Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-07-12
REFORM Of STATE
PENAL SYSTEM IS
SOUGHT BY HOUSE

bills introduced in the house Tues
day morning by Representatives
Covington of Colquitt and Perryman
of Talbot.
1t is proposed to strip the prison
commission of it's authority in the
manag cement of convict camps, and
to confer this authority upon a state
warden, at salary of $4,000 a year
The personnel of the present
prison commission, it is provided,
shall constitute a board OF pardons,
at salalies Of $4,000 a year each,
and whose duties shall be to investi-
gate and report to the governor upon
clemency applications.
Provision is made in the proposed
legislation, ALSO, for the appointment
OF a penitentjary physician, at a
salary of $4,000 a year. The number
of convict camp supervisors is
limited to four.
The warden would be elected and
serve under the direction of a COM
mission of FIVE citizens appointed by
the governor for terms OF varying
lengths, acting without compen,
sation The present governor would
appoint the entire commission, but
future chief executives would name
only two members IS the terms ex-
pired.
Rarred From Other Offices
These commissioners would be
prohibited from holding other state,
county or municipal offices, or from
having any financial interest or con-
nection with any business, trading
or furnish ing of materials, labor or
service to any branch of the state,
county or municipal government.
The warden would be the execu-
tive head of The entire penal system,
! with power to employ and discharge
employees at mis- own discretion. The
commission would not be an admin
istrative bCdv, but would determine
all policies, fix rules and regulations
and employ and discharge the state
warden.
More than an hour OF the Tuesday
morning session was consumed in
fight over the rules. The rules com
mittee recommended nine changes IN
the rules Of the house, and Repre-
sentative Miner. vice chairman OF
the rules committee. took the floor
to fight for the adoption of the re-
port. representative Stewart, of
Atkinson county, led the opposition.
After more than score OF the
representatives had spoken the re-
port of the committee was adopted
with the exception of a proposed
change in rule "a. 'Ehe rules com
mittee sought. to acquire a two
thirds vote Of the entire membership
to override q report of. the rules
committee. but the majority of the
members voted that. the rules COM
mittee could be overridden by two
thirds Of those actually voting.
New Rule Adopted
The most important change adopt
ed was new rule to prevent any
member asking unanimous consent
to cast his vote on any question he'
fore the vote hSs been taken up Or
the roll call Of counties begun:
A resolution offered by RepEesen-
tative Sutlive, Of Chatham county,
extending the privileges of the floor
to William Jennings Bryan, was
unanimously adopted and Mr.. SUIT
live was appointed chairman of a
committee to escort Mr., Bryan to
the rostrum.
Mir. Bryan addressed the house fol
so minutes on prohibition and the
teaching OF evolution in lhe public
schools. He suggested that the house
go on record as being opposed to the
teaching of anything that haG
tendency to undermine tne religious
beliefs of pupils.
A bill to require owners ana
drivers of automobiles to give bona
in the sum of $4,000 before driving
on the public highway and another
measure to prevent prize flsnts o.
boxing exhibitions in the state OIL
Georgia were introduced in the
house Tuesday.
BILLS to require all automobile
owners and drivers TO file qualified
bond of $4,000 before driving on
public highway, and to prohibit prize
fehts or boxing enga gneents IN
the state Of Georgia. were also IN
PRODUCED in the house Tuesday,
The bill TO compel drivers of auto
mobiles to give bond was introduced
nv Representative Arnold, OF Lump
kin, and was referred to the COM
mittee of public highways.
The bill to prohibit prizetishts or
boxing exhibitions was introduced
bv Representative Pope. Of Walker
and was referred to the special i'll
dietary committee.
Replies to Brown
Repres entative Bannister, of
Thomas, rose to point Of personal
privilege and replied to statement
OF ]. J, Brown, commissioner of
agriculture, in which MI. Brown
had denied certain statements in
resolution introduced by Mr.. Ban
mister.
Mr.. Bannister stated that there
was nothing personal in his resolu.
ton. as ne had voted for Mr.. Brown
in every race the commissioner has
! run, but he has heard charges made
which he thought should be inves.
| tiaated. One of these charges, he
said was that the commissioner Of
agriculture had assessed employees
for his campaign expenses, and that
he had discharged certain friends
Of the late Senator Thomas z. Wat.
son after the death OF the latter.