The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1914-06-25

thorized 10 offer the bonds bearing not
more than Az per cent interest at not
less than par, with the right to advertise
for bids in his discretion and to reject
any and all bids, and that your act be
so flexible as to allow not only proper
adjustment, but also such discretion as
may meet the exigencies of the situation
at the time the bonds are to be sold.
Automobile Taxes.
The state treasurer has reported to
me that there Is in the treasury $4,000
arising from the automobile tax, which
you provided by act of 1918 should be
distributed to the counties in proportion
to the mileage of the roads in these coun-
ties, as shown by the census of the United
States Federal authorities have made no
record of this mileage, and therefore the
distribution under the plan contemplated
in the act was impossible and the attor-
general held that the money should
be kept in the treasury awaiting your
direction
Official Bonds.
beg to ask your especial considera-
ton. of the comptroller-generaPs report
regarding the decision of the supreme
court which holds unconstitutional the
law allowing that officer to issue execu-
tions for amounts due the state by tax
collectors. While justice should be done
the official, hearing in accordance with
the decision of the supreme court can be
allowed him and at the same time relieve
the state from entering into protracted
litigation with consequent deprivation of
her revenue. suggest that your appro-
pirate committees take this matter up at
once.
Military Department.
Since the last session of your honora-
Bile body have had brought before me
in acute form the relation existing be-
tween the national guard of Georgia and
the war department at Washington.
BY statutes embodied in sections 1861,
1862 and 1868, second volume of the Code
of Georgia, the Office of adjutant-g
and quartermaster-general are establish
ed, each with rank of brigadier- general.
Code sections 1867 and 1868 give general
authority to the governor as commander
in-chief regarding the numbers and
grades of the officers.
The war department at Washington
issued an order requiring in effect that
the quartermaster-gene in Georgia
should have the rank of major. The
failure to comply with the order was Wis
tied with the penalty that the quarter
MASTER general would not be recognized
for the purpose. Of receiving arms, equip
ment, etc, nor would he receive pay
during maneuvers
/ asked if this order could be suspend
ed as to Georgia until the legislature
could meet and deal with the subject, as
/ maintained that obedience to the laws
of Georgia was superior duty and more
binding on me than the orders of the war
department.
This suspension was declined unless /
promised to use my influence as chief
executive with the legislature to repeal
legislation conflicting with the orders of
the war department. This | declined to
do, and hence designated the adiutant-
general to receipt for equipment until
the subject could be brought to your
attention.
Perhaps it may be the part of practical
wisdom to adapt the Office of quarter
master-general to the. grade required in
the regular army, in order that our ma
| tional guard may receive the support of
the federal government as provided by
its laws. But / believe it should be with
the strict heed that the national guard of
Georgia shall always owe first allegiance
to the state and subject to the order of
| her governor as paramount authority.
The national guard is ready in time of
national peril to perform the duties of a
soldier against a foreign enemy, and the
government should be generous with it
and literally support it on these terms.
| Its members spend time and money and
make tremendous sacrifice in its serv-
ice. But ! view with disapproval the
| growing tendency to militarism, with a
large standing army under direct control
of one man in Washington. 1t is not diff
| fcult to suppose an occasion when such
force under the control of someone
possessed of audacity, ambition and cour-
age, might make it a menace to our gov
eminent and its institutions.
shall gladly submit the correspond
ence to such committee as you may APP
point to consider the matter, and will
render them such aid as may lie in my
power
School Books.
The state board OF education had uEl-
der consideration the adoption of school
books as provided by law, and performed
its duty in accordance with the directing
statutes.
They could not find book on civil
government meeting their approval.
Therefore they tentatively adopted a
book for the period of twelve months I'M
der the act Of 1918, with the purpose of
requesting the legislature to authorize it
to have book written and published for
use in Georgia, under the supervision of
the department of education. / commend
for consideration this request of the
state board Of education.
Indetermlnate Sentences.
Under existing laws there is immense
latitude given to judges in the imposition
of sentences. The punishment may be
from one to twenty years in the peniten-
tiary in many cases. It is difficult to de-
clare why man is sent four years i'm
stead of five, or seven years instead of
six, and vet one year is a long period to
serve. The slightest incident might make
the individual Judge, however. good, vary
the punishment at different times in the
identical case.
/ submit to you whether it would not
be more consistent with Justice to pro-
vide that the Judge may impose a sem
tence between certain limited periods and
allow the good behavior of the convict to
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