Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-07-04
81 JANIS B. NEVTN

By refusing the perfectly reasonable
request legitimately entered, Of GER
tain advocates Of woman suffrage In
Georgia that they be permitted to
use the Senate chamber for meet
ing, at a time definitely sure not to
conflict with any bushes Of the Sen
ate, It is extremely doubtful whether
the Senate has covered itself with
any amazing amount of glory OF
erected a perpetual monument to its
common sense.
That is the way a great many peo-
pie appear to view the matter, any
wayl
Moreover, if the Senate is opposed
to woman suffrage. which It is agreed
all around it has a right to be, II
doubtless has helped the cause rather
than injured It in Georgia by refus-
ing the request noted.
Woman suffrage may not be popu-
lar in Georgia-on the contrary, It
may be more popular than some folks
imagine-but certainly its advocates
thus far working in the open are
women Of extraordinary intelligence
and marked conservatism OF action
To deny them a request that would
have been granted, readily enough, to
the state Democratic executive com
mittee, say, is not particularly con
vincing in the minds OF some people
that woman suffrage is either an err
TOR or a monstrous wrong.
To be sure. the women may hold
their meeting elsewhere, but I'm view
OF the fact that all sorts of political
meetings have been permitted in the
Senate Chamber--whiCh Is public
place-and all sorts Of people per-
mitted TO speak therein, In season
and out, the needless turning down Of
handful of women, DESTROYS of hold
ing a welfare meeting in hehalf Of
their own organization, seems to
have been rather out Of place, If not
absolutely cheap.
The Senate of Georgia before this
time however, has strained at gnats
only to swallow camels subsequently.
II appears that the present Senate
was not loathe TO let 1t be known
1
occasion seemed to require the per-
Torrance
1t is the opinion OF a number of
people that the Senate's refusal OF
the request of the women involved
was extremely uugracious, TO say the
least Of It!
II should be borne in mind that
| neither Representative Macarthur nor
Representative Browning, of the new
counties OF Wheeler and Bleckley re-
spectively. were expelled from the
House,
Both gentlemen had been sworn
| in. but that fact did not make them
members de jure of the House. neces-
! sarily The constitutionality of their
titles to their seats was raised and
sustained by the House, and their
seats therefore were declared vacant
| or. rather, their seats were declared
never to have existed.
Both gentlemen are very popular
and are citizens Of the very highest
! integrity and standing. Indeed, as a
| purely personal matter, the DISPOSE
/ ton Of the House undoubtedly was 10
! seat them. However, the House, after
! thrashinE the matter out exhaustive
! ~. decided that the law plainly was
]
| acted accordingly.
| Discussing this matter to-day, Rep
| resentative Hardeman, who made a
/ speech denying the right Of the gen
/ tlemen to their seats, said; 1t is a
] tribute TO the patriotism and genuine
| worth of the House that il acted as
! Il did in this matter, despite its heavy
! personal inclination 10 vote otherwise
! Ny own vote was embarrassing, in a
! way hated to vote against these
{ two splendid men, but / could not
| afford To do that which | feared would
] Legislature, and so | voted as | did
u think the George House of this
. year may be depended upon TO do the
! right thing IN all matters, judging
by the way II acted in this very try
ing situation"
Close behind the introduction Of q
bin in the Georgia Senate by Hon J
i. Sweat OF the Fifth District, Way
cross will organize for a determined
campaign in favor Of extending the
State road 10 the sea, via Waycross
Rlght-of- way through Ware has
/ been pledged and the county ConviCtS
will be loaned, If necessary, to the
1 State for the road construction
] other counties through the Ware
/ County section have agreed 70 make
/ similar offers. and all Will exert them
! selves TO get favorable action by the
/ Legislature.
Governor Jo1n NJ. Slaton's sugges-
|.n state HIGHWAYS Comm, =