Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-01-30

ny grapevine.
Governor Brown has been flooded
with letters from all parts of the state
indorsing his recent statement with re-
gard to the quality of legal represen-
tatfon that must be provided under his
administration, to poor and ignorant
defendants, unable TO employ counsel
Of their own accord
Not only have scores of citizens COM
municated to the governor their APP
proval of his stand in this matter, but
a large majority of the state newspa-
pers-particularly the weeklies-have
Endorsed it.
The Dawson News. for instance,
says:
The declaration OF Governor
Brown that defendant In court
who is too poor to hire a lawyer to
see that he gets his legal rights
must be properly represented at
the trial by an experienced and ca
pable attorney appointed by the
presiding Judge. does him credit as
man and executive.
Many a poor devil has been rail-
roaded to the pententiary or gal
lows without having the benefit of
the kind of trial that is guaranteed
by the constitution
The governor has no direct power to
force judges to his point of view in this
matter, but he plainly intimates that
unless they do take his view they may
anticipate executive interference with
their sentences
Some wonder is expressed here and
there that Colonel j. Lindsay johnson,
former representative from Floyd coun-
", should have selected the consul gen
era! ship to Shanghai or Yokohama as
the particular piece of Federal pie he
will choose under President Wilson.
one would have expected the colonel
to pick out some point in "Bobbie"
Burns Edinburgh. for instance!
handsome memorial Of bronze ana
marble is to be erected in Dawson TO
the memory OF the late Congressman
James M Griggs whose sudden death
some two years ago so greatly shocked
and grieved his friends throughout the
nation.
Judge Griggs not only was one Of the
most efficient and effective representa-
tives ever sent to Washington by the
state of Georgia. but he was one OF the
most lOVable OF men. He was a COM
panionabe and engaging acquaintance
and the truest and sincerest Of friends.
The judge died at the very zenith Of
his career, a member of the ways and
means committee of the house and
| trusted and valued lieutenant Of I'm
derwood. Had he lived until today he
would be one OF the commanding influ-
ences in congress.
The Darien Gazette Is very proud OF
the fact that there Is one big. costly.
commodious house in that town abso-
lutely tenantless-and The Gazette
hopes it will go remain forever. The
paper refers TO the Mcintosh county
Jail.
The Gazette ascribes this healthy
and satisfactory condition Of things in
Mcintosh to two cause.-the naturally
law abiding inclinations Of the people
Of that vicinity and the long estab-
lished custom of giving pistol toters'
the limit Of the sentence when brought
Into court there.
The Gazette voices a common suspi-
cion, moreover. when it suggests to the
incoming Legislature that it outlaw the
sale Of pistols entirely in Georgia-save
in the most extraordinary and carefully
recorded ciTcumstanCes-and thereby
relieve the pressure on other jails
throughout the state, and reduce tho
percentage of crime materially all along
the line.