Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-06-30
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repealed and the pensioners of the
old classes be paid at the old rates.
as they we're prior to 1918. Nothing
else is possible, under the present
revenue and fiscal affairs of Geor-
gia; and, besides. L doubt very much
whether it is either wise or just to
pay pensioners without regard to
their wealth, for 1 believe that if
the toiling masses Of the state can
stand more taxation for this pur-
pose, that larger pensions should
be paid to those of our Confederate
veterans and widows who are poor
and needy, and nothing to those
who are very wealthy or we'll off. -
Governor Hardwick declared that
if the pensions are kept down and
the blanket appropriation 20 the
schools is repealed, the income and
outgo of the state will balance, but
unless these things are done the
income WI he insufficient to meet
the requirements.
After urging an investigation Of
the expense accounts of all state
departments. boards, bureaus and
agencies, Governor Hardwick says:
Il unhesitatingly recommend the
adjustment OF the so-called state
department Of archives, and history
1t is neither useful nor, ornamental
1t performs no necessary function
for the state, and its records can
we'll be kept II the state library. If
the work of irdexing is to be COM
pleted. it can just as well be per-
formed by a library clerk, at sal
q nv Of mn
annum.
Commission Reduction Urged
II unhesitatingly recommend the
reduction of the public service com.
mission from five to three. This
commission has very little to do
with fixing of railroad rates within
the state. since recent federal stat
u+es, as construed by the supreme
courc Of the United States, have vir-
tually deprived it of much of it's
Lower. The federal statute in quas-
ton is in plain derogation of the
right of the states to control their
local affairs. and so far as it con-
fers upon the interstate commerce
commission any right to fix rates
wholly within the state, it should
be repealed. Until it is repealed,
however, there is no neces slty of
maintaining Il commission of five
members on the theory that they are
needed 20 perform any considerable
amount of work III the fixing of rail-
road rates. Besides. it will be re-
n,Cmbered that this commission
funct;oned for many years in Geor-
gia with only three members, and
it was only after the conclusion of
a poiitica; campaign that it was nee
essary 10 increase its number, to
carry out the policy Ct a new adj
ministratioh and to carry into eff
feet the will of the people of Geor-
gia as expressed at the ballot box
in that campaign.
mo such situation now exists,
and it seems to me, in q time like
this, that the people of Georgia can
well dispense with TWO Of the COM
that have been added to
the body, and can we'll reduce it's
number from five to three, thus eff
fecting a saving of $1,000 per an.
mum: Nor is it, in my judgment, a
sufficient reply for the advocates of
keeping the number of the commits
sion at it's present figure, to say
IIlCtI tie IdtIl OdOS anu OIllSI puDlIC
service corporations now defray the
expenses of the commission, in
Guiding the salaries of all of it's
members, under TIE provisions of
the law passed last year-for ate!
all, while the eXper SEES of this COM
mission does not come directly out
Of the treasury, it cones out of the
public service corporations, who
must be allowed, in their rates and
charges, to recoup for this expense
and they can only do so out of the
consuming public. In this connec.
ton. it is worthy of note that thirty
eight of the states of the union have
only three railroad commissioners
and that no southern state except
Georgia has more than three.
Board of Regents Suggested
"The state of Georgia is board
ridden, commission-ridden and trus.
tee-ridden. l concede that it can
probably be said with truth that
very few of these boards Or commits
sions represent activities that are
wholly bad or for which some good
things cannot be said, but 1 believe
it can be said with even more truth
that many of them represent activi-
ties more Or less paternalistiC, that
they are not essential to. the proper
conduct of our state government.
and with which we can we'll dis
pense, especially in hard times like
these. The University of Georgia
system alone has PIT trustees. Of
course, I mean by that, the Univer
sity of Georgia and all of it's
branches.
Il am of the opinion that a board
of regents or of control for the en-.
tire higher educational system of our
state should be provided to take the
place of the present board of trus
tees CT the University of Georgia and
% all of its branches, and of every
other institution of learning or ed
ucation supported by the state. In
my judgment, economy in the adj
miniSlratiCn of the affairs Of these
itutiOns-economy in the pur-
chase of the supplies needed by
them, and Il systematic correlation
Of the work of each one of them with
he other would be obtained by the
ADOPTION of such plan, and as a
result we would have system
affixed, coherent and comprehensive
educational system. Many of the
more important and progressive
states of the union have adopted
this plan, and rot one of them that
has ever adopted it, in whole or in
part. has ever been wiling to aban-