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

should be required by law, and neither
the management nor the employees OF Il
a public service corporation should IN
der any circumstances be permitted 10 /
paralyZe or otherwise interfere with the /
powers of the public for the transporta-
ton of persons and property, or Tor any /
other service for which the corporation i
was chartered.
l. 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 VINO, /
for their own selfish interest, would i'm
pede commerce, travel or other public /
need or convenience. And the same law /
should govern every factory wherein /
capital and labor come in conflict,
| also respectfully suggest that you /
amend Section 1854 Of the Code of Geor-
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 Oy /
any public service corporation when /
combinations Of persons unlawfully pre-
vent its operation, thus damaging the |
interests of the public, and that ne
thereupOn issue a proclamation requlr- |
ing the sheriffs Of all counties in which |
said public service corporations work
ing property lies to summon posse COM
itatus to protect said corporation in the
performance of its chartered duties; and L
that, in the event the resistance to law
by disorderly parties be too great for
he civil authorities in any county or
counties OT
judges, sheriff or sheriffs shall promptly
notify the Governor. who shall there
Ipon use the militia, or such portions
Of 1t as may be needed, to enforce the
Of said public service corporation or
corporations for the welfare Of the peo-
pie
Suspension Of sherlffs.
also respectfully suggest that you
enact law authorizing the Governor
to suspend a sheriff whenever he finds
Il proven that said sheriff has willfully
failed to do his duty in protecting the
people Of his county against acts OF
lawbreakers, and to appoint sheriff
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 glaring in
stance during the period of the strike
On the Georgia Railroad last year.
II 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
10, Section l. says:
"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
gllitia Of this State shall be organized,
differed, trained, armed and equipped;
and Of whom it 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
come crises in which the civil authorf-
ties would not be able to maintain
peace and protect life and property.
The genius, the very soul, Of that Con-
stitutlon is democracy, yet it's every
paragraph proves that it is a 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 viii in
terfere with the rights Of those who
The great minds which made it real
ICED that attempts to supplant or de-
throne the law must not be temper
by trained force which would maintain
protection to the people through the
supremacy and majesty of the law.
Creation Of Mllltarlsm.
Hence. they have clothed your honor
able bodies with the authority above
Indicated and by plain inference have
made the same your duty.
Therefore, IL the use of the militia Of
that the Constitution creates mill
tarism" and ordains that such shall be
the instrument of its enforcement
when lawless elements in any commu-
nifty. contending only with the civil
set that Constitution and
the statutes at defiance and imperil the
same Constitution declares that pro
lection to person and property is the
duty Of government and
be impartial and complete" This
is but an ampnncation 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
alton which uphold the arch OF the
Constitution, Georgia presents to the
worlds view the figure Of a soldier
holding a 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
the manner prescribed by law. to pro-
tect the public against lawlessness re-
sulting from the strike by street car
employees in Augusta; and also from
threatened attempts to prevent the
process Of the States laws in Cum
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-
flant 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 infiicts
Militia Not a Bluff.
1t 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
The military is called out, that the lat
ter should be instructed to refrain from
rigorous measures, even from the in
Fiction 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
Il be used simply as a bluff.
Such use would put the Constitution
tself in contempt and absolutely invite
anarchy The very word militia" car
-ies with it the knowledge that its wea-
pons are guns and other means of de-
troying life II extreme necessity for Sc
Jring impartial and complete protec-
Ion for the law-abiding so demands.
We must not overlook the fact that
he Constitution provides that the sher- {