Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-07-28
F|FN-YEAR LEASE
ON MANSION VOTED
BY GEORGIA SENATE

After a warm debate, the senate
Wednesday passed Senator Walkers
substitute to the HARRISON bill pro-
viding for the lease of the governors
mansion at Peachtree and Cain
streets. The substitute provided for
a straight lease of the property and
no sale and for the creation of a.
mansion lease commission" COM
posed of the governor, attorney gen.
eral, two senator's, three representa-
tives and three business men from
the state at large-all to be named
by the governor, and five of whom
shall be non-residents of Atlanta, to
accept proposals for the lease of the
present mansion for a period not eX-
ceeding fifty years, and to make a
report of it's disposition of the prop
erty to the next general assembly.
The vote on the substitute came
after a debate participated in by
more than half the members of the
senate. Various amendments We're
offered during the session, one OF
| which was by Senator HARRISON and
sought to, extend the time Of the
lease to ninety-nine years. All OF
the amendments caused vigorous de-
bates and resulted in close votes, 1t
| being twice necessary for President
Clay to break, tie.
Senator HARRISON made strong
plea for his original bill with an
amendment providing for the lease
of the property for 80 years. He
argued that the effort to inject the
capital removal question into legls-
lation for the disposal of the gov
errors mansion was merely tactics
of the Macon proponents. He de-
clared the mansion question should
be thrashed out now and that the
capital removal issue could be settled
later. He declared Governor Hard
wick was in favor of his bill.
Strictly business Plan.
Senator Frank Mason in urging the
passage Of Senator Haralson's bill,
declared it was merely a business
proposition, and in no way connected
with capital removal.
Senator Jackson offered an amend
mont seeking to limit the time of the
| lease of the property to so years, de-
| claring several tentative proposals
to lease the property had already
been received, and that any Of them
would bring the state $4,000 or $780,
600 a year in rental.
Don't sell the mansion property"
he appealed. "It is too valuable and
is growing more valuable every year.
Atlanta SO years from hence will be
a city of 100000, and the property
| at Peachtree and Cain streets then
will be worth millions of dollars"
The senator declared that capital
removal had no bearing on the SUBJ
ject under discussion, and told the
senate they ought to treat this ques-
ton on it's business basis just as the
state treats the w. & A. railroad
property.
After many senators had spoken
for and against the measure, Sen
| ator Weaver called for the previous
passage of the Walker substitute,
| and stood 42 to Z. On the final pas
| sage of the substitute, the vote was
unanimous. Senator Walker obtain
ed unanimous consent to have the bill
Immediately transferred to the house
for action.
The senate passed thirty local bills
between and 10 o'clock, before TAX
ing up the mansion bill.
Senator L. G. Browns resolution
calling for an investigation into the
affairs of the state department of
agriculture was adversely reported
by the agriculture committee, and
over Senator Browns protest. the
senate concurred in the committees
report.
But 1 am not through with Com
missioner Brown yet" declared the
senator. He did not indicate what
his next step would be.