Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-06-28
The Legislature, and
The Georgia SPIRIT

The meeting of the Georgia Legislature is al
ways event of pleasing interest simply as gath
ering together of Georgians from every county and
district of the Commonwealth. In this in all
Southern States there is close an Anglo Saxon
kinship amongst the people and firm unity in
their common traditions and ideals that the as
sembng of any broadly representative body has
many of the aspects of family reunion. Particu-
larly is this true of the Georgia Legislature. The
very vehemence of the differences that sometimes
burst out in its debates is remndfu of big fam
lys passing dissensons and fits politics is of that
peculiarly intense sort possible only amongst men
who are neghbors if not kin. But all the differ
ences and all the politics that color its sessions
fade into things forgotten when clean-cut, I'M
mistakble issue of loyalty to the State or the Ma
ton arises. In every such situation the family
spirit becomes vital tie of patriotism and an in
centive to Jealous, united service.
That is why the session of the General Assembly
which opened Wednesday promises to be one of
especial harmony all the broader questions to be
considered, and of especial fruitfuness. Georgia
stands intellectually with the Union and with the
National Administration for the prosecution of the
war with the utmost efficiency and power What
ever measures needful to make Georgia's part
in that heroic labor more efficient and more power
full the Legislature may be depended upon to adopt
number of bills with that end in view are pro-
posed; notably, one for charging the powers and
the appropriation of the State Council of Defense
another requiring all able bodied men between the
ages of eighteen and forty-hve to work at some
useful occupation at least five days of the week.
and another authorizing soldiers in the service to
vote in State elections There is also pronounced
purpose to place important legislative at
the top of the calender and to dispose of them with
the greatest possible dispatch. This plan should
be heartily supported. Too frequently heretofore
the earlier weeks of the session have been allowed
to slip away with little or nothing of definite
character accomplished, that the closing days
became hodge-podge and wild scramble. At this
gether too precious and the measures pressing for
adoption altogether too important for single hour
to be wasted
Devotion to war duties should not lessen but
rather intensity our concern with so fundamental
interest of the State it's common schools, for
of all measures of permanent preparedness none is
greater than public education. The most substan-
tial service the General Assembly render
the schools is to pass the pending bill looking to
Constitutional amendment that will establish
throughout the State local. countrywide taxtion
a means of school maintenance, supplementary to
Legislative appropriations. This bill simply pro-
poses to let the people say whether Georgia shall
fall into line with all the rest of the Union this
wise policy, continue under the grave handicap
of underpaid teachers and woefully short rural
school terms. Upwards of fifty counties already
have adopted local taxation aid to school sup
port and the great majority of the people of the
entire State will adopt it, believe, if they
given the opportunity.
To each and every member of the General AS
sembly, The Journal offers its cordial greetings
and best wishes for serviceable session.