Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-07-27
LIVELY HOUSE DEBATE
ON NELL PRIMARY BILL
Author Speaks for, While Hall
and Fowler Oppose the
Measure

HtSudA iIOI HiHS DcRdH COHSldCiehtiOAi VI
the Neil primary bill which would re-
quire the political parties of the state
to hold their primaries in accordance
with the county unit system.
The bill. fathered by Representative
Cecil NELL, of Muscogee is the same
measure that has been before the gen.
eral assembly at several session and
which was passed in 1915. but was later
vetoed by Governor Harris.
At present the county unit system
has no standing in Georgia primaries
except under party rule. The Democrat
ic party has held some conventions I'M
der the county unit system when adj
vocates of the county unit system were
in power, and some conventions under
the popular vote plan when those who
favored that plan were in power. The
members of the party in Georgia always
have been about evenly divided for and
| against the system.
The Neill bill proposes to disregard
| those who oppose the system and TO
hold all primaries to conform to it.
After the third reading of the bill
Wednesday Representative Neill took
the floor to urge it's passage. His
| Cnlcl arb III us ldNOl was hAAN
declaration that 1t would put an end
| to Juggling, chicancery and trickery IN
state conventions. He said he was glad
that the bill came up in an "off year,
| when consideration of II would not be
swayed by the close contact of political
| issues.
Representative Neill declared that
under his bill a candidate receiving a
majority of county unit votes would be
certain of election without being sub
jected to convention juggling. He said
that the county unit system had been
we'll established in Georgia in many
primaries and that 1t was the duty of
the legislature to observe the expressed
wishes of the people by making l. a
| law.
| Representative Fowler, of Bibb, OPP
posing the bill, offered an amendment
requiring that all voters participating
| in a party primary should belong TO
that party and, If challenged at the
polls, should be required to pledge their
support to the party nominee.
Representative Hall, of Bibb. spoke
against the bill. He pointed out that
under the county unit system a county
having a population of 5000 has one
third of the voting strength of a coun-
ty having a population of 100000. Car
|
number of white voters than either
Bibb Muscogee or Floyd counties and
vet under the county unit system Car
roll county has only four county votes
as against six each for Bibb, Muscogee
and Floyd.
While we in Georgia have undertaken
| to disfranchise the negro, he declared,
the county unit system gives the negro
big advantage in communities where
| negoes constitute large part of the
| population, because the county units
are based on representation and repre-
sentation is based on population. Every
mans vote should count equally in a
| Georgia election, concluded Mr.. Hall,
and no man should be elected governor
| of Georgia who has not received a
majority of the votes of the white citi-
zens of the state, regardless of county
| lines.
During the course of Mr. Halls
speech, Representative Atkinson, of
| Fulton. brought out by questions that
under the Neill bill as it is now drawn.
negroes can claim to be democrats and
demand the right to vote in democratic
primaries while then IT would violate
the thirteenth amendment to the con-
stitution of the United States, and
would subject the election of a United
States senator from Georgia to multi
fication by the senate. which has the
final determination of the validity OF
an election of one of its members.
Representative Pickett, of Terrell
speaking for the bill urged it's passage
on the ground that the county unit
system has been repeatedly Endorsed
nv the white voters of the state ano
| that there is no doubt but that the
sysem embodies their wishes.
A l O'Clock, with the bill still under
discussion the house adjourned &c
resume it's consideration of the Dill
| Thursday
NEW HOUSE BILLS.
| The following bills were lntrooucS0
on Wednesday in the house.
Bv Mr. Pace, of Sumter.-To amend
act establishing city court or Amerlcus
| Nv Mr.. Pickren, of Charlton-To pro
hibit trespa ssing on the tracks an'
rights-of- way of common carriers
BY Cobb delegation-To repeal act au
thorizing board of lights and wate
works of Marietta to collect an annua
sewer tax.
Nv Mr.. Brown, of Clarke-To amend
act establishing city court of Clarke
county. ~,
Bv MIR. Woods, of Emanuel and 9th
ers-To increase the trustees or the Con
federate Soldiers Home from eleven u
twelve
BY Gwinnett delegatlon-1o dHieH'
act establishing public school system
! of Lawrenceville.
By Mr. Burt, of Dougherty-To esta
lish a new charter for the city OF Al
| bany.
BY Cobb elegation-To establish new
charter for town of Roswell.
BY Mr. Doris of Crisp-To amend
city charter of Cordele.
BY Mr.. Gilmore Of Turner-To amend
the town charter of Rebeccah.
BY Mr.. Clements of Irwin-To trans
fer Irwin county from the Cordelt
Judicial circuit.
BY Mr.. Lanier Of Bulloch-To amend
act creating Bulloch county commits
sioners.
BY Mr.. Davenport of Hall-To limit
the salary of the president of the State
College of Agriculture to $4,000 pei
year.
By the Same-To fix the term of office
of fertilizer inspectors.
BY Mr.. Lowe of Oconee, and Others
To abolish the fees of the solicitor OF
the western judicial circuit.
SENATE LOCAL BILLS.
The house on Wednesday passed the