Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-08-12
MUNICIPAL BILL
KILLED IN SENATE:
DEBATE IS BITTER

After an hour and ahalf of fervid
cialism'' were banded to and fro be-
tween the speakers, the first of the
Municipal league bills, providing for
public ownership of public utilities.
was killed by the senate Monday
afternoon. The second bill, which
provides for the creation of q state
ro-electric commission to have
charge of the development of water
powers, is still in the hands of the
committee on constitutional amend
mentS.
The advent on the floor of the SEN
ate of the first of the Municipal
league bills was the signal for
sharp fight. The constitutional
amendments committee reported it
favorably, and Senators Smith, of
the Seventh; Pittman, of the Forty
Immediately arose to champion the
measure. They were opposed in de
bate by Senators Glenn, of the
Forty-third. and Barrett, of the Thir-
ty-first, both of whom insisted that
the measure was pernicious.
The bill provided that municipa1i-
ties, counties and other political dt-
N1SIOllS SIOulu ne dulIOIJZGo " CA
coed the constitutional limit of in
debtedness in issuing bonds for the
purpose of acquiring by condemna-
ton or otherwise. all kinds of pub
lie utilities, such as electric power
plants, street railways, gas plants
tuition at present limits municipali-
ties to per cent of their assessed
valuations in issuing bonds for any
purpose whatsoever.
The advocates of the bill declared
that the proposal was in line with
most progressive thougnI or the
age; that it followed out the theory
% Democracy in allowing the pub
lie to own and operate the utilities
on which it is most dependent for it's
existence. They insisted that if this
measure was Socialistic, then pub
lie operation of schools is Socialistic,
as well as public operation of water
works and roads.
The opponents OF the measure as
serted that the development of cleo
trio power would be absolutely stop
ped by the provisions of the bill;
that municipalities would be allow
ed to increase their bonded debt to
the point where public securities
would be practically worthless and
that the whole tendency of the bill
was toward Socialism.
A wide divergence Of opinion was
manifested when the roll was called
and many of the senators arose to
explain their votes. Possibly the
sharpest line of demarcation that has
yet been shown in the upper branch
of the legislature came to light as
the vote progressed. The chamber
was crowded with members of the
house who were interested in the dis
position of the bill and the progress
of the vote was watched with I'M
abated interest. The final vote was
27 to 16 to disagree to the report of
the committee, which was favorable
to the passage of the bill.
1t is understood that the second
bill, authorizing the creation of a
state hydro electric commission, will
not be pressed further at this ses-
sion, although its advocates declare
that they will have it introduced in
1921.
Earlier in the afternoons session
a bill to provide for the appointment
of an agent in the department of
commerce and labor to direct the en-
forcement of the labor immigration
laws, had been killed. A measure
by Representative Brown, of Clarke,
to provide for the designation of
three state repositories in cities of
more than $4,000 population, had
haPn naSSp6