The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1925-08-25
HOLDERS ABSOLVED BY
|. SENATE INVESTIGATORS
FOUR OF FIVE MEMBERS OF
COMMITTEE UNITE IN FIND
ING CHAIRMAN BLAMELESS.
"A MINORITY REPORT is FILED
Clean Bill Given Chairman Expected
To End Long Fight in Highway
Department Following an Effort to
Remove Holder From Office.

Remove Holder From Office.
ATLANTA, Ga.-Two reports, one
signed by majority of the specia
highway investigating committee Of
the state senate and one by a minority
were made Thursday.
The majority report gave Chairman
John N. Holder clean bill The mi
nority report, signed by Senator ]. R.
Hutcheson, of the Thirty-ninth dis
trict chairman of the committee, criti-
cised the administration OF Mr.. Hold
er severely. The majority report is
signed by Senators Andrews, Cars
we'll, Collier and Dixon.
The majority report recommended
several changes in highway depart
ment affairs, among them being vest
ing of supreme authority over road
matters in the highway board; more
modern system of bookkeeping; a con-
tinuous audit under an auditor EN-
ployed by the state auditor, and sew
eral suggestions looking to economies.
In Line With Holder.
The findings of the majority report
were in line with recommendations of
Chairman Holder while on the stand
in the recent investigation, who urg-
ed that the board be made supreme
authority and the chairman in the abb
sence of the full board He also asked
that w. R. Neel, state engineer, be
stripped of his power.
The committee believes that the
state highway board should be the
supreme and controlling authority over
the whole department, and that all
other officers and employees should be
under the boards direction at all
times; this to include the accounting,
engineering, mechanical and all other
departments, as we'll as the employ
ment and discharge of all connected
with same"
The majority report expressed the
opinion that economy can be practic-
ed by use of less expensive cars by
the department and urged the state
highway board to eliminate such num-
Der of cars as the proper conduct and
NIT.
The methods of bookkeeping and
accounting are declared to be antiquat-
ed and not proper for a department
doing and handling seven million
dollar business per annum.
Full confidence in the board as now
organized was expressed in the report.
Hutchinson Charges Irregularities.
The minority report of Senator
Hutcheson expressed dissatisfaction at
advances in salary made to Chairman
Holder, saying that criticism forced
Finn to repay them. He referred to the
number OF automobiles used by the
department, saying:
Il find that during the year 1924
over 100000 was used by the highway
department for passenger automobiles
for the employees of the department,
and that there are now III use in the
department over $50 such cars; and
that employees of the department have
pleasure trips with such cans as far
as Birmingham, Ala, and Florida.
He found that the salaries paid the
employees Of the department are rather
high, and that subsistence and ex-
pense accounts paid are very high. He
said that lump sum advances have
been made for expenses without au-
thoritv of law, and other sums OF
money have been illegally received
and retained by various employees OF
the department. and recommended that
the attorney for the highway depart
ment or such other state officer as
NAV be directed institute proceedings
in court to collect all such claims
against parties as shown by the audit
of the highway department as pub
lished by the state auditor. He SAID
there have been expensive trips to Cal
ifornia and Chicago by from five to
six employees when from one to two
would serve the same purpose, tending
to encourage extravaganza and waste
in the department and is III itself eX-
travagant.
Majority Report Adopted.
The majority report was adopted by
the senate by vote OF ~ to 10.
The investigation of the highway
department was directly the out
growth OF charges preferred to Gov
ernor Walker by w. T. Anderson
while he was board member. The
Macon man charged many IRREGULAR
ties and ''temperamental unhtness" to
Chairman Holder. The senate took OF
fetal cognizance of the charges, and its
special committee conducted an inves-
tigation lasting for two weeks, during
which many witnesses testified and
the entire matter was threshed out in
public.