Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-07-10
DECKS ARE CLEARED
FOR LEGISLATORS To
START REAL WORK

The decks are cleared for action
in the Georgia general assembly this
week, and it is the belief of mem
bers that the sessions in the 1mme-
date future will bring action on
some Of the more important meas
ures pending. Most of the commit
tees have been organized, and are
ready to formulate their reports on
the bills that have been referred to
them.
The house of representatives is ex-
pected to stage a fight Monday on
proposed changes in the rules, if the
rules committee is ready to report
by that time. On Tuesday the house
will take up resolutions of Senator
Stephen Pace, of the Thirteenth dis
trcit, and Representative McMichael,
of Marion county, calling for inves-
legations of the state highway de-
partment. These resolutions were
referred to a committee of the whole
ton was deferred until July 10.
Highway Storm Center
The resolution of Senator Pace is
regarded as friendly to the highway
department, and states an inVeStiga-
ton was asked by the department in
its letter transmitting its annual re-
port to the governor. The resolution
of Representative McMichael is con-
cj6nTo6 To no icti To he do
partment, as the Marion county
member led a fight against the high
way department at the 1922 session.
The McMichael resolution asserts
that newspapers have carried ar
ticles charging irregularities, mis-
management, inefficiency, extrava-
gance and burdensome overhead ex-
penses" to the highway department,
and makes the additional charge
that the department sold war ma
terials turned over to the highway
board by the government and erect
ed a $100, 900 warehouse on land be-
longing to the Atlanta and West
Point railroad.
Profits Charge Repeated
The resolution also quotes the
charge made by Representative Nc
Michael on the floor of the house in
1922 that w. A. Grassland, federal
engineer for Georgia, profited to the
extent of $4,000 in the purchase of
a rock quarry by the state highway
department.; sets out that Mr.. Cross
land procured an Indictment against
Representative McMichael in Bibb
county, and calls for a full investi-
cation by a committee of ten repre-
sen ia tiUpS and fiNTa
Chairman John n. Holder, of the
state highway commission, has de-
clared the department is ready for
any sort of investigation the legis-
lature desires to make, and that all
the records are open to inspection.
The action by the house members
will be to hear argument in the case
and decide whether the resolutions
shall be reported favorably or adj
Versely.
Attorney General Napiers opinion
OH the plan of Representative FL
ders, OF Tattnall county, to speed up
the submission of a new tax meas
ure to the people of Georgia. is
waited with interest by the law
makers. Mr.. Elders proposes to call
general election in September or
OCTOBER or the present Year to elect
state auditor. and to submit a con-
stltutlonal amendment cnactiag the
1Nofth Carolina tax rlan at the same
tlme. There is a question as to
Whether the election would fulfill
Inc requirements of the constitution
that a14e 1dments must be submitted
at Il general election. Mr. Elders
nolds that any election in every mill
TIA district in the state may be re-
garded as q general election.
New Tax Law Saadied
Representative Elders already has
introduced one of the several meas
Tres proposing the repeal Of the tax
equalization law, and also bill pat.
termed after the North Carolina law,
an income tax, a. cor
poratlon tax, a privilege tax, an in
herltance tax, and a luxury tax for
state purposes, exempting property
from the ad ValOrem tax, in so far
as the state is concerned.
Leaders in both houses predict
that the tax equalization law will not
be repealed until some substitute
revenue measure has been passed or
its passage is assured. They point to
the possibility that Georgia might
find herself in the position of an
other state whose legislature adj
jourred last week without, being able
to make appropriations for educa-
tional and other state institutions.
1t is said that Il poll of the state
senate has revealed 90 of So senator's
who will not vote for the repeal
measure until after some substitute
rev enue law has been adopted, or
its adoption has been assured, and
there is a probability that several
other members will adopt the same
attitude. Many members of the
mouse take the same view Of the re-
that the repeal bill can not muster
the required majority on either side
of the hall at the present time.
Tax Reform Chief Issue
Tax reform is regarded as the
chief issue facing the session but
Of other bills of great i'm
portance are also up to the various
for reports. These bills
include measures for biennial SEES
sions of the legislature; four-year
terms for governors; presidential pri-
maries on the county unit basis; the
repeal CT the prohibition law; linn
lied income tax as the sole source
of revenue for state purposes; I'M
proved working conditions for wom-
en- in industry; the Australian ballot
system without equiring the RECON-
mendations of grand juries; state
auoiting department.; and the proven
ton Of fire hazards in the public
schools of the state.
A fight before the temperance COM
mittee on the bill of Representative
Craig Arnold, of Lumpkin county, IS
scheduled for this week. Mr.. Arnolo
has declared he will try to get a IA
We rable report, while temperance
leaders have announced that they
l.1Foro tho committee in