Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-08-15
JOINT RESOLUTION
OF GEORGIA SOLOMS
MAY CAUSE TAMGLE
CONTINUED from Page y

slider it without a two-thirds vote,
owing to the fact that a similar
bill has been killed in the senate
early in the session. Whether the
senate will override this ruling is
a question causing lively specula-
ton. 1t would require only ma
iority vote of the senate to over
ride ruling of the chair.
Admittedly the repeal of the tax
equalization law would reduce, reve-
nue., as values would shrink if the
law were repealed. Governor Hard
wick is expected to dlsapproVe re
peal of the law unless the senate
passes the income tax bill. Some OF
the senate leaders in the fight to
repeal the law ~are in favor of an
income tax. Some of the others are
not. A tug of war is therefore IKE
ly to develop in the senate on this
double barreled issue.
The house has passed bill pro-
viding for biennial sessions of the
legislature. The bill is before the
senate, with prospects pointing to a
prolonged debate. This bill is a
constitutional amendment. So is
the income tax bill. Constitutional
amendments consume lots Of time
in either branch of the legislature.
One or two constitutional amend
ments are likely to occupy the SEN
ate the balance of the session and
choke off all other important legis-
latiOn.
Uniform Elections
The house early in the session
passed an Australian ballot bill. The
senate has amended it by making
the secret ballot system Of holding
elections an optional matter in each
county. The house is not likely to
accept this amendment, as house
leaders raise the objection that a
system of holding elections which
is not uniform and compulsory in
all counties would produce inter
minable confusion, and would be Vir-
tually worthless.
Another bill destined for confer
ence is the one reorganizing the
railroad commission. 1t changes
the name of the commission to the
Georgia Public Service Commits
sion," provides for assessments on
the utilities and railroads to pay the
operating expenses of the commits.
sion, and requires the commission
to employ auditors and appraisers
in every confessed rate case. The
house added an amendment on the
bill reducing the commission from
five to three members. The senate
struck out the amendment, so as
to preserve the membership of the
commission at five.
Representative Blalock, of Ware,
and Brantley, of Pierce, authors of
the bill in the house, were opposed
to the house amendment reducing
the commission, and when the bill
goes to conference they will insist
on acceptance of the senate amend
ment striking out the house amend
ment.
The state port bill, providing for
the establishment of state-owned
port terminals at Savannah, will
come before the house and senate
this week.
The senate rules committee has
placed it on the senate calendar
Tor Monday. The house rules com.
mlttee has placed it on the house
calendar for Tuesday.
This bill is one of the most impor-
tant measures of the entire session
Inc legislature two weeks ago went
to Savannah to inspect the location
offered by that city as a site for
the terminal. Today the legislators
are at Brunswick, inspecting a loca.
ton offered by that city as a counter
proposition.
Supporters of the bill are urging
Its passage at this session. RrI1nS-
WICK Is urging postponement of the
Dill until the next session. Post
ponement would mean that the biz
winch is a proposed constitutional
amendment, could not go before the
people until the general election Of
1924, hence the whole project would
be delayed three years if the Iegisla-
ture put it off.