Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-09-18
LANKFORD PROMISES
THOROUGH PROBE: Of
FARM PARTMENT'
Legislative Investigation to
Be Started Tuesday at
Capitol as Result of Inef-
ficiency Charges

\ thorough investigation of the
state department of agriculture, au-
thorized by the last session of the
legislature, will begin in the senate
chamber at the capitol Tuesday
morning at 10 o'clock, according to
Senator George w. Landlord, of
Lyons, who is expected to be made
chairman of the committee. Senator
Landlord was the author of the SEN
ate resolution calling for the probe.
Senator Landlord has notified all
members of the investigating COM
mittee to be in Atlanta Tuesday, pre-
pared to remain here until the opera
tons of the department of agricul-
ture and all it's branches have been
thoroughly checked up, he declared.
He has expressed a determination to
make the investigation thorough, but
fair and impartial.
1.-The findings of the investigating
committee will be in exact and iden-
teal accord with what we discover
the conditions in the department of
agriculture to be-" Senator Lark
ford said. I'VE will allow all the
time that is necessary for the probe,
but with view to completing the
work without unnecessary waste of
time"
Members of the investigating COM
mittee, appointed by President
George Carswell, Of the state senate,
and Speaker Cecil Neill, of the house
of representatives., are:
Senators George w. Landlord, of
Lyons; w. r. Little, of Gainesville;
F. A. Smith, of McRae, and T. E.
Green, of Chatsworth.
Representative o. r. Bennett, Of
Eastman; c. B. Mccarthy, of Dallas;
E. B. Dykes, of ByromviIle; H. L.
Howard, of Sylvania; G. B. Galloway,
of Eatonton; Carl N. Guess, of Stone
Mountain; j. D. Davis, of Cave
Springs, and C. w. Parker, of Way
cross.
Echoes politics" Charges
The investigation is the result of
charges made originally in the Co
lumbia Sentinel and other newspa-
pers, and repeated on the floor of
the house, that the department Of
agriculture is a great political ma
chine and inefficient in the purposes
for which it was intended. The
charge was made that Commissioner
Brown retained one employe On the
state payroll for month after he
had ceased work, in order to repay
a personal obligation.
Attacks on the department reached
a climax on the floor of the last
legislature when Representative
Stewart, of Atkinson county, waved
file of papers and declared that
they contained evidence to convict
Commissioner Brown Of being "a
liar, a perjurer and a thief"
Following the appointment of the
investigating committee, Represen-
tative Stewart issued a statement
declaring that the investigators were
hand picked" and he would have
nothing to do with the probe Off,
Gals of the department then an
nounced that they would insist upon
Mr.. Stewart producing his evidence,
and would ask that he be subpoenaed
II he did not appear before the COM
mlttee voluntarily. 1t is reported
that subpoenas also will be issued
for Governor Edmondson, former
managing editor of the Columbia Sen.
t1nel; Walter Vance, former warrant
clerk in Governor Hardwick's office,
and Gaz Vason, who was active i'll
attacks on the department of agri-
culture during the legislature, if all
these men do not appear before ths
committee voluntarily.
Guess May Be Secretary
. Commissioner Brown has an
nounced that he is ready and anx-
1ous for the investigation to begin,
and will place the records of every
branch of the department before the
committee.
/. Representative Carl N. Guess, of
DeKalb county, well-knoWn Atlanta
attorney, is being discussed as Sec
retary of the committee. Mr.. Guess
issued a statement in reply to the
card of Representative Stewart, in
which he declared that he voted
with Mr.. Stewart on every resolu-
tion he introduced affecting the de-
partment of agriculture, and urging
Mr.. Stewart to offer the committee
all the evidence he has.
The resolution authorizing the in
festigation, passed after long wran-
Cling between the two branches of
che legislature, contained no specific
charges, but called for a thorough
and fair investigation of the depart
nnent of agriculture. It provided
$3.50 for the expenses of the probe,
and allows committee members their
per diem of seven dollars and actual