Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-08-18
AS FINAL ACT HOUSE.
SUSTA|NS GOVERNOR IN.
PRIMARY BILL.
Veto Comes to Legislature
Five Minutes Before Adj
journing Time and Clock Is
Moved Back for Vote

The last act of the house of repre-
sentatives before sdjourning sine die
at 1870 o'clock Wednesday evening was
TO sustain Governor Harris veto of
the Neill primary bill.
This bill, which attempted radical and
far-reaching regulation of party pri-
maries in Georgia, was introduced in
the house by Representative Neill, of
Muscogee county, and passed by the
house several weeks ago. The senate
amended the bill in numerous important
particulars. When the bill came back
to the house for action on the senate
amendments. the house took a change
of heart and disagreed TO the amend
ments with the idea of defeating che
bill But the senate sprung a surprise
on the house by receding from the
amendments Wednesday afternoon. This
had the effect of passing the bill in
the form that it passed the house.
Immediately the bill was transmitted
to Governor Harris for his approval or
disapprovaL The governor could lave
waited five days to act on the bill, as
the law allows him this length of
time, but in fairness TO the friends Of
the bill the governor vetoed it at once
and dispatched his veto message to the
house and senate in order that the
friends of the bill could attempt to over
ride his veto if they saw fit.
Meanwhile the house and senate had
passed a joint resolution agreeing 20
adjourn sine die at Z o'clock, which
made it necessary for the governor to
act speedily.
MOTION TO OVERRIDE
4
senate at 6:45 o'clock and was imme-
diately read in both bodies. The read
ing occupied five minutes. The moment
the reading was finished in the house,
Representative Neill leaped to his feet
and moved to pass the bill, notwlth-
standing the governors veto. He lie
clared he would not criticise the gov
ernor for his action, but he disclaimed
any political significance in the bill, sol
far as the present governors race is
concerned, on the ground that he intro
duced the bill at the 1915 session, before
hevnew there was going to be opposition
to Governor Harris. His remarks occu-
ried FIVE minutes. At 6:55 o'clock, with
only five minutes left before the hour
OF adjourning sine die, the aye and nay
roll call wa scommenced on the motion
TO override. .-..-
Speaker Burwell. presiding over the |
house, set back his watch and ordered |
the face of the clock to be covered. The |
roll call consumed exactly % minutes. |
The vote in favor of the motion of Rep |
resentative Nein was 46, and the vote |
against the motion was 81.
Meanwhile the senate had waited to |
see the outcome of the vote in the
house. When the motion to override |
failed, the senate took no action, since |
IL would have been useless either way |
the senate might have voted.
To override governors veto re- |
Quires a two-thirds majority of the |
whole membership of both the house |
and the senate, or 126 votes in the |
house and 80 votes in the senate.
GOVERNORS MESSAGE
The governors message notifying the |
house and senate of his veto and of
his reasons therefor was as follows: |
ITO the Senate and House of Represent |
atives:
81 am returning to you herewith bill /
No. 20, entitled IAN act to provide for |
nominations by political parties, etc. |
at primary elections, etc. without my |
signature.
This bill seeks to lay down a diff /
ferent rule for the primary i'm the state
than that which was fixed by the eX-
ecutive committee of the party at Ma
con upon which all candidates have an
nOunced for nomination. I have felt /
that the bill was unjust to all the can
didates, but my objection to ii goes
deeper than this. I enumerate these OBJ
jections. as follows:
81. The bill applies to the primary /
Continued on Page 2. Column ~