The leader-enterprise. [volume] (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1912-1915, 1912-06-14

know the needs of the entire state.
He has been chairman of the COM
mittee On the constitution eight
years in the house and senate, and
also chairman of the judiciary com
mittee three years in the Georgia sen
ate
He was the sole author OF the bill
establishing the eleven district agri-
cultural schools, which have attract
ed the attention CT the world. He
was the author Of the constitutional
amendment limiting the tax rate to
five mills. He drafted the bill as it
now stands on the statute book and
led the fight for it III the senate, re-
curing the corporations TO pay taxes
IN their franchises, which was passed
in lieu Of the excellent but imperfect
ILL first passed in the house. This
measure has been bringing seven or
eight hundred thousand dollars a
year in additional taxes, relieving the
people to that extent. He seized the
opportune moment and introduced
and successfully supported the bill
establishing the court of appeals,
which has done so much to expedite
the administration OF justice in Geor-
gia.
He introduced in 1902 the first gen.
eral bill against free passes.
He introduced in 1906 the first bill
to reorganize and strengthen the rail
road commission and supported and
added valuable amendments to the
present law, among them the provi-
sion which for the first time gave
the commission the power to require
proper service as well as the power
to regulate rates.
He was the author of the first meas
ure to reduce railroad passenger
rates, putting telephone companies
under control of the railroad com
mission, and of the bill repeating the
10-mile limit in the railroad law and
thus opened the way for electric troll
ley lines through the country.
He was the first, perhaps, who ever
advocated in the legislature
the law against drunkenness On the
public roads. He assisted in draft
ing and supported the bill prohibiting
the sale of Intoxicating wines in pro
hibition counties. He supported the
measure to put a $4,000 tax on locker
clubs. He vigorously opposed all
bills to establish dispensaries.
He first advocated in the senate
bill against specializing in farm prod
ucts, and afterwards in the house as
sisted in framing and passing the
present law against bucket shops.
He opposed and aided, in defeating
the measure to appoint a commission
to encourage foreign immigration to
the state, being in favor OF the nat
lral influx Of good citizens but OPP
posed to the artificial stimulus of for
sign immigration which would tend
to bring in undesirable elements.
He was enc of the leading oppon-
9nts Of the convict lease system, and
advocated the use of the CONFLICTS on
Inc roads of the state.
He was largely instrumental, as
chairman of the committee, in pass
Rg the measure giving a pension to
All Confederate veterans owning less
han 1,500, though he preferred no
limit.
He has always supported tfe cause
Of education, and liberal appropria=
lions to the common schools.
He persistently championed the res
JIution to adopt the income tax
when it first came TO the
legislature in 1909, and was referred
10 in the Northern press as ane of
the foremost leaders in it's favor.
While he has always fought sill bills
IN the interest of special concerns
and against the interest of the public,
his friends point to Mr.. Perry's rec
ord in progressive and constructive
to show his close study
Of public questions, and that he has
been I'm accord with the advanced pub
lie sentiment on these subjects.
SENATOR RAcoN's RECORD.
Instead Of voting in the interest Of
the people, Senator Bacon voted with
Ardrich for a duty of from $r.50 to-
$500 q thousand on lumber: He.
voted with Aldrich against free iron
ore. He voted to strike cut rough
and dressed lumber" from the farm
ers' free list bill, known. as the Cn-
sferw0od free list. He voted against
free wood pulp and freq printing pa
per and other paper, amt against free
rice and free lemons and free coal,
when the farmers free list bill was
up for action. He voted with Aldrfeh
against free sugar from the Philip
pines. No one could have cast these
votes who had at heart the interest
of the common people. He was rep
in these, votes the iron and
lumber and other capitalists, and not
the people at large. In order to pro-
tect special interests he was giving
to che principle that has
kept the South Impoverished for so
years, and thus crippled himself and
other Democrats in their debate on
protection. He contended in the SEN
ate for the right OF corporations to
establish bureaus to promote immi
grafton and to even pay the passage
money of immigrants through state