Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-07-17
DECKS Of ASSEMBLY
CLEARED FOR ACTION
ON IMPORTANT BILLS
Solution of Tax Problem Re-
mains Outstanding ISSUE
Biennial Legislative
Measure Up

Inc georgia IeSlSluluTS cues iuIO
the third full week of its annual
session Monday with the wavs
cleared for final action on a num-
Der of important reform measures
which past assemblies have debated
for weeks and then sidetracked.
. Notable among these measures
are the Mundy bill providing for BIZ
ennial sessions of the legislature:
the Pace bill setting up a state de-
partment of auditing and account
ing, and the measure of Senator Ma
son. giving the legislature authority
to classify property for taxation.
These bills have already received
favorable reports at the hands OF
committees, and all three will go
on their passage during the week.
Solution of the tax problem will
naturally continue as the outstand
Ing issue in the assembly until il
Is definitely disposed Of Leaders
A now are agreed that this will not
be long
The effort to revise the states
bodybuilding methods and virtually
reorganize the state highway de-
partment will continue to be dis
cussed in the house until some ac-
tiOn is taken. Representative Nc
Michael, of Marion, is also pressing
his demand for a full investigation
Of the department, and his resolu-
ton in this connection will be the
first matter taken UP by the house
tomorrow
Dry Repeal Hope Lost
One OF the outstanding subjects
before the house last week was pro-
hibition, and even though Represen-
tative Arnold, of Lumpkin author of
the bill to repeal the state dry law,
conceded its defeat before the tenn.
perance committee met to consider
1t, the hearing was attended by
large numbers of women and repre-.
sentatives of temperance organiza.
tions. The bill was unanimously ad-
versed but Representative Arnold
still hopes the house will disagree to
the report of the committee, in or
der that he may get it before the
whole house and speak on it.
Companion bills by Representative
Perryman. of Talbot, and Covingtor.
of COlquitt. sroviding for the crea-
ton of the office of state warden
who would be in charge of the prison
farm and convict camps, are before
the house
This bill would strip the present
prison commissioners of practically
all their authority and vest it in the
warden. The pay of the commission
ers would ie cut to $1,000 a year
each, and they would continue to
serve as L pardon board. Five cit
liens would be appointed to serve,
without compensation, as prison
commissioners, TO supervise the war
den's work
Prison Farm Sale Urged
Representative knight, of Berrien,
has a bill before the house to ap-
point a commission to sell the prison
farm property at Milledgeville. He
expects to obtain a committee report
on the measure this week.
Another measure in the house
would reduce the size of the legis-
IutUre to twelve senators and forty
six representatives, The author is
Representative Wimberly, of Lau-
rens, and he says his bill would save
large sums to the state every year.
Senator w. w. Mundy's bill seek
ing biennial sessions CT the legisla-
tue has been approved by the SEN
. ate committee on constitutional
amendments. TIE measure is GER
4 tain of passage in the .upper" house,
Since 90 senators have signed it. Mr..
Mundy expects the house will fol-
low suit and pass the bill. The ques-
ton then will be submitted to the
voters of the state.
A senate bill by Senator Pace, Cre-
ating state department of audit
ing and accounting, has caused live
ly debate in the upper house and led
to the introduction of u substitute
measure by Senator Mundy. The
bills differ il this respect: Senator
Pace wants the chief auditor APP
pointed by the governor for a six
year term, and Senator Mundy wants
the state investigating and budget
commission to name him for two
wear term. In either event, the
massage of an auditing measure
would assure a Semi-annual audit OF
every state department. Senators
pace and Mundy are meeting daily in
ar. effort to reach a compromise.
Grade Crossings Opposed
A bill by Senator Pace giving the
public service commission authority
to eliminate al! grade crossings in
the stat,, also is before the senate
M. Pace and representatives of the
railroads are comforting almost daily
i'm an effort to agree on a bill that
can be passed without opposition.
Water oower bills, sponsored by
r the GeoIsSia Municipal League, are
] IN he ir,+;;~4E,JcG1 IN both houses vii b.
in the next few days, and are eX
pected to bring on heated contest
that may take up several days time.
The league asks that the question be
submitted to the people whether
Municipalities skall have the right to
develop water power projects, thus
Giving every corner of Georgia a
chance to have electrical convent
ences.
In the house this week will be
feld q committee hearing on Repre-
sentative Woo@ruff's bill to abolish
commercial pool rooms and billiard
narlors. Mr.. Woodruff says repre
sentatives of churches in almost
every county in the state have given
The measure their active support.
: representative Smith, of Fulton