bare majority of SO votes, the
lowest number which can pass a bill
the Garrison bill, intended to bar negro
tiremen from the locomotives on Geor-
gia railroads, passed the house this aft
ernoon, slightly amended. The bill
came up for passage yesterday, was de
bated holly and went over as unfinished
business until today
The bill prescribes an educational
test for f1remen of engines on all rail-
roads operating in Georgia, test which
will virtually eliminate the negro, and
1t was fathered and supported by union
firemen and other labor organizations.
Representative Bowen, of Decatur
county, gave notice that he would move
for reconsideration of the bill, and if
few votes can be changed it is pos
stble that the measure may yet be de-
feated. 1t has yet to pass the senate.
Veterans Can Hold Jobs.
The bill was amended to put the law
into effect six months after its pas
sage, instead of four, and it's operations
were limited to regular common car
rters, excepting short lumber roads and
other lines not really within the intent
of the measure. An amendment pro-
viding that the law shall not affect
present employees was adopted, giving
the veteran negro firemen now in ser
vice the right to hold their jobs.
The house of Representatives today
voted for the first afternoon session of
the year, and at the end of this week
the first Saturday session will be held.
The house will be in session this after
noon from to o'clock.
The legislature is dropping behind In
its work and the leaders are realizing
the necessity Of more work, harder
work and less talk The rules commit
tee put over a report today limiting
all debate on any bill to 80 minutes,
holding individual members down to
five minutes, and even taking away
from the chairmen of committees
their cherished privilege of talking 20
minutes at the conclusion of all de-
bates
Speaker Holder had to order the
doors closed and send pages scurrying
into the Hobbies when the session open
ed to round up late corners who had
stopped to finish after breakfast cigars
in the smoking room and halls. There
was a bare quorum voting after several
attempts to draw the members to their
seats.
Flood of Local Bills,
A flood OF local bills on passage fol-
lowed. Speaker and clerks ran verbal
~noas ~ raod tbajr 20 nt{opS announra
n arbitrary vote, record bill as pass
ed" and go on to the next. Perhaps a
score wsre made laws In 80 minutes.
with few members paying any atten-
ton to bfll or vote.
Representatives Alexander and Field
had bill passed giving the town of
Decatur the night TO condemn land for
school purposes.
The invitation to members of the leg
islature TO attend a barbecue at Coch-
ran, in the new county of Bleckley, was
accepted by the house today, but 1t
urecipttated heated debate over hold
ing a Saturday session for passing To-
cal bills. Members who have local
legtslations pending we're UP in arms,
Mr.. Deese Of Pulaski. author of the in
vitation, even offered a motion that the
house meet at o'clock Saturday morn
ing, transact its business, hold the spe-
ciaI train for Bleckley county until bus
iness is over and then take the trip.
Cochran To Entertain.
The house. in an uprosr Of laughter,
pa ssed the motion, but quickly recon
sidered.
The matter was settled by deciding
on q Saturday session and granting
leave of absence to all members de-
string to go to the Cochran barbecue.
There VIII hardly be a quorum in the
house Saturday.
The Cochran board OF trade win pro-
vide special train, free transportation.
a brass band and a big feast to cele-
brate the creation OF the new county Of
Bleckley, whicF, it has been trying to
put over for several years. Cochran is
Just below Macon on the Southern rail-
way.