Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-06-30

|
isjointed and expensive system that
we maintain.
! "In my opinion, the department
of agriculture has many unnecessary
employees, is far more of a political
machine than an agricultural de-
partment, and is conducted at far
! too great an expense, both direct
and indirect, to tha taxpayers of
Georgia. A careful summary and
, recapitulation of the apprOpria-
tons, fees, etc, received by the de-
partment of agriculture for the year
! 1922, made by the expert account
ant employed by the budget commits
! sion, shows that the department of
agriculture, in the year 1922, en-
ployed 472 persons, largely as in
! spectors and travelling agents, and
paid these D4rsors for salaries and
expenses, u total of $451, 631.2S, a
part of which was paid by direct
appropriation from the treasury Of
| the state, and & part of which was
/ paid by the SPECIAL taxes on oils and
gasoline and fertilizers. The inspec-
ton tax on oils and gasoline, from
which more than 100000 annually
is realized, is not in any sense a
special burden on the agricultural
interests as such, but is a burden
OFT all consume. of gasoline and
oils i'll the state, in whatever pur-
suit or calling engaged.
Gas Law Anticipated
"a careful examination into this
subject will show that we have in
Georgia 200 oil inspectors, who are
paid a total annual compensation
of $99,319.72. AS 1 shall endeavor
to demonstrate to you even under
Il proper system of oil and gasoline
inspection, the employment OF so
large a number of persons for that
purpose can only be accounted for
on the ground of political, rather
than business, necessity; and it is
particularly unfortunate that such
condition should continue to sub
sist and exist at the expense of the
consumers of oils and gasoline,
when the law under which the in
spections of oils and gasoline is
made in Georgia, is SO antiquated,
old-fashioned and obsolete that the
tests provided by it afford no real
protection to gasoline consumers,
and confer no real Dement'S what
ever The inspection used in the
tests of oils and gasoline is com,
monty known as the specific grav-
ity test, and was established by the
act of 1889, and will be found in
section 1909 of the Code of Georgia,
volume I, 1911. This test was
adopted at. a period when there was
little if any use of gasoline through
out our state, especially for the
purpose of furnishing motive power
for automobiles and trucks. For
that purpose, it is ANTICIPATED. obsO-
lete, old-fashioned and useless.
I'm the adjoining state of South
Carolina, the government navy spec
if1cations have been adopted by the
state and made a part of the state
law. Without undertaking to state
to you in detail the provisions of
that test, / will say that it secures
the use, by the people, Of South
Carolina. of the very highest grade
of gasoline, and protects the con-.
sumers of gasoline in that state.
Under this oil inspection law, l am
informed by the authorities of South
Carolina that two oil inspectors are
kept exclusively on the work of oil
inspection all of their time, in addi-
ton to one resident inspector in
Charleston, who gives part of his
time to other duties in other de-
partments of the state government.
These are the only three men regu-
larly employed in the inspection
work for the entire state of South
Carolina, under its new and modern
test laws.
Other Systems Cited
"In the neighboring state Of Flor
ida the tests adopted for testing
gasoline, kerosene and similar oils
are those promulgated by the United
States bureau of mines, and the
same will be found fully stated in
Technical Paper 1923, department of
the interior, bureau of mines, Off
cially adopted February 8, 1922, and
revised October 81, 1922. The specl-
fications for gasoline will be found
on page three Of this report and
the methods of procedure for the
testing of gasoline and kerosene on
pages 43 to So, inclusive. AS l I'M
derstand this somewhat technical
matter, the test employed in Florida
is of the same general nature as
that employed by South Carolina,
and both are largely combustion or
distillation tests and United States
government tests-modern and up
to-date-and afford effective protec
ton to the consumer.
The governor at this point quoted
a letter from w. A. McRae, commits
sioner of agriculture of Florida, de-
claring that Florida has the state
inspector system, instead of the local
inspector system, and expressing the
opinion that six inspectors could do
all the work in Georgia.
Governor Hardwick recommended
that Georgia adopt either the South
Carolina or Florida system Of oil in
spection, declaring that by such a
move the consumers OF gas and oil
could be better protected and the
state saved 100000 annually. He
declared that the present system is
largely for political purposes, and
the services rendered by the inspec-
tors are chiefly political.
Prison System Criticized
Turning to the state prison COM
mission, Governor Hardwick said:
In my opinion, several economies
and retrenchments can be effected
in connection with the state prison
commission. L recommend the
adjustment of that commission, and
the substitution therefor of a state
warden, TO administer. the penal SSS
tenn of the state, and the employ
ment of an efficient pardon clerk,
with adequate compensation, to full
ly examine into all applications for
executive clemency and to make
proper recommendations thereon to
the governor. [ believe that by pur-
suing this method very important
! economy can be effected in the
states budget, and that a more eff
ficient administration of the fiscal
affairs of the state can be obtained.
OF course, the general assembly will
understand that in making these
recommendations, 1 am not making
any attack either upon the efficiency
or character of any OF the indi-