Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-07-28
HOUSE PASSES BILL.
CREATING BURLESQUE
HIGHWAY Commission
After LabOring for Days It
B6ngS Forth a Zero With the
Rim Rubbed Off, a Master
piece OF acuity

After Iaboring for days on the crea-
ton of a state highway commission the
house or representatives on Wednesday
brought forth a legislative Jit-mouse.
masterpiece of vacuity, zero with the
rim rubbed of.
The bill which passed the house pro-
vides that the prison commission shall
be designated as the highway depart
ment OF the state. and assents 20 the
terms OF the act of congress appropfl-
ating q fund 10 aid the states in building
public roads. The bill was introduced
by Representative ADAMS OF flhe, ana
Heath of Burke
The bin gives the highway depart
meut. so-called, no authority, no funds.
no convfcts. no highway engineer. no as
sistant engineers. no clerical help. IL
simply confers upon the prison commits
sion the empty title OF highway de-
partment."
Lawyers who have carefully studied
the terms of the act of congress believe
the state will be no nearer, under the
bill which passed the house, to securing
Georgia's share Of the federal appropria-
ton than il was with no highway de-
partment at all
After passing the bill the house imme-
diately transmitted il 10 the senate
amidst uprOarous laughter, as II me
members were Disguised with the
whole subject and were glad TO get rto
OF the burlesQue they had perpetrated-
TANGLED WITH POLITICS.
Although the creation OF a highway
commission was one OF the most impor-
tant subjects before the house during
the entire session. and one OF the most
important in recent years, and although
IL was purely a business subject 10 be
handled in a business way, considert-
ton of the subject was tangled in poll
tics from start TO finish.
Candidates for speaker, for the state
senate, for congress and for other offices.
climbed over one another to introduce
the respective plans for highway COM
mission which they had formulated. ana
pressed their respective plans TO the ex-
clusion OF all others. So great was the
confusfons caused by the multiplicity Of
bills and substitutes that the interest OF
the house was killed at the outset
throughout the consideration of the sub
ject order was maintained with the ut
most difficulty, and il was continually
necessary TO send the sergeant-at-arms
into the Hobbies TO summon the members
back TO their seats
In addition to this handicap. the sub
Iect was further complicated by the in
lection of the wishes OF the prison CON-
xeoIogist and various other OfficeholdeTs,
concerning the personnel Of the highway
commission. Friends of ne prison com.
mission insisted they should be recog-
nfzed. Friends of the secretary OF state
did the same. So with the state geolo-
gist.
Members Of the house who wanted 10
pass q bill creating a highway commits
sion that would be worthy OF the name
one that could accomplish results. are
hopeful that the senate will throw the
house bill in the senatorial waste basket
and pass a thoroughgoing measure.
The matching OF coins. the throwing
OF "crackaloo." the pitching of heads
and tails and other forms of petty
gambling would be prohibited in Geor-
gia BY a bill introduced in the house
Wednesday by Representative Beck. of
Carroll.
NEW HOUSE BILLS.
The following bills we're introduced
in the house on Wednesday:
Bv NJ Elders. OF TatInall-To amend
road law of TattnaH county.
E;y same-TO amend act creating