Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-08-18

which Is to take place on September
IL and was passed by a legislature or
which the governor, who is a candidate
for reelection was a part. 1t would
subject him, therefore, to great criti-
cism either that he was trying to help
himself If he signed it, or, If he vetoes
it. that he must do so because he was
afraid 1t would injure his own chances.
"2. The bill limits the discretion OF
the party in the ascertainment of the
Will of its members touching its own
candidates who shall represent 1t, and
makes statute law out of what, gener =
ally speaking, should be subject TO par
ty regulation.
BARS POOR MAN.
"3. The BILL If it is enacted into law,
would render the races for the offices
to which it refers. in every case where
there is more than two candidates, and
neither secures a majority or the votes
necessary to elect, so costly that no
one but a rich man, or a man who rep
resented some interest that was
thought to be in jeopardy, could afford
to enter the race. The legislature has
not seen At to limit the expenditures in
seeking any of the offices to which the
act refers 1t is difficult now to find
men to run for office who have enough
money to pay the ordinary expenses or
the same, but superimpose a second pri-
mary upon two men, the whole expense
of which must be borne by them, is TO
put it beyond the reach of any but the
very rich to go forward to the end. The
great common people would be entirety
out of 1t.
"a. The evil which the bill was
thought to remedy, viz: The abuse OF
it's powers by the convention could
nave been handled by providing rules
for the convention regulating the bal
lots and providing that the lowest man
should be dropped after a certain mum
Der of ballots had been taken. But this
Is suggested only as proof of the fact
that there are other ways by which the
difficulty can be met than by the one
suggested.
80. AS there will be another legisla-
ture before there will be another cleo
ton, and it seems manifestly unjust to
allow a change of rules at the present
time by legislative enactment, there
can be no serious damage result to the
party or people by failing to enact the
proposed statute at the present session
Respectfully submitted,
NAT E. HARRIS, Governor"
August 16, 1916.
w. g. A. BOND BILL.
OF the 189 members Of the house.
only 127 voted on the motion to over
ride, which left 81 members absent or
not voting. Thus with only 1T mem
hers voting, 1t would have taken 126
of these to override the governor In the
house. But the ratio Of the vote was
practically two to one in favor or the
governor, instead of being two to one
against the governor.
e Of house
sustaining the governors veto Of the
Neill primary bill, the most important
action of the house at the AFTERNOON
session was it's failure to pass the SEN
ate bill submitting to the voters or the
state a constitutional amendment au
thorizinR the issuance of $10,O0O,OO0 OF
state bonds to defray the cost OF ex'
tending the Western and Atlantic rail-
road to the sea. This bill was com
panion bill to the statutory bin enlarg'
ing the powers of the Western and AL
lantic leasing commission so as 10 au'
thorize the commission to invite pro-
posals for extending the road to the
sea or acquiring an existing road &c
the sea. without authority for a state
bond issue. the extension is practically
out of the question, as no other methoo
Of financing the extension is available
Being a constitutional majority, the
bond issue bill required a two-thirds
majority of the whole house, or lzo
votes. The vote for the bill was 90
and the vote against the bill was oo
Thus the bill received majority ou'
not the two-thirds majority required &c
pass
COMPULSORY EDUCATION.
The closing day marked the passage
of a compulsory education Dill, whlcn
was hanging in the balance in preca-
r,ous situation Wednesday morning
cavara1 weeks ago the senate passed a
corunulsorv education bill. Later the
house passed a bill which was not Sc
strong as the bill passed by the senate
THE hill of the house then went to the
ganate and Wednesday afternoon the
senate repassed it's bill as a substitute
for the house bill When the action OF
the senate came back to the house, the
houst disagreed to the senate suosti-
tute The authors of the house Dill
who moved to disagree, had no criticism
m make of the senate bill, except that
thew were afraid 1t would prove too dras'
tic In operation and would thereby
nreiudice the sentiment Of the people
against compulsory education
Rut when the action of the mouse
went hack to the senate, the senate In
sisted on its substitute, and the snarp.
lv defined issue between the mouse ano
senate made 1t doubtful, with only ar
hour of the session left, whether any
bill at all would pass. Realizing this
danger, the friends of compulsory edu'
cation in the house. led by Representa-
tive Redwine, of Fayette, the author OF
the house bill, acted in a very patriotic
and broad-minded spirit and moved u
agree to the senate substitute wnicf
motion prevailed. Thus, by agreeing t.
the senate substitute, the house passed
the senate bill, and 1t will now go Il
the governor for his approval.
Among other senate bills acted OF
Wednesday afternoon by the house were
the following:
Juvenile court bill, senate amend
ments agreed to; interurban railway bill
senate amendment agreed to; bill pro
viding for rotation of University o.
Georgia trustees on the boards of thu
branches of the university, laid on the
table: bill raising standard of osteo
pathy, passed; bill creating state board
of electrical examiners. passed; bill ere