Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-07-17
WOULD MAKE VOTE
on CAPITAL ISSUE
TUESDAY BUSINESS
Stroller, Of Bib, Offers Res
olution to Force Vote,
AdverSes Removal ReSoIu-
ton, toto 8

removal resolution to a vote in the
house, Representative Harry Stroller,
Of Bibb, Friday INTRODUCED a resolu-
tion to make the capital removal
resolution special order for Tues
day, July 20.
In accordance with the customary
procedure the Stroller resolution was
referred to the rules committee,
which probably W Ill take action Fri
day afternoon.
If the rules committee reports ad-
versely on the Stroller resolution the
matter will be practically ended for
the present session at least. If the
rules committee reports favorably 1t
will take a, two-thirds vote of the
house to make the capital removal
question special order.
If the Macon people get the votes to
make their special order, then they
: must get the adverse report of the
state of the republic committee dis
agreed to, before the resolution will
be finally in shape for vote upon it's
passage. Thus it is apparent that
the Macon people have a rather long
of an adverse, report by the commit
tee on the state of the republic. This
is what makes a committees action
so important one way or the other.
The theory of all parliamentary rules
is that measure which cannot win
favorable recommendation by the
committee which considers it is not
worth a place upon the calendar.
The Macon people wanted their
resolution referred to the committee
on the state of the republic. When
the resolution passed the senate and
came to the house and was read the
first time, they asked unanimous
consent to have 1t referred to this
committee instead of to the commit
tee on public property, which was
the committee where it logically be-
longed Much to their surprise, the
Fulton county delegation, headed by
Representative John Y. Smith, agreed
to the reference to the committee on
the state of the republic. They were
willing for the resolution to go to
arik open-minded committee. They
did not wish and did not ask any
special favors. Hence the action of
the committee on Thursday after
noon seemed the irony of fate for
the capital removalists, who evident
~ counted on something better than
an even break in that particular COM
mittee.
Resolution Was Amended.
After hearing arguments for and
against the resolution IN the senate
chamber, the committee went into
executive session and was there for
half an hour Before the final vote
vas taken on a motion to report the
resolution adversely, Representative
Carswen of Wilkinson, a supporter
of Macon, moved to amend the reso-
luton by striking out the figures
concerning the value of TattnaH
SQUARE and Macon's other induce
ments, and the figures concerning
the cost of capitol annex and new
governors mansion in Atlanta. The
& amendment was adopted. But even
with the resolution thus amended,
removing one of Atlantis main OBJ
iections, the committee was not will
& ing to report 1t favora5ly. The mo-
ton to adverse the bill was passed
by vote OF ten to eight.
Atlanta has commended that a ref
erenduIll9 as proposed by the Macon
x resolution was grossly unfair. be-
4 cause it would be made3to appear to
A the public that the capital could be
a moved to Macon without a dollar Of
expense to the state, whereas the cost
of keeping it in Atlanta would be
two or three million dollars.
Though supporter OF, the Macon
people, Representative Carswell ac-
knowledged the justice of TT = COM.
plant and accordingly moved to
strike out the figures, so that the
referendum would involve nothing
mere nor less than the bare question
of keeping the capital in Atlanta or
removing tito Macon.
In view Of the adoption of the
amendment. the resolution will come
before the house in that shape, if it
comes at all, since the resolution was
amended by the committee before it
was adversed.
The Committee Hearing
The hearing on the resolution was
held at o'clock in the senate cham
Der with a large crowd present. On
motion of Representative Carswell
the committee allotted thirty min
utes to- each side. BY agreement be-
tween the Macon and Atlanta repre-
sentatives, the Macon side was given
twenty minutes to open and ten min
as-v TO close, and Atlanta was given
rrIrry minutes in between. When
the chairman OF the, committee. Rep
resentative Lawrence, of Chatham
formally opened the hearing and
called the first Macon speaker, no.
body responded Representative
Barnes, of the BIB delegation, was
present in the chamber. He came
forward and said they were willing
for the resolution to go before the
committee without argument if At
lanta was willing. Representative
Smith, of Fulton, declined this prop
osition on the ground that the reso-
luton was too important a matter tc
be dismissed lightly.
Accordingly Mr.. Barnes made e
brief opening speech for the resolu.
ton He expressed the opinion that
all members of the committee haC
made up their minds and would not
be changed by oratory. He said the
Macon fight would never stop unit
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