Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1921-07-14
) WEEKS GONE,
LITTLE Done
BYLECISLATURE,
Governor s Program Is
Having Hard Shedding
Outlook Poor
Times-Recorder Bureau,
Kimbnll House,

Kimball House.
ATLANTA, July 14-Three weeks
of the present session of the general
assembly have passed away, and with
their passing no constructive legisla-
ton has been placed on the statute
books of Georgia. With this stu
alton confronting both branches, Her.
bert Clay, president of the senate,
and Speaker Cecil Neill, of the house,
have notified the members that the
rules will be strictly enforced from
this date until the expiration of the
session IN urging that efforts be made
to transact the mass of business.
When the legislators first reached
Atlanta this summer, there was a de-
cided sentiment against the intro
duction of many new bills, Something
has happened, however, to bring
about a decided change, for the clerk
Of the house and secretary of the
senate are working overtime in an
effort to keep up with the many
measures awaiting their attention.
Governor Hardwick has a program
of retrenchment and progressiveness
that he desires to have enacted, but
unless more speed is shown by his
floor leaders, the session will end
with very little accomplished.
Much Tax Opposition.
The chief executive wants to revo-
lutionize the taxation system of the
state, and in both houses there is
much opposition to the plan. He has
declared the governors mansion is
an unfit place in which to reside,
and would have it sold or exchanged.
Yet the public properties committee
has ruled otherwise, and is asking
for an appropriation of $4,000 to re-
pair the home SO that it may be
occupied.
And then there are numerous 9TH
er minor matters, that the governor
would have legislated to his pleasure
that are not coasting along the greas-
ed board of enactment as rapidly as
they should, in the opinion of many
persons. SO it seems that the pre-
diction made at the beginning of the
new administration that Governor
Hardwick would have rough sailing
is being borne out.
Governor Hardwick's future pro-
gram depends entirely upon the atti-
tude and efforts of the legislators
to bend their backs to the task. 1t
should not be inferred that the law
makers have not been working, for
this is not true. They have been
energetic, but being independent and
practicing their capabilities of doing
their own thinking, they have been
moving at their own direction, and
not that of the governor.
Ballet Reform to Win.
One of the pieces of legislation
which will be enacted next week, ac-
cording to present indications, is the
Australian ballot system. Speaker
Neill has sponsored this measure IN
the house for the past four years,
while Senator John h. Jones, Of La
Grange, has introduced it in the SEN
ate.
With the women assuming their
rights at the polls, the Australian
system has hah strong support this
year. The committee on elections
and privileges gave it a. favorable
report, and when brought up in the
house Wednesday no opposition was
voiced. When printed copies of the
measure have been distributed among
tn legislators, it is expected to be
passed by a large vote next Tues
day morning.
A useful piece of legislation, but,
as one senator remarked, sit will
not provide the state with funds to
meet expenses, and it's about time
something should be done along this
line"