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

am IelldDiy INFORMED tnnt quite :
] number OF farms in Forsyth County
| have been practically abandoned thls
l year for lack Of labor. which has fiet
/ before these threats. The State can not
/ tolerate such a condition Of affairs. She
I can not allow even just resentment
/ against lawless individuals 10 take the
] shape Of wholesale Intimidation Of labor
! necessary for the conduct OF farms and
| Industrial enterprises.
! There is no reason why farms should
| lost their productive power and why
/ the white women Of this State should
/ be driven 10 the cook stoves and wash
| pots simply because certain people blind
| iy strike down all Of one class In re
/ taliation for the nefarious deeds Of in
diyiduals In that class The application
Of the law IL to the individual who vio-
| lates H. and all who are law abiding
are entitled to and must nave the pro
lection Of the law.
I, therefore, recommend the enactment
Jf "A statute which will meet the situa-
| ton above indicated, and punish all who
would impair the powers OF honest la
burning residences should be fixed at
| 5000 for each offense, and rewards Of
such amounts, not greater than 5000
per person, should be authorized for the
arrest, with proof to convict Of every
one guilty Of posting threatening no.
| Ices OF using other measures for In.
| timidatng people and driving them from
/ heir homes.
/ Railroad Commission Reduction.
Unnecessary offices which levy addi-
tlonal taxes upon the people should be
abolished. II Is against public pOlity
10 maintain sinecures I, therefore, re-
5pectfully recommend to your honora bic
bodies the reduction OF the membership
Of the Railroad Commission from Ave
members TO three
When It is considered that only one
member OF the five Is required by law
10 devote his entire time to the service
OF the office, and that the larger num-
| Der OF members makes that body cum
hersome, as well as needlessly expen-
sive, II IL patent that II is to the State's
| interest 20 reduce the number Of Com
mlssloners, and also to dispense with
r5 nt oiiiGe OF special attorney for the
/ viii add that the Interstate Com
merce Commission has assumed the au-
thority 20 raise intrastate rates when Il
seems that these rates infuriously affect
Interstate rates The lower courts bava
upheld that Commission In this action.
The Supreme Court Of the United States
has practically upheld this position in
recent decision, hence IL would appear
that blow has been struck the Rail-
road Commissions Of the States In such
event IL would clearly be a waste Of the
peoples money to maintain as many as
hVc members on this Commission for the
purpose mainly Of supervising the occa-
sional building Of depots and the collec-
ton OF statistical information.
Furthermore, Il is well known that the
number OF members OF this Commission
was increased In 1907 for the purpose
OF installing what were termed "port
rates Yet although the advocates OF
port rates have been In the majority
on the commission from September, 1907,
to June 1909 and from November, 1911,
TO this date, there has been no effort
made by the Commission to even pro-
mulgate port rates" Hence, as port
rates have been proven 10 be a cam
paign theory which IL is impractical BILE
to make effective. II is manifestly con.
trary TO the public interest to maintain
nVe members on this board at the ex-
pense OF the taxpayers.
Criminal Law Reform.
lnasmuch as our penal laws have
undergone little change during the "a ST
half century ii might be timely for YOU
20 make inquiry looking to amendments
necesSltated by changed conditions and
modern Developments.
l wish to direct your attention to one
important change that is needed In
miSdemeanor cases where prison penal
ties win alternative fines are imposed
leave should be given for payment OF
the fine, or the pro rata portion of the
fine due at any time before the compile
ton of the prison or changing sen
tence. In most court jurisdictions 1t is
held that once the fine alternative is re-
jeCted, and the period for accepting II
elapsed, the fine can not be paid except
by communication from this office. In no
case viii they pro rate the penalty, de-
Quoting, as they do in cities. for the pc.
riod OF time served by the prisoner.
This is manifestly unjust. amounting
to special penalty on poverty and
misfortune A great many persons are
unable TO raise the amount of the al
Tentative fine when II is imposed upon
them, but later do raise It, or a suffi-
Client amount allowing for the time
served to meet the intent of the SEN
tence imposed. The only way they can
get relief is by coming to the Execu-
tive Office with applications for Glenn
ency, which puts them to unnecessary
expense and this office TO much trouble
all OF which could be obviated by your
providing an automatic method for pris-
oners to pay their fines at any time be-
fore sentence is completed.
Pardon Clerk Recommended.
Applications for executive clemency
are becoming more and more burden
some on the Executive Office During
! the past eighteen months this office has
/ been forced to consider nearly 1 900 of
such appeals Outside the assistance
! rendered by the Prison Commission, the
| Executive Office each week is forced to
read and answer scores of letters, and
| see or otherwise deal with scores of call
ers relating to such applications. mas
/ much as the Constitution places full re-
SpOnsibility In these matters on the Gov
! ernor, he is in duty bound to examine
each record and to make such inVestl-
| cations and inquiries in addition to
| those made by the Commission as he
! thinks proper
The result is that this work takes up
! q large proportion OF the time Of the
! Executive Onice precluding attention "a
! other important business, In addition
! To this, lack of time makes II impOssi-
| Die for this Office to pursue investigation
/ of many cases as thoroughly as their
! importance demands
| Therefore. ] recommend that you pro-
vide the Governor with a pardon clerk
| or attorney. who shall devote his entire
| time to assisting in handling applica-
| tious for executive clemency.
Better Tax Assessing.
Again permit me to repeat the recon-
mendation made in my general message
| Of last year and previous ones during a
| former administration, relative TO the
| urgent need Of better method OF as
/ sesslng property for taxation.
! All who have studied the question
/ agree that II property now escaping
/ taxation, and other property bearing
| less than its equitable burden were re-
| CURED to contribute their Just part TO
! the support Of the State government our
| revenues would be augmented to the
4 extent Of the deficit, which is now OF
/ serious consequence.
! II is but simple honesty to demand
! that all property be required to bear its
! Just share OF the expenses of the gov
! eminent which gives II protection.
| Therefore. l recommend that you amend
! lie tax law so as to provide a method
/ OF assessment for, and equalizing Of,
! taxes more just than now prevails
Compulsory Arbitration Necessary.
During the fan Of last year there &C.
! CURED a strike by the employees Of the
| street car company in Augusta, and