The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1918-07-09
SOME OF new LAWS
that ARE PROPOSED
MOST IMPORTANT MEASURES
THAT ARE NOW PENDING BE-
FORE THE LEGISLATURE.

duced in the legislature. A JOINT req
olution by Mr.. Davis, of Laurens'
which was passed by the house, pro-
,,idas for a committee of one from
tho senate and two from the house
70 investigate, in cooperation with
the attorney general, the recently
fo,.,oad association of dealers in au-
+omobiles and automobile supplies,
with a view to prosecution for VIOLA
tion of the antitrust laws, if 1t IS
found that they are being violated.
Another important measure pre-
scented by Mr.. Davis is the compul-
sorv tick eradication bill approved by
the Georgia Land Owners Associa-
+ion. This measure would compel all
counties from which the cattle tick
has not yet been expelled to install
dipping apparatus on a date to be fix
bv the state veterinarian. and to pay
the expenses incurred in Riding
their cattle of ticks. AS the law now
SLdIuS, IL Is OptlOitell w All tiAN NONA'
missioners of each county whether
or not they shall undertake eradlca-
ton work.
Proposes Raise for Solons.
With the general movement on to
raise the salaries of state employees
it was hardly to be expected that the
solons woull overlook themselves.
So Mr.. Williams, Of Meriwether, has
proposed constitutional amendment
to fix the annual salary of members
at $500, but the bill reduces the
mileage allowance from 10 to 5 cents
per mile. The present pay for mem
bers of both houses is 81 per diem
or 5000 for the session of so days.
A bill by Representative Ayers, of
Jackson. provides for reduction of
the state railroad commission from
a board of five to one Of three men,
bers. The bill provides that no sue
cessors shall be elected, for the two
members whose terms expire this
year The bill also repeats the act
providing for an attorney to the rail-
road commission. 1t will be urged
that the taking over by the govern
ment Of nearly all the railroads has
SO reduced the duties of the commits
sion that board of three will easily
be sufficient to perform them.
Other important general measures
are a bill by Burllhalter, of Tatnall,
to create a state illiteracy commits
sion, composed Of five members, with
women eligible, appointed by the
governor and with the governor and
state school superintendent as ex-
ofticio members, with view to elm
mating illiteracy; bill to make wo-
men eligible to the office of county
school superintendent; and one to
amend the constitution abolishing
justices of the peace in all cities of
5000 or more with view to creating
municipal courts to replace them.
Indeterminate Sentences.
A most important bill passed by
the senate is a measure giving the
court the power, when announcing
the term of a man convicted of a
crime, provided it is not life SEN
tence offense, to name the minimum
and the maximum number of years
which the convict is to serve. The
prison commission will then have the
right to determine how long over the
minimum term the prisoner shall
serve.
The bill was introduced by Sena-
tor Mundy, of the Thirty-eighth, who
stated that the prison commission
was very much in favor of it, as the
convicted person would then be giver
a chance to reform and when re.
leased from prison would undoubted-
lE be a much better citizen The bill
was passed bv = unanimous vote.
Absent Voters Bill.
The house has PASSED the absent
voters bilr' offered by Representa-
tive Bale, of Floyd, which seeks t.
extend the privilege of voting in gen.
eral and local elections to the soldier,
IN the service Of the country in Amer
lea and abroad.
The bill carried, 70 to 10, after
beng amended in several sections
The most important amendment
adopted was that of Mr.. Bower, Of
Randolph, which makes the bill eff
tective only for the period of the
war between America and Germany
As adopted, the bill provides tina
voting privileges shall be extended tx
all men in the service of Uncle Sam
IN the army and navy, the Red Gross
or the Y. NJ. C. A. upon their com
plying with specified formalities as tx
receiving and recording votes.
For Bad Boys.
The reformatorv committee ha
decided to report favorably bill b,
Nessrs. Bale, of Floyd, and Kelley
OF Gwinnett to take the state re
formatory from under control of tn
nrjson commission and place it unde
tn" control of a board of manager
to be named bv the governor on tn
Sare basis as that now governing tn
tralning school for hayward girls.
The bill would also change tn
name of the institution from stat
iTetormatory to training school TO
boys. The ultimate purpose is to sew
err it entirely from connection wit
the state penitentiary
VIII Collect Back Taxes.