Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-25

Q
the management nor the employees OF
a public service corporation should I'M
der any circumstances be permitted tC
paralyze or otherwise interfere with the
powers of the public for the trsnsporta
lion OF persons and property, or for any
other service for which the corporation
was chartered.
I, therefore, respectfully impress upon
you the Importance Of enacting such
laws at your present session to the end
that the masses Of the people shall not
again suffer from the acts Of any who
for their own selfish interest. would i'm
need or convenience. And the same law
should govern every factory wherein
capital and labor come in conflict.
l also respectfully suggest that you
gia by requiring the Railroad Commits
sion to promptly advise the Governor
of the stoppage Of performance OF the
duties for which II was chartered by
any public service corporation wheT
combinations of persons unlawfully pre-
vent its operation. thus damaging the
| interests of the public, and that he
thereupon issue a proclamation requir-
ing the sheriffs Of all counties in which
said public service corporations work
! 'ng property lies to summon posse COM
tatus to protect said corporation in the
performance of its chartered duties; and
that, in the event the resistance to law
by disorderly parties be too great for
counties to overcome, the Judge OF
judges, sheriff or sheriffs shall promptly
notify the Governor who shall there
upon use the militia, or such portions
States laws which require the operation
Of said public service corporation or
corporations for the welfare of the peo-
pie.
Suspension Of Sherlffs.
I also respectfully suggest that you
Irrr Ill,
to suspend sheriff whenever he finds
It proven that said sheriff has willfully
failed to do his duty in protecting the
people Of his county against acts Of
to serve until after a new sheriff is
chosen by the people at the next regu-
lar election
Such a law prevails in several other
States, and that II is needed in Georgia
was proven in at least one glazing in
stance during the period Of the strike
IN the Georgia Railroad last year.
It should be furthermore provided that
sheriff thus removed shall not be elig-
bic for election to any office In the
county Of his residence until at least
two years after he has been thus re-
moved by the Governor.
Laws Affecting the militia.
The Constitution Of Georgia, Article
"a well regulated militia being essen.
ial to the peace and security of the
state, the General Assembly shall have
authority to provide by law how the
Eilitia OF this State shall be organized,
officered, trained armed and equipped
and Of whom il shall consist"
The words essential to the peace
and security of the State" are proof
that the makers Of this Constitution,
which we have taken an oath to exc
cute, deemed that there were likely TO
come crises in which the civil authori-
ties would not be able to maintain
peace and protect life and property.
The genius, the very soul. OF that Con-
stitution is democracy, yet its every
paragraph proves that it is self
bridled democracy Its provisions leave
every law abiding citizen fullest lib
erty for eXerting his powers in any
legitimate occupation, but places a con-
slant curb on crime, with penalties to
be applied to every one who will in
terfere with the rights of those who
obey It.
The great minds which made il real
lied that attempts to supplant or de-
throne the law must not be temper
lied with. but must be promptly met
by trained force which would maintain
protection to the people through the
supremacy and majesty of the law
Creation Of MllItarlsm.
Hence. they have clothed your honor
able bodies with the authority above
made the same your duty.
Therefore, II the use of the militia of
the state be ''militarism" 1t is clear
that the Constitution creates mill
the instrument of it's enforcement
when lawless elements in any commu-
nifty. contending only with the civil
authorities. set that Constitution and
the statutes at defiance and imperil the
lives and property Of the people. The
same Constitution declares that pro
lection to person and property is the
paramount duty of government and
be impartial and complete" This
is but an ampntication of the ancient
maxim: The safety of the people is
the supreme law
And we must not ignore the fact that
on her Great Seal Of State, amid the
columns, Wisdom, Justice and Moder-
alton, which uphold the arch OF the
Constitution, Georgia presents to the
worlds view the figure of a soldier
holding drawn sword, thus symbolic
ing the fact that inside the very temple
Of peace she holds the type of martial
power, power loyal and ever ready to
protect that Constitution and the
peace which it commands.
Use Of the Militia.
During the past summer and fall, the
use OF the military was called for, in
tect the public against lawlessness re-
sulting from the strike by street car
employees IN Augusta; and also from
threatened attempts to prevent the
ming Ga.
1t was a deplorable fact that in Au-
gusta three persons put themselves in
characterization to the military law, one,
If not two, of them in an open and de-
tiant manner intended to lead to de-
structiOn, by a mob, of property in Gus
tody of sOldiery placed by the State to
guard 1t; hence, were killed in the eX-
ercise of their unlawful acts No one
except these can be blamed for their
deaths
Deeds done in defiance Of the military
law must necessarily meet penalties
just as deeds done against the civil
laws must meet the same. It is well
known that extreme acts Of violation
Of the civil laws have for their penalty
death, and this, when dire necessity
comes, the State lnfiicts.
Militia Not a Bluff.
II can not be admitted. therefore, that
when lawless parties. by threats Of in
cendiarism and personal violence, ter.
rorize community and prevent the civil
authorities from enforcing the laws, and
he military is called out, that the lat
ter should be instructed to refrain from
rigorous measures, even from the in
Ilctlon of death, for the protection of the
peaceable and law-abiding members of
The community. The Constitution mani
testify does not intend that the militia
ii be used simply as a bluff.
Such use would put the Constitution
tself in contempt and absolutely invite
anarchy. The very word militia" car
RES with 1t the knowledge that its wea-
pons are guns and other means of de-
tToying life II extreme necessity for Sc
5ring impartial and complete protec-
ion for the law hiding so demands.
We must not overlook the fact that
he Constitution provides that the sher-
r OF any county NAV summon noeea