The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1914-10-16
CHARTER WILL NOT
Be ASKED FOR NOW
NO FURTHER MOVE FOR LINE
PARALLELING STATE ROAD UN-
TIL LEGISLATURE MEETS.
GOV. SLATON SECURES PROMISE
saved State Expense OF AN Extra SEES
sion. Law Would Force Secretary
Of State to Grant Charter to North
Georgia Mineral Railway.


ATLANTA, Ga.-At the instance
If Governor John NJ. SIaton, who has
been working quietly to that end for
several weeks, the attorneys for the
North Georgia Mineral railway,
which recently applied to Secretary
of State Phil Cook for a charter to
build a road paralleling the Western
and Atlantic into Atlanta, have
agreed not to demand the charter
until the next regular session of the
legislature convenes in the summer
Of 1915, at which time it will have
opportunity to take whatever steps
it may deem proper for the protec-
ton of the states railroad property.
Meanwhile the petition will be held
under advisement by Secretary Cook.
Immediately after the North Geor-
gia Mineral railway, through its at
torneys, filed with the secretary of
state its petition for a charter Secre-
tary Cook called upon Attorney Gen
eral Grice for a ruling as to his dis
erection in granting this charter, the
execution of the rights of which, it is
feared, may impair the value of the
state road. Attorney General Grice
concurred with Secretary Cook in his
position that he had no other discre-
ton than to grant the charter, mas
much as the petition had met all the
mandates of the law.
Secretary of State Powerless.
The secretary of the state was then
powerless to do otherwise than grant
the charter as soon as he had COM
pleted his consideration of it,
Pressure was brought to bear upon
the governor to have him call spe-
cial session of the legislature, the
only remaining medium through
which the state could protect itself.
Governor Slaton declined persistent
" to commit himself upon the mat
ter, and for two weeks the question
of whether or not the governor would
call the legislature into special ses-
sion has been foremost with news
paper men at the capitol.
Some sort of action was deemed
imperative, but to call an extra SEES
sion of the legislature would entail
an expense to the state of some $751;
600. Moreover, there is no limit to
the time during which the legislature
NAV remain in special session. save
the expiration of the terms of the
members of that body.
Governor Slaton opened negot1a-
lions with a view to gaining the con-
sent of the applicants for the charter
to withhold any demand for the char
ter until the regular session Of the
legislature next summer.
Would Call Legislature.
Governor Slaton, however declar-
ed to the attorneys that should they
deem it their duty to demand the
charter at once he would immediate
" call the legislature in special SEES
son. for he felt that so vital an in
terest of the state should not be in
voIved without the general assembly
having the opportunity for due con-
sideration of the question, regardless
of the expense.
In their reply to the governor the
attorneys agreed to withhold demand
for the charter until the legislature
meets.
Governor Slaton's negotiations
with the attorneys of the petitioning
railroad were by means of personal
interviews.