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V, li. BEiiitS MD JAMES D. RUSS, Editors. ■
"LET TIEHIIEIR,^] BE LIGHT.”
>53
SUBSCRIPTION, $1.00 In idyance.
VOLUME XVIL
BUTLER/GEORGIA, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1893. -
NUMBER 49.
A homestead taken up .in Nebraska
wi six years ago for nothing is worth now
about §2000.
There are associations in Great
Britain, which insure against elope
ment, matrimony and twins.
A Maine farmer who found recently
a line gold watch and chain hanging in
one of his Apple trees thinks the thief
got the worst of it.
The success of the three experiment
farms in Manitoba, Assiniboia and
British Columbia is causing Canadian
farmers to urge the - Government to
establish a larger number.
The signs “Barber Shop,” “Shaving
Parlor,” “Tonsorial Studio” have all
gone out of dote with a Pittsburg hair
■ dresser, relates the Chicago 'Tlerald,
who displays a fine new shingle bear
ing the proud inscription, “Theophilus
Browne, Capiilaire.”
The in fcnsity of confined sound is
illustrate / at Causbrook Castle, Isle of
Wight, i fie re there is a well 200 feet
deep and twelve feet in diameter, lined
with smd&th masonry. When a pin is
dropped into it the sound of it strik
ing the water, 182 feet below, can be
distinctly heard.
Commander Ludlow, of the Mohi
can, which has been patrolling Bering
Sea all summer, estimates the product
of pelagic sealing this year at 60,000
skins. The total value of tho year’s
sealing product, including the catch
of the lessees of the seal islands, he
estimates at about $1,000,000.
It is to bo feared, says the New York
Sun, that thelnfanta Eulalia, of Spain,
has been spoiled by her taste of this
land of the free, for she is reported as
having a little lark in London. She
has been living “incog” in a furnished
house, riding in the park on a hired
horse, and shopping on foot. Her
two small boys, Princes Louis and
Alfonso, have been with her.
The San Francisco Argonaut says:
The largest millionaire fortunes in
New York City have come from two
sources: One, the enormous growth
in the value of real estate, called by
‘unearned increment;”
getting possession for
nothing from the State or city of
franchises, which really give the
owner a sum which, if paid to the city
or State, would relievo us from all ex
cessive taxation.
j i a, the value of r
Henry George “n
the other, by gc
The bicycle is getting to be nearly
as common in the country as in the
city, declares the New York Sun.
There is probably not a village of any
consequence in New England where at
least one performer on this instru
ment cannot be found, and the sight
of three or four machines beside the
door of the local tavern at meal honrs
is common. Nor are these obsolete
forms of bicycle, either; there are no
more tall wheels nor wooden wheels in
the country than in town, for, in spite
of the high prices, the farmers man
age to get the best.
The panic of 1893 has differed in
Several respects from all previous ones,
remarks the New York Independent,
and particularly that manufacturers,
producers‘and the general business
public have been for months prepar-
iu ; for what we have experienced this
summer. There has been for a long
t hue a continuous contraction of stocks
•>:i baud in almost every branch of in
dustry, the result being that stocks
of goods of all sorts at this time are
probably smaller than they have
been for a great many years. This
fact will start mills and shops into
prompt activity to meet the demand
which must dnevitablv come.
r - - The wonderful strides the petroleum
industry has taken in Pennsylvania
-since the first barrel of refined oil was
offered for sale thirty years ago it
illustrated by some figures which are
found in a report recently made by
Albert S. Holies, Chief of the State
Bureau of Industrial Statistics. The
exports of refined oil now rank is
value fourth on the list, being ex
ceeded only by cotton, breadstuff's ana
provisions. For the year ending June
30, 1864, the total exports were 23,-
000,000 gallons. Five years later they
had increased to 100,000,000 gallons.
In 1874 to 200,000,000 gallons, and in
1891 to 700,000,000 gallons. A larger
percentage of the oil product of the
country is sent abroad than of any
other product except cotton. The re
duction in price has been remarkable.
In 1861 the price of a gallon of export
oil waB 611 cents; in 1871, 23j cents,
in 1881, 8 cents; in 1891, 6J cents;
and in 1892, 6 cents. The growth of
the industry is also well illustrated by
the facts that 25,000 miles of pipe lines
and 9000 tank-cars have been built to
convey the oiL Fifty-nine freight
steamers are now employed in trans
porting it to foreign countries. The
capital in. Pennsylvania wells unit
lands is estimated at $87,000,000, and
$65,000,000 is invested in plants for|
producing the crude petroleum. This
is exclusive of such accessories as pipe
lines, tank-cars, refineries, docks,
fleets of vessels, etc., and an estimate
of $300,000,000 as the- t-otisl valuation
of all branches of the industry is not
too high, ....
iHNOS’S MESSAGE.
AS TRANSMITTED TO THE STATE
LEGISLATURE.
Tie Financial Siination AllmM
Some Length.
PROTECTION OF STATE BANKS BY
CHARTERS RECOMMENDED.
Education, Taxation, Penitentiary,
tlie Jury Sys!em, Railroads and
Other Important Questions,
Ably Touched Upon,
To the Senate and House of Representativek
Sinco your adjournment, something lee*
than one year ago, the people of this state,
together with the people of - our common
country, have suffered from the effects of
an unusual and long continued financial
stringency.
If such money panics can occur when
our harvests are abundant, and no legiti*
mate causes are easily apparent, it behooves
the representatives of the people to inquire
into the conditions that make them possi
ble.
Under such conditions there must be in
our midst some power, somewhero, able to
paratyze and destroy, at will, the common
Interest aud the common good.
Such dangerous influence, if it exist,
should not only be inquired into and re
moved, hut it should be absolutely de
stroyed. No conditions of class can justi
fy the growth of a power within the gov^
eminent greater than the people who make
the government.
Without reference to the matters which
have, as yet, claimed the attention of our
uatioual congress, in extraordinary ses
sion as being beyond the pale of state au
thority, I deem it proper to say to you
that, in iuv candid judgment, the most, if
not all the ills that affect the country to
day, c mid to us, directly or iudirectly,
from the dangerous and pernicious policy
of the general government known as pro
tection. The time has ciine in the history
of our people when this policy must he re
buked, as contrary to tlio spirit of free gov
ernment, and not authorized by the organ
ic law that made the American system.
Adopted at the beginning for revenue, it
advanced to the guardianship of our infant
industries, until it has finally grown into a
monster power, producing combinations,
trusts and monopolies that override the
rights of the common people, while they
dare diefato the policy of the government
in their own interest and agalnBt the in
terest of the people.
It is gratifying to know that the political
party now in power stands committed to
repeal its resultant, unconstitutional tax
which destroys the equality of right among
citizens and builds a.system of centralized
government.
Not content with denying the rights of
the individual in trade, the general gov
ernment has advanced to the further de
nial of tho rights of the states in their uso
of money as established before the adop
tion of tho constitution of the-United
States and fully recognized, authorized
and guaranteed in that fundamental law
of our system.
It is equally gratifying to know that the
present federal cocgross is pledged to re
peal this protected monopoly of money
also, and restore to the states the oppor
tunity for growth and development com
mensurate with their resources and their
unrestrained energy and will.
No tax was ever imposed by the federal
government upon tho issue of state banks
until the necessities of war demanded tho
revenue. This tax was levied then, first,
as upon manufacturers, for revenue, and
finally,' for protection to our national in
fant financial industries by prohibiting the
rights of the state in money.
The authority extended by the national
government to certain citizens to invest
their money in government bonds; deposit
them with the United States treasurer; re
ceive a bank charter aud have issued nine
ty per cent, of their face value in bills for
circulation, was not enough to guarantee
the success of a money monopoly, if state
banks of issue were tolerated by the gen*
oral government. Therefore, state banks
of issue needed to bo suppressed and a mo
nopoly created for national currency under
protection by the government. Tho tax
was levied, the rights of state banks to
issue bills under state authority were de
stroyed, and protected money monopoly
now threatens, more than all else, the lib
erties of the people.
Little, if any, revenue was ever collected
on state issue, and yet the majority of the
supreme court of the United States held
that it was not within their jurisdiction to
protect stato banks against this wholesale
slaughter, saying, further, such banks must
look alone to congress for relief.
Congress is now in session, and to con
gress tho states must appeal for an equal
chanco against protected monopoly to pre
vent uncalled for panics and the conse
quent distress of tbe people.
I recommend, therefore, in anticipation
of such action by congress as is guaranteed
by tbe democratic platform, such legisla
tion as will charter state banks of issue,
upon such safe conditions, without federal
interference or control, as will secure their
credit beyond question and furnish to the
bill-holder absolute aud porfect protection.
When this is done our people will got
money at a fair rate of interest when they
need it, and the stales will furnish an
elastic curroncy that will expand and con
tract as our business needs demand; prices
of products will not be reduced because of
scarcity of money, and congestion and con*
t action will be an impossibility under our
financial system.
By independent state action, solvent
county, state and municipal, as well as
national bonds and cash resources can be
used with perfect security for the redemp
tion of state bank bills. In this way our
financial basis will be broadened and,with
tbe protection of the government removed
from monopolies, whether in manufactures
or money, we will have sound and abund
ant money for tbe state and prosperity and
content for the citizen.
TAX RETURNS.
For many successive years the property
of this state Las steadily advanced in
value, until the past year.
In 1892 the property of all kinds returned
for taxation in this state amounted to 8463,-
703,534. The returns "for the past year,
amouut, in the aggregate, to 8452,000,000,
making a. 4 ~ ~~ untitfg to about
S12,000.000, tile first decrease in tax values
since tlie wav.
How much Ot. thi3 failing off can he at
tributed to the severe financial crisis
through which we have passed, and how
much to the repeal of the law providing
tor the equalization of tax returns, I
leave for your judgment' to deter
mine. Tbe condition is worthy ot your
consideration, certainly, when it is known
that cot only the tax values have fallen off
$12,000,000, but . that the acreage of the
state lias shrank 551,623 acres—not quite
one thousand square miles. -
It is quite . evident-tliat our system of
taxation is at fault. Justice to the citizen
demandsra remedy,•’ ’ ” , ■ ’ j;
The expenses ot the government remain^
ing the samc,_ihe vlatger the tax returns
the less the rate; the greater the lack of
uniformity in the returns, the greater the
inequality of burden imposed by the rate.
Tiie state is growing in its.charities. its
institutions for development and its edn*
cational interests. To meet these de
mands wo must have, not only a corre
sponding increass'of material wealth,.bat
n jnst and uniform return of-the property
to he taxed. - ■
A full and fair return of property means
a lowjate. This reform • tbe people will
gladly indorse. '*
'.v,. EDUCATION.
Tho falling off in tax values, jnst noted,
will reduce the Amount contemplated by
your appropriation to the school fnnd ot
lhe state something moro than $85,000. I(
tho schools are continued five months, as
heretofore, an additional appropriation
wilt he necessary.
I earnestly urge upon the general assem
bly some provision by which the teachers
in our common schools shall he paid quar
terly, as are all other stale officials.
Tho salaries received by the teachers are
not commensurate with the servioe they
rendor. Delayed payment compels a heavy
discount on tho scrip lurnihlied them,
neither creditable to the state nor just to a
most worthy class of our citizens.
The teachers in our schools are, in no
sense, inferior in their rights to other
officers in the Btate, and they should not
be compelled to carry a lax in the shape ci
a di.-cuunt to save the people from a bur
den vory much less, because of a much
moro general-distribution.
If no better.plau for payment can bo de
vised liy the goneral' assembly I would re-
spec fully recommend the levy of a special
tax for one year to raiso the amount neces
sary to meet the salaries of the teachers in
onr common schools, even though it should
require n double tax for the year of the
levy, it is far hotter to distribute this bur
den among the people who receive tho ben
efit of the scrvico than confine it to the
teachers who have fully earned the money
the state denies them.
The best protection most be riached, not
so mhcb* through the punishment of the
criminal ns the prevention of crime.
The last United States census reports
forty-five thousand criminals confinedin tbe
prisons of the stales. Georgia furnishes five
per cent oMUisJlumher. The samo census
reports fifteen thousand young convicts in
reformatories for correction. Of this num
ber our state ^oex not report one. Onr
young convicts are thrust into ciiaingangs
for criminal training, and, subsequently,
transferred t6 the penitentiary for farther
development and education in crime.
It is for the general assembly to say
whether this stain shall longer remain
upon the atatb.
The policy I am .commending for your
consideration is not ac untried experi
ment. For many years it has been'u part
of the penal system of many'of the states,
with good results to the peace aud good
order of society, and an elevated standard
of citizenship.
The records of a majority of the leading
reformatories of the United States show
that more than Beventy per cent, of those
turned out from juvenile reformatories be
came law abiding cilizebs. «
The cost to the Btate is not to be con
sidered when we regard onr duty to the
unfortunate or seek the protection of so
ciety agalust lawlessness and vice. If the
direct tax necessary to maintain sucli an
institution is an argument against its es
tablishment, it may he well to estimate
the tax levied upon the counties and the
state for the capture of criminals and the
punishment of crime. One criminal in
tliis state cost one county ten thoasand
dollars before he was brought to punish
ment. Another criminal cost another
county twenty thousand dollars. At this
rate of expenditure the saving would soon
establish a reformatory that would greatly
reduce the crime, -and at the same time
save the honor of the state.
TEACHERS’ INSTITUTES.
The small beginning in normal training
provided by tho general assembly through
teachers’ institutes has been greatly help
ful for the improvement of the schools.
With some cnanges in the law, that will
readily suggest themselves, after our past
experience in its operation, the institutes
can he even moro tffective than now.
Through the liberality ot Dr. J. L. M.
Carry, the efficient agent for tho distribu
tion of the Peabody fund, this feature in
our public sciiool system was inaugurated
and exclusively maintained until recent
action by onr legislature.
This generous aid should receive at the
hands of the general assembly suitable
recognition, not only in proper expression
but through corresponding appropriation,
to increase and oniarge tho interests the
generosity uf tho Peabody board inaugura
ted.
When this shall have been accomplished
the state will, even then, have made bu
little advanco in normal training—aiding
only those who are already teachers. Our
system will always remain inefficient un
til, with proper appropriation for equip
ment and maintenance, the general assem
bly shall establish one or more normal
schools, wisely and well organized, for the
training and preparation of those who ex
pect to become teachers.
The constitution of tho state provides:
"There shall be a thorough system of com
mon schools for tho education of children
in tho elementary brsnehos of an English
education.”
A thorough system cannot he built up
through incompetent teachers. Normal
training is tho only means by which wo
can secure competent teachers. Georgiais
far behind her sister states in this feature
of her Bystem.
The normal school I regard as the most
important factor now lacking in our system,
and 1 nsk for this recommendation your
earnest consideration.
A REFORMATORY.
If there is any principle or policy in our
system o! government that authorizes or
requires the appropriation of money for
tile intellectual and manual training of the
children of tbe stato to prepare them for
citizenship, I am compelled to believe that
the same reasons demand similar care for
the moral reform of those children who,
becanso of neglect or vicious environ
ments, become a nuisance to the commun
ity and a harden to the taxpayers of the
Btate.
A distinguished statesman has said:
“All the vagabonds in the world begin in
neglected children.” If this statement he
true, it authorizes us to belio7e that all the
criminals in Georgia have come, from an
abused childhood.
Some place, other then the penitentiary
or county chalngang, should he provided
for the incarceration of children and some
misdemeanor convicts. The disgrace oi
confinement and the wicked influences
which surround tho child in the peniten
tiary j r.iVent reformation. Tlio oi-ject oi
imprisonment should ho reform as well ns
confinement ac hard labor. The slate
owes it to the young criminal to place him
in contact with circumstances that will
tend to soften, rather than make
him moro obdurate and vicious. The
state lias nn iuterest iu evory child she
rears. Every good citizen made out of
what was material for a vicious, had
citizen is an immense advantage io the
state as a self-governing body. The same
thing is truo of the state as a social body.
When it is considered that several bun-
"dred such citizens can he made from such
material every year, tho effect upon tho
population ot tho state is easily seen. As
such citizens are producers of wealth, the
money investment for their reformation
would be profitable to the state.
Tlio general assembly, in all the past
years ot onr history, at eaoli of its sessions
lias given great consideration to the enact
ment of laws Tor the punishment of crime,
hut wo have never yet recorded a law ot
practical value for the reformation of a
criminal.
Without such influences, our peniten
tiary and convict camps are hut training
schools for criminals.
With 2.200 convicts in our penitentiary
and about the same number in our county
ciiaingangs, we stand appalled at the pros
pect of tho deluge of crime'to he turned
upon the state when the limited service oi
these criminals expires.
In our state prison there are 2,16S con
victs confined. Of these, 375, or 12 per
cent are below tbo age of 18. Of these lat
ter, 141 are below the age of 16; 80 below
the age of 15; 40 below the age of 14; 27
below the age of 13;T5 below the ago oi
12; two 11 years old, and one at the tender
age of 10. Thirty-six per cent of the con-
■-victs in’the penitentiary are below the age
of 20.
Below the ago of ten onr law hardly rec
ognizes the responsibility of a child, and
sometimes tolerates, if it does not excuse,
bis crime. With n"iiegreo of indulgence
we leave him nnrestrained, a menace to
society until he attains, somewhat, to years
of discretion and perfected rascality, or
.confine him with criminals to be made an
outlaw and a fiend.
The alarming increase in all kinds oi
crime throughout the state demands the
llioughtfni study of those whose dnty it is
to guard the public weal by suitable legis
lation, nottmly for restraint, but for re
form.
If the state owes no dnty'to fts children
born and reared in poverty and crime, it
does owe to society the best protection
against their lawlessness aud violence,-
COUNTY CHAINSANOS.
I respectfully urge upon the general as
sembly consideration of the special mes
sage, sent in at your first se/sion, calling
attention to the management and control
of our county chaingangs.
Upon investigation, yon will find this
system subject to all the criticisms that
have been justly made by tlio general as
sembly, from time to time, upon our pent
teniiary system, and yet entirely without
control and supervision by the state.
These convicts are hired or leased to pri
vate parties for the purpose of personal
gain. So are convicts in our penitentiary.
In the one case, convicts aro turned over
to the mercy of those who have bought
their muscle, without knowledge, by tho
state, as to their term of service, physical
and moral condition or general treatment.
In the other,* the state provides proper and
diligent officers who look to the proper
enforcement of the contract, the record ot
the term, the discharge from servico, tho
medical care of the prisoner, and the des
ignation of the proper party to administer
pnnishment. In the penitentiary tiie con
vict is the ward, in some senso, of the
state. In the chaingaug he is at the mercy
of those who buy liis time and strength to
make money, with no designated powor to
protect his rights, care .for ids morals or
defend his person.
In some instance, these convicts are .hired
by the same parties who biro penitontiary
convicts, and they are, therefore, prac
tically, confined iu our penitontiary, whan
the judgmont ot the court did not so de
termine anil their offenses did not so war
rant. This injustice, however, need not
he mentioned in the presence ot tho greater
wrong done them in the denial of care aud
protection by the state during their term
of service.
These convicts should receivo from the
state the same superintendence as is given
to the convicts hired to the lessees of onr
penitentiary.
In my judgment the general assembly
cannot afford to delay longer the consider
ation duo prisoners confined in our county
chain gangs.
PENITENTIARY.
During my term of office I have consid
ered and disposed of 440 applications for
executive clemency. Of -these 182 have
beon passed upon since yonr first session.
Many of theBe cases have come to me at
the suggestion of tlio officers of court, and
pardon has been granted because (the
minimun punishment fixed by the law, in
the opinion of the court, was too severe for
tiie offence committed. It is not so much
the severity of punishment that deters
crime as the certainty. If the penalty,
many cascB, c mj be reduced and the courts
authorized to give a speedy and prompt
hearing, the people will have greater re
gard for the majesty of tho law and crime
will be reduced.
I earnestly recommend, therefore, tho
revision of the penal laws of the state
with the view of adjusting the penalty to
the' nature aud character of the offence
committed.
The reports submitted by the principal
keeper and physician to tlio penitentiary
will give yiiu full Information as to the
condition of the convicts, and the manage
ment of the camps.
It is due to say that I have had no
trouble in the enforcement of the law and
the rules regulating tho control of prison
ers. The slightest irregularity is always
promptly and fully remedied as soon as
the attention of the lessees is called there
to. I find the supervision and control by
tbe lessees exercised with dae and full re
gard to the terms of tho contract with the
state.
Under the low, I have required payment
for escapes occurring from Lack of neces
sary diligence and care. Some of the fines
imposed, I have been asked to reduce, be
cause of subsequent capture, after the ex
piration of the sixty days allowed by iaw.
This I have declined to do because I know
of no such authority given the executive.
It may he worthy of your consideration
to say that after the flue required has heen
paid there can he no further inducement
for the lessees to offer a reward for the
capture of the escaped convict, and. with
out a reward, not many desperate crimin
als will he returned to the penitentiary.
OUB JURY SYSTEM.
The constitution of this state declares:
“The general assembly shall provide by
law for the selection of the most intelligent
and npright men to servo as grand jurors,
and intelligent and upright men to serve
as traverse jurors; nevertheless, the grand
jurors shall bo competent to serve as trav
erse jurors."
-The general assembly, by appropriate
legislation, provides for such selection by
competent jury commissioners and for tbe
service of the persons selected for grand
jurors on the traverse jury; It could not
well be asked that any improvement
should ha made on a system which con
fines jury service to citizens who are both
npright and intelligent, selected hy fair-
minded men from tbe body of citizens at
large.
It is known, however, that in the coun
ties in which the larger cities are located
complaints of unsatisfactory service have
heen made.
If the fault Is notin the law, it must ex
ist in its application or the restrictions
which limit the number from which selec
tions are to be made.
Iam clearly of the opinion that the-
cause of complaint exists in the great num
ber of exemptions from this'paramount
public duty, which from time to time have
been granted. . .
The effect of such exemptions, in certain
localities, is. to place double service on
those citizens not so favored* and some
times force the determination of great and
important rights to be Had by the super
ficial and ill-advised judgment.of the least
competent of the selection.
No higher or more important duly den
volves upon the citizen. It should hear
equally- and alike upon all. Public service,
heretofore rewarded hy such exemption.,
sbonld he compensated in some other way,
that.lho right of jury trial may be pre
served in the spirit of fairness and impar
tiality and with the intelligence and purity
which will command our highest regard.
BOARD OF HEALTH.
Since your adjournment we have heen
confronted with conditions impsratively
demanding the enactment of such legisla
tion asT had the honor to commend-at yonr
first session, looking to the establishment
of a board of health for tho state.
More than once, during the past three
year;-. I have been compelled to call upon
the federal authorities to suppress epi
demic and contagious diseases. To do'this
it becomes necessary to surrender, abso
lutely, all stato oontrol into the hands of
the general government, for the time
being,-in opposition to onr ideas of local
self-control.
Whilst I bavo no complaint to make
against the federal authorities assuming
control at my request, I do r.ot think the
policy.in harmony with the principles of
our government, nor does it show proper
care and protection for citizens due them,
primarily, hy tbe state.
Onr conditions are such as make us lia
ble to the spread of epidemics among the
people,- attended with groat loss ot life and
property. These contingencies occur
when the executive is powerless either to
relieve the infected districts or to protect
the state against the spread Of disease.
I. respectfully recommend and urge the
establishment of a state hoard of health
constituted with snob authority as will
famish the needed relief tor the people
under the conditions indicated.
In this connection I desire to express my
full appreciation of tbe skill and efficiency
of the medical officers in charge of tbe
yellow fever sufferers at Brunswick and
Jesup by order of the general government.
Without the .aid thus rendered untold
calamity would* have come to the state,
not only in the loss of life and property,
bnt in the consternation and alarm that
would have seizod upon the people.
Taxpayers in the Infected districts—the
counties of Glynn and Wayne—deserve
the fullest sympathy from the state, and I
ask for them tho most indulgent consider
ation by the general assembly consistent
with the public good.
WESTERN AND ATLANTIC RAILROAD.
In the transfer of the state's property i:
the Western and Atlantic railroad from
tho former lessees to the control of the
present lessees, I found that the rights of
the state had not heen distinctly defined
in many instances and that danger of final
loss was probable because of encroach
ments that would not he recognized as
such, at tbe expiration of the present lease,
when the property must be returned to
the state.
An investigation Boon disclosed that the
state had large interests that needed to he
properly defined and established, amt the
further fact that the work demanded
would be far moro than could he dis
charged by the attorney general iu time to
fully secure tho state’s claims.
I, therefore, recommended the temporary
appointment of a special attorney for this
property, whoso duties it should ho to
report at this session of the general assem
bly the condition of all the property owned
hy tbe state along the line of road. Under
the authority given by your action at your
first session, I appointed Hon. W. A.
Little, special attorney for this pioperty.
£ have the honor now to snhmit to you his
report.
Tbe investigation has required a great
amount ot labor and research. Much of
the property had been so long neglected
that the slate's claim was not recognized,
and innocent purchasers, in some instances,
have come to know that they have no title
to tho property they have heretofore held
as their own.
The service rendered the state by this in
vestigation is invaluable, and the report
herewith transmitted makes a showing
greatly creditablo to the painstaking and
efficient work of the special attornoy and a
statement of conditions gratifying to—the
people of the state.
A oarefnl reading of the report will die*
close tbe fact that it has not heen possible
to determine, finally, all the state’s inter
ests in the time allowed. I would recom
mend tho special attorney continued in his
investigations until all the claims in dis
pute are fully and finally determined.
I have recently made a personal exam
ination into the physical condition oi the
road, and I am pleased to report the prop
erty greatly improved and yel! kept. The
state's interests have heen committed to
good bands.
I am in receipt of a letter from tho i dju-
tant general of the state of Ohio in which I
am informed that the legislature oi Oiiio,
by joint resolution, desire, to “ascertain
whether or not tbe railroad engino known
as ‘General’ count lu auy way ue secured
by the state of Ohio as a monument to the
bravery of the men known 03 the ‘Andrews
raiders’ in the late war.”
This application I refer to the general
assembly, recommending that it will ho
far more in accord with the spirit of our
people to retain the engine f->r the slate
and place it in some conspicuous place ou
the capitol grounds “us a monument to the
bravery of the Georgia heroes’’ who res
cued “General” from tho hands of the
raiders.
[Then follows the report oi President J.
W. Thomas on the road for tho year end
ing Jane 30.]
GEOLOGICAL SUEVFY.
Under authority given at your first ses
sion tbe geological hoard directed tho pub
lication of the report of the Stale Geolo
gist, Dr. Spencer.
The fund appropriated for this purpose
was not sufficient to cover the necessary
expense for publication by something less
than five hundred dollars.
' It was highly important that the report
should he published under the supervision
of tbo anthor, and as Dr. Spencer was
about to retire from tbe work, the board
deemed best to give the report to the pub
lic printer and rely upon tho general as
sembly to meet the additional expense hy
suitable appropriation.
If the report had beon delayed until the
necessary legislation could bo had, it is
highly probable tho work would have
heen Inst to tbe state.
In the opinion of the hoard the interests
of the state demanded a new organization
of the survey. .
On tbe 22d of March last the officers in
charge of the survey were r< quested to
send in their resignations, and cn the 15th
of May following, Professor W. S. Yeates
was appointed to the position of stato
geologist. As soon thereafter as applica
tions could be properly considered,-iu con*
ference with Professor Yeates, Messrs. S.
W. McCaliie and F. P. King were appoint
ed assistants to the state geologist. Ref-
erenoe to the accompanying report, sub
mitted by the state geologist, will give an
outline of the survey as now directed hy
tbo department.
STATE LIBRARY.
Quite* a number of valuable books be
longing to the state library are not in place
because of lack of' space and'suitable
shelving.
I respectfully recommend such action as
will put these:volumes im position for use.
and reference as well aa preservation and
care.
Another matter demanding the immedi
ate attention of the general assembly, in
this department, is the purchasing, ui a
certain number of Thg _ccdes of 1882 for
distribution amongst those-officers of the
state who are required by law to be furn
ished with a code, and whose ■ codes have
been worn out in tho use of the: past ten
years. ” * '
- Daily demands are being made upon the
state librarian foi; new codes in place ot
those wo'rn out. iam informed that there
are about 100 codes in the hands oi the
publishers;' in the state library there are
only 200. The law requires 350 codes to he
kept on hand in the state library .for the
use of the general assembly and officers ot
the different'state departments. The 200
now on hand are subject to be drawn npon
to be issued to tho justices and notaries ot
new districts as they are formed, so that
this supply is being reduced constantly.
Whilst it is possible that this general as
sembly will tako steps to publish a new
code, it is not to ha expected that the code
can he.published and put into tho hands of
the officers of-the state much short of
eighteen months or two years, as it Is
probable that the commission appointed to
revise the new code, if any steps are taken
in that direction,: will be required to report
to the legislature of 1894 before tiie revision
can he adopted. Some sixor eight months
will, doubtless, he required to .publish the
now code after its adoption.
There are no form hooks on li and to be
issued to new districts or to supply those
which have been issued and worn ont in
-service. I would, therefore, respectfully
recommend that 100 codes aud 300 form
books, it so many can bo obtained, he pur
chased at once for the use of the officers of
the state.
Section 228 (b) of the code, 'referring to
the publication of reports, is in the fol
lowing language: “Whenever the librari
an of the etate ahall report to the gover
nor that there are not more than twenty-
fire copies of any electrotyped volumes ou
hand, the governor shall forthwith have
five hundred additional copies struck off,
and shall draw his warrant upon the
printing fund for the expense thus in
curred.”
In accordance with this law the libra
rian has duly .reported to me that tbe first
tan volumes published hy. the state, to-
wit, volumes 66 to 75, inclusive, have
reached the point indicated in the statute,
and the TGth is so near it as to make it
proper to include that volume in this
recommendation. Tbe statute requires
the publication of 500 copies, hat, there
being no fnnds on hand appropriated for
that purpose, I can. only proceed to lay the
matter beforo tho gcueral assembly for
such action as-to them may seem host.
After consultation with the state libra
rian, it is my judgment that there is no
necessity for the pnblication ot more than
one hundred copies of each of the eleven
volumes, from the 68th to the TGth inclu
sive. I am .satisfied that one hundred
copies of eaeh can he published for an
amount not to exceed the snm .of $1,300.
Should the general assembly decide to
publish 200, that number would not cost
more than $2,100.1 respectfully recommend
that the legislature make the necessary
appropriation based on this calculation,
for the publication of one hundred or two
hundred volumes.
I would further recommend that tliu
statute above cited he repealed,-and that
a provision he made iu its stead, that when
ever tho necessity shall nrise, tho governor
bo authorized to make such statement to
the general assembly os may he necessary
in the premises. I would further recom
mend that tbe general assembly fix the
price at which these volumes shall be sold,
so that the expense of printing nml a small
margin over shall be .secured to the state
to cover the incidental expense of postage.
Dr. Robert Battey, a distinguished physi
cian, resident in this state, has made a
most valuable contribution to the state
library in the donation of a largo number
of costly volumes, selected from his priva’o
medical library.
These hooks will form a nucleus for a
large collection of medical works of value,
as a desirable addition to onr state library.
The thanks of the genera] assembly are
due Dr. Battey.
W. J. Nobthkn.
Givo:n >r.
MANY WOOD BUFFALO.
Plenty of Them North of Kdinonton—
What-Traders Report.
James Mundie, a representative of the
firm of Carscaden & Peck, who has just
returned to the city from a.business trip
in the West, brings an interesting bit of
intelligence concerning tho wood buffalo
of the North. Three years ago, when
Mr! Mundie was at Edmonton, on atrip
similar to the one just completed, he
purchased the head of a wood buffalo,
and it was thought at the time that it
was the last one that would ever be
seen, as the species was supposed to have
bcome practically extinct. Imagino,
then, Mr. Mundie’s surprise a week ago
on again visiting Edmonton to find there
ono trader with ten heads and another
with twenty robes, aud to learn that over
two hundred of the animals had been
killed by Ind ians this season in the Slave
Luke and Peaoe River districts. Iu the
lot which Mr. Mundie saw at Edmonton
was the largest head he had ever seen,
and the robes were of an exceptionally
good quality, the hair being very, dark
and grizzly. The traders told him that
some of the animals killed were of such
a great size that the Indians were unable
to turn them over, and had to split the
carcasses in two in order to remove tho
robes. This is a point worthy of note,
as it has always been stated by those
supposed to know that the wood buffalo
are smaiier than the plain buffalo.
Mr. Socord, the trader who brought
in the robes from the-North, had also in
his pack 200 mask ox robes from the
barren lands east of the Mackenzie river.
Another trador brought iu i00 ox robes.
Mr. Secord is the authority for the state
ment that 200 wood buffalo robes will
reach Edmonton this summer from Slave
Lake’and Peace river.
Tho question where did these wood
buffalo so suddenly come from now nat
urally suggests itself. The Indians and
traders had -long ago given up hope of
seeing any again. The theory—and a
plausible one it is—which is advanoed
by the traders is that the remnant of the
large herds that once roamed through
the prairies and forests of tto.Northwest
found n feeding ground secluded from
the customary haunts of the Indians and-
safe from*the Winchesters of the hunters,
and rapidly repleted their decimated
numbers. Last winter the weather was
unusually severe, and in addition to.the-
hcavy .cold snow storms prevailed and
thus the animals were driven southward
inscarch of food, and wandered in the
track of the Indians, "who only tbo
eagerly rushed among them and slaught
ered them right and left. The heavy
.catch of musk ox is accounted for in_ the
same way, they-having been driven
south from their' feeding grounds in the
barren lands of hunger. Raw musk ox
robes are selling.this ytar for $40 apiece
at Edmonton. »
Mr. Mundie states that Mr. Secord’s
pack of furs_was' worth $10,090. lie had
in the lot no less than six hundred
beaverskins, the finest. that have ever
been seen in this country. In fact all
.-the fur that is coming from the North'
this- season is far better than ordinarily.
[Winnipeg Free Press.
MM,
Routine of the House and Senate Brief
ly Reported.
THB HOUSE.
The Georgia state legislature was
convened at the capitol in Atlanta' at
10: o’clock Wednesday morning, Speak-,
er Pro Tem Bouifeuillet, of Bibb, in
the chair. Mr. John Bouifeuillet-, in
^calling the house to order, made a few
remarks announcing tiie illness of
Speaker Atkinson and saying that
ho trusted the present session
woliid be one full of honor to the state.
There were a number of new faces in
tho- hall when the house met. Since
the last session the hand of death has
been 'laid npon numerous members of
the house, and new men have been
elected to take their places. Then a
new administration has gone into pow
er, and official lightning has stricken
several members, removing them from
their places among the legislators. The
new members were called to the front-
soon after the session opened and there
.the oath of office was admin
istered by J ndge Hunt, of Spalding.
After prayer by the chaplain, Rev. R.
A. Bakes, of Newton, a resolution was
introduced by- Smith, of Gwinnett, to
appoint a committee of three to notify
the senate that the house was ready
for. business. Messrs. Cnmming, Mer-
shon, Martin, Hodges and Fleming
were appointed a committee to act
with the senate committee to notify
the governor that the two houses
awaited • his pleasure. Under the
head of new business n number
of new bills Were introduced..
Mr. Ferguson, of Lee, caught the
attention of tho chair and introduced
the following resolutions, which were
the sensation of the morning session
in the house. Resolved by the gen
eral assembly of Georgia, That onr
senators be instructed and representa
tives in congress be requested to use
all honorable means speedily to pro
vide for the restoration of silver to its
constitutional place in the currency of
this republic, and that to that end the
free and unlimited coinage of silver be
at onee provided. Resolved further,
That our senators be instructed and
our representatives in congress re
quested.to use all honorable means to
effect the immediate and uncondi
tional repeal of the ten per cent tax
on state banks of issne; and Resolved
further, That tho secretary of state be
instructed to forward both of oqf sen
ators and eaeh of our representatives
in congress a copy of these resolutions.
The resolutions were referred to the
committee on the state of the repub
lic. The house adjourned until 9 a.
m. Thursday.
Thursday, Oot. 26—-The most im
portant bill introduced in the house
Thursday morning came from Mr. Os
borne; of Chatham. It is a bill to
amend the constitution so that the state
may provide' for purchasing the
Central railroad from Atlanta to Sav
annah together with all its apperte-
nances. It also provides that the ex
isting public debt of the state be in
creased for that purpose. Another
important bill was introduced by Joe
Doolan, also from Chatham county.
It provides for the creation of a
fund to maintain crippled - firemen or
the families of firemen, killed while in
the discharge of their duties The
bill of My. Stapleton Of sumpter to
make it unlawful to sell cigarettes in
Georgia came np for a third reading.
An effort to table the bill was voted;
down, and it was about to be passed’
as the report of the committee was
adopted, when it was discovered that
it had only been read twice instead of
three times. It was then laid aside,
but tho outlook is that, the
bill will pass when called up
again, and the cigarette will be driven
from Georgia, so far as the house is
concerned. Mr. West, of Hancock, in
troduced a -bill making it a felony to
rob a county treasury. There is trou
ble up in Hart county over the dis
pensary located there. Mr. Hart in
troduced a bill to repeal the law es
tablishing this dispensary. “I am only
following the recommendation of the
grand jury;” said he, “for the
dispensary is_ no good. The keeper
has been - managing it in a loose
manner and whisky has been given
out on forged orders or certificates. It
has gotten so that anybody can get
whisky from it and we want to be au
thorized to-go back to straight prohi
bition.” A large number of new bills
of more or-less importance-were intro
duced during the session, and then
bills reported on by the committee
hist session were taken up and quite a
number were passed. The bill to in
crease the number of supreme conrt
judges from three to five was called
up‘ and made the special order
for Wednesday, November; 1st.
The following bills were read the third
time and passed: To authorize banks
and banking companies to loan money
on real estate at 8 per cent; to .amend
the net establishing aboard ofpharma-
ceutical examiners; to amend the looal
game law of Chattahoochee county; to
relieve W. W. Wood,of Stewart, an old"
one-legged soldier,from .taxes imposed
on him-for running a pool -table when
he was informed that under the law he
was exempt; to presoribe.the.timeand
manner of appointing counsel in crim
inal cases so ;as to allow time to pre
pare the cases for trial. The honse
then adjourned until Friday morning .
at 9 o’clock.
establishment of public schools iu
Canton, and the other to prevent auy
one from riding faster than a walk
over the bridge over Little river, in
Cherokee county. All of the house
bills on the secretary’s desk were read
tho first time, as were the bills ready
for a second reading. The governor’s
message was then taken up aud read,
after which the senate adjourned till
Thursday morning.
Thursday, Oct. 26.—After prayer
and reading the journal Thursday
morning, tho senate passed a bill al
lowing the city of Macon to take into
the corporate limits certain lands ou
Houston street. The roll was called
number were read firet time. Tho
governor returned, with his veto, the
senate bill to define the elementary
branches of an English education as
used in Paragraph 1, Section 1, Article
8 of the Constitution. The governor
says among other things: “This lull
is contradictory in its provisions, and
its policy would be vory hurtful to our
public school system. The bill names
the studies that shall be taught in the
schools, and then authorizes license to
bo issned to teachers who npon exam
ination are found to be incompetent
to teach them.”
TRADE TOPICS.
Mach Gain- In Hope and a- Little in
Easiness tlic Past Week.
R. G. Dun & Co. 's weekly review of
trade says: There has been much gain
in hope and a little in business for the
past week. Assurances that tho repeal
bill will soon be passed have again been
accepted by traders as a reason for buy- •
ing things at higher prices for specu
lation ; and with money abundant on
call—$88,000,000 having been received
in-New York within ten weeks—specu
lation in stocks and products had an
nnnsnol'stimulus and would have ex
panded further but for the continued
embarrassment of industries. Wheat
has risen a quarter of a cent, helped
by heavy foreign purchases and in
spite of better crop prospects. Corn is
nothing stronger. Pork has been lift
ed so far that another coUapso is feared
by some, and petroleum has been ad
vanced one cent. Brazilian speculators
aro supposed to be utilizing the bomb
ardment to increase.the value of coffee.
With these good signs, there are
some not so good. Renewals of ma
turing notes, to a large extent, are
forced npon the banks, though
practically all the clearing honse cer
tificates have heen retired at New
York and at Boston. Business is so
slow that merchants are asking for
new loans, and the aggregate of com
mercial indebtedness must still be
. large. This shrinkage appears less in
cotton than in some other branches of
mannfacturing. During the week
there has been some slight improvement
in the market for some goods, but some
large mills, which recently resumed,
have stopped again, and while the n am
ber reported in operation increases, the
condition of the marketaindicates plain
ly that few are working at their fall ca
pacity. The reduction of wages has
been general and does not tend to in
crease the consumption of goods. The
starting'of the Edgar Thompson works
for two weeks and the announce
ment that the Joliet steel works will
soon starts are more hopeful signs. The
shipyards "and agricultural implemeiv
makers are increasing their purchases
but the demand for building purposes
is remarkably small, and there is that
weakness in barbed wire, wire rods
and steel billets.
The failures for the week number
S46 in the United States, against 210
last year, and twenty-nine in Canada,
8gainst twenty-five last year. The
list includes one large bank at Provi
dence and three southern -banks, bnt
the number of other liabilities is some
what less than usual. For the pre
vious week the. fall statement of lia
bilities is $5,727,836, against $3,461,
292 for the preceding week.
Chaplain of the Honse Head.
A Washington special says: Rev.
Mr. Haddaway, chaplain of the honse
of representatives, died* Thursday
morning.
ATLANTA MARKETS.
CORRECTED WEEKLY.
Groceries;
Coffee—Boasted—Arbucltle’s 24.G0 9 109 ft.
cases.Lion 24.60c, Leveriug’s 24-GOo. Green-Ex
tra choice ;; choice good 21c; fair 20c; com
mon 18i'9a Sngar-Granulateil Go; off
granulated^; oowdore/1 6%o;ont loaf G^a; whits
extra 0 4}fe;New Orleans yellow clarified
5J45Jfo; yellow extra C Syrup—New
Orleans choice 45c; prime 35@40c; common
20@30e. Molasses—Genuine Cuba 85<§)38o;imi-
iation 22@35. Teas—Black 85@55o; green
40@C0e. Nutmegs 65@85o. GIotoi 25@30c.
Cinnamon 10@12%o. Allapico 10@lta Jamai
ca ginger 18c. Singapore pepper 12o; Maoa
$1.00. Bice, Head 6e; good 51{c; common
45<c; imported'Japan 5@5J4e. Salt—Hawley’s
dairy $1.50; Virginia 75e.-Clieese—flats 12 Jfalt
White Ash, half bbls. $4 00; pails 00c;
Mackerel, half barrels, $6*O0a8.5O. Soap,
Tallow, 100 bars, 75 lbs $3.00a 3.75.
tnrpontioe, 69 • bars, 00 lbs; $2.25 a 2.50;
Caudles—Parafine llj^o; star lie. Matches—
400s $4 00; 30Oa $8 00a3 75; 300s $2 00a3 75; 60s
5gros3 $3 75.Soda^-Kega,bnlk 4%c; do lib pkgs
5Vc; cases, 1 lb 5%c, dol and y;Ibg Sc, do % lb
6Kc. Crackers—XXX soda 6Kc; XXXbutter
CJfe; VXX pearl oysters Go; ahell and excolsior
To; lemon cream 9c; XXX ginger snaps 9o; corn-
To; lemon cream 47C5 A A. A. ginger snaps jo, com-
hifla 9c. Candy—Assorted stiok 7}£o; French
mixed lSe. Canned goods—Condensed Milk,
•$G 00a8 00; imitation mackereMi395ai 00. Sal
mon $5 25a550; F. W. oysters $189; 1W
*135; ' corn $3 50 a 3 50; tomatoos $3.10
Bali- Dotash~$320. BtaoJh—Pearl - 4o; Lump
4?S■ vdickel paokagea $3 00; Ojflinloid $5.00.
flMal’&. Powder—K?flo, kegs $3/5Q;’$4kegs,
$3 00; % kegs$l 15. Shot $165 per sack.
Floor. Grain and Stoat-
- Flour—First patent $5.09,- second patent
$4.75;’ extra fancy $3:70'; fancy $8 60; '-family
$3.10j$3.25. Cornr-No. 1 white 62o.' Mixed,
rt.vla UTirWI AQ>. twhffjv Ji... Tatm rnnfc
IN THE SENATE.
The' senate- was called to order
promptly at JO o’clock by President
Olay, Nearly every member was in'
his seat.. The venerable chaplain,;
Rev. John Jones; offered a fervent
prayer, aud at its conclusion tne senate
was ready to proceed with business
just where it left off when it adjourned
on the 15th of last December. Mr.
Corput introduced, a resolution that
the president appoint, a committee of
three to notify the house,of represen-
tatives'and theigoyOThorthat the sen
ate tod cohvenedTand was ren.dv for
business. Adopted, and Senators
Oorput, Edwards and Robinson were
appointed as the committee. Secretary
Harris called the roll for the intro
duction of new bills, and when he
called the name of Mr. McAfee lie in-
iToduced two, cue providiug for the
59o. OAs, Mixed 42a; white-44a; Texas rust
proof EOe. -Seed lye, -Georgia 75»80c.*
Hay— Choice timothy, large bales, $LU0
No.> 1 timothy, large bales, $1.09; ohoioa
timothy, small bales, 95o; No. 1 timothy, Brasil
bales, 90o; No. 2 timothy, small bales, 85o.
jleal—Plain Glc; bolted 57o. Wheat bran—
Large sacks 95c, small sacks 93c. Cotton
seed meal—$139 per cwt. Steam food—*L10
per cwt. Stock peas G0a65c per bn. White,
•G0a65. Boston beans $a.65o2:75 per bushel.
Tennessee, $ 1.75a 2.09. Grits—rearl $3.30.
Country Produco.
E-m 17alSc Batter—’.Vestera creamery
25a27J{0 choice Tennessee 18i20c; .other gradoi
12i<at5o. Live poultry-Turkeys 10@12V;e_per
u,. >ir-m 95 and 28c. sure
m
m
a-Slf
fcbl. Sweet potatoes 45a50o per bu. Houey-
Strained 8al0c; in the comb lOaiS^e. Onion*
$1 00 a$l 10 per bu.
Provisions. •' :
' Clear rib sides, boxed 10Kc; ice-cared bellies
14c. Sa gar-cured hams 12%al5c, according
to brand and average; California, 10^c. break
fast biscon 15al7c. Lard, Leaf 11- “
«*• ' co.top
k •
: - - ’
j