The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1912-07-18

Atlanta, Ga, July 18th. In the |
legislature the past week the Alex
ander-Tirpins near-beer bill fur
nished the principal interest and
excitement.
After three days Of oratory pro-
and con, the bill passed Wednesday
afternoon without amendment. An
amendment offered by Mr.. Adams,
Of Hall, to submit the bill to tho
people in-the fail election was lost
by the narrow margin Of SO to 81.
The bin passed differed from tic
original measure offered by Mr.. Tip
pins, Of Appling, last summer, IL
that a new provision puts a check
on locker clubs. Under the bill
members Of such clubs must actually
provide the whiskey or beer used by
tncm. The amount of alcohol in
near-beer is limited to one-half Of
one per cent. Manufacturers claim
that Eeer cannot be manufactured
with such small percentage Of al
cohol, which if true, will close the
near-beer saloons and cut the state
OF from about $250,000 revenue
annually.
There are just fifteen counties in
Georgia in which the sale Of near
beer is licensed, and Fulton, Chat
ham, Bib, Muscogeean Doughtery
do the bulk Of the business and sup
ply the largest part Of the state
revenue. The loss Of $3.50, 900 in
the State annual revenues forms a
very grave problem and one with
which the law makers will have to
deal, since it must be made up
somewhere, somehow orserious enl-
barrassment to state finances will
result.
The bill win come up in the state
senate next week, and it is generally
believed that it will pass there also.
There has been some talk Of the
senate restoring referendum clause,
but this is otcertain. Whether or
not Governor Brown will veto the
bill is a moot question. He says he
does not know positively himself yet.
His action will probably depend on
the shape in which the bin is passed.
The big majority by which the
Tippins bill passed the house last
week revived gossip anenta possible
prohibition candidate for governor,
although the necessity for the anti
whiskey element assuming this at
titude is not clear when they are IN
a position to enact an air-tight pro-
hibition law for the State.
Heretofore talk regarding a pro-
hibition candidate for Governor has
had to do with Judge w. A. Coy
ineton. More recent rnmors, how
ever centered around Hooper Alex
ander, Of DeKalb, the moving spirit
back Of the Tippins bill. However
Mr.. Alexander quickly set at rest
these rumors by stating emphatically
that he had no idea of becoming q
gubernatorial aspirant. Leading
prohibitionists are opposed to max
ing this question an issue in the
prescott campaign.
This apparently kills off the last
Of tho possible entries and leaves the
field 10 John NJ. slaton, of Fulton,
and Joe Hill Hall, Of Bib. All
candidates for state offices must pay
the assessment levied by the>state
executive committed by Aug. 1st.,
SO opportunity for other entrants for
the governorship is pa sing rapidly.
AS often stated this campaign is.
to be marked by unusual quietness.
and the candidate viii do practi-H
cally no general campaign speaking
over the state. Mr.. Hall fills in a
few dates now and then, when there
Is a slack in the legislative grind.
Mr.. Slaton, however, is remaining
steadily on the job here as pFesid-
ing officer Of the state.
He will have no opportunity to
get among the people in personal
appeal at all, since the legislature
does not adjourn until August 14th.
Under the law the president Of the
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