Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-07-15
CAPITAL REMOVAL
LOBBY IS CHARGED


We're placed under heavy fire in the
state senate Thursday.
The senate authorized the appoint
ment of a committee of eight mem
bers-three from the senate and five
from the house-to investigate
charges made in a resolution by Sen
ators Wohlwender, Thomas and
Lassiter that an "insidious lobby
has harassed members Of the legis
lature and persistently withheld
from the people for six years the
ssright to vote on the pending capital
. removal bill"
g This resolution went Immediately
- to the house for action.
eys Senatorf L. C. Brown, in renew.
ing his attempt to investigate the
department of agriculture, precipi-
!. tated the sharpest debate of the ses-
= sion. The senate shortly before ad-
jeurnment adopted a substitute to
his resolution, requiring all depart
ments of the state to submit in writ
ing by July 25 full data as to their
eemployes, the salaries they receive,
,rthe fees paid them and all other in
formation concerning their opera
!, ton.
s,~w Threatens Charges
X Mr.. Brown served notice that II
the senate killed his resolution he
would make specific charges against
Commissioner Of Agriculture j. j.
Grown at the Friday session. In his
speech the senator declared that
Commissioner Brown has entrench.
ed himself by placing friends and
relatives of members Of the legisla-
tire on his payrolls.
r. He made the further charge that
Commissioner Brown has openly
ss;boasted that his opponents in the
Legislature could not possibly muster
enough strength to investigate him.
The senator said there is one man
!. on the departments payroll who re.
sseeives a salary of $3.50 per month,
sand turns in every month an ex.
pense account charging up $3.50 as
sincidentals.
ss. In warm defense of Commits
sioner Brown, Senator J. B. jack
Z Hardwick for what he termed "in-
sporting foreigners from Chicago to
come down here and try to run the
states business" He charged that
political play inspired the attempt
Msto investigate Commissioner
@Brown's department and added
there was no reason to single out
the department of agriculture. He
urged the adoption of the substitute
Iesolution calling for a probe of all
departments Of the state.
~. J. Brown may be incompe-
Atent," shouted Senator Jackson,
5t95nt he is a good country boy and
know he is honest"
: Mr.. Jackson added he had never
been approached by Mr.. Brown or
any of his employees in connection
s,sTith the fight that has been waged
on the agricultural department.
HAS anybody charged Commits.
siener Brown with dishonesty" ask
ned Senator John H. Jones.
te YES, by innuendo," Senator Jack
ason replied, "but it is all politics.
J, Senator Boykin took the floor and
declared he had no objection to in.
-sxestigating the department of agri-
soculture, but that he would never
usvote to single out that department.
..He expressed the view that an inves-
zItigation of all departments would
,sRot hurt anything.
.fFsa4 Mills Takes Floor
Senator Brown, taking the floor
for the second time during the de-
bate, made reference to his recent
Tabitl to abolish the state bureau of
stlnaNAets, declaring the senate had re.
ferred it to the committee on agri-
CULTURE, thereby denying fair con-
zSlderat1on for the reason that SEN
ator Mills is chairman of that COM
! mittee."
ASKED to explain exactly what he
, meant, Senator Brown said that Mr..
Mills had been on the payroll Of
the department of agriculture at a
salary of $3.50 month. Mr.. Mills
! rose to a point of personal privilege
and made vehement denial of Mr..
1 Browns implication that he would
Z be unfair in his committee rulings.
- severed my connection with
the department Of agriculture be-
rfofe the legislature convened this
: summer" said Mr.. Mills, land the
Inference that 1 would be unfair is
without foundation. Throughout
last summers session I always Of
.fered to relinquish the chair to
the vice chairman of the commit
tee when matters touching the de.
partment of agriculture were be-
= fore u.s.
-v~., The senate's vote in favor of col
.4slecting data from all departments
Sof the state was practically
-oyss The resolution asking a probe Of
the capital removal situation is the
same measure which the senate ia
- bled year ago.
sias9 Vote Not in Sight
On being taken from the table at
= the beginning of Thursdays SEES
sion, the resolution precipitated a
heated debate.
Senator Lassiter declared that the
subject Of capitol removal has had
I an effect on every important meas
ure introduced in the legislature in
gronp of lobbyists have been
drainin- the people of Macon for
I money, thereby forcing the people
of Atlanta to put up money to COM
bat the activities of the removal
I forces. None of the persons en-
gagged in this activity want the capt.
( toll removal bill brought to it's pass
age, he said.
"These men are merely further
{ ing their own political and fina lcial
7 interests" he declared, land an in
vestigation is badly needed. . This
! bill is no nearer passage now than
it was six years ago. The people of
: Georgia as a whole care nothing
. about it. Only a group of politicians
seems to be italy interested"
] Senator Wohlwender, speaking
fer the resolution. said his home
c,1nty (Muscogee) unquestionably
!. would vote to retain the capitol in
the city Of Atlanta, ''but that's not
I the question:" he continued, "The
! capitol belongs to the people and
! tstey have the right to vote on the
proposition"
L Discussing the alleged lobby for
and against the bill, Mr.. Wohlwen-
i der asserted that mot all the per-
sons who have approached me from
] both sides of this question are pa