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' H**!'-!'-!-4'++~|++++-F'l--l-«t-+++++-l'z i ey GEORGIA KEW S*‘ Fbdbb bbb b b bbb Epitomized Items of Intetest l Gathered at Random. % Minister Jailed for Bigamy. ‘ Rev. J. D. Woodard, a Baptist min ister of Commerce, has been lodged in jail at Jefferson on a serious charge The grand jury of the county found a Llrue bill against him for bigamy. * * o Wireless Station for Brunswick. At a recent mecting of the Bruns wick city council, a petition was re ceived from the Atlantic DeForest Wireless Telegrah Company, asking permiss<ion to erect necessary poles in the city for the establishment of a wireless telegraph station. * # £ Homicide at Tallulah Falis. * P .T. Shore, a prominent and well to-do citizen of Tallulah Falls,was shot four time; Saturday night by Colonel W. 8. Parris, a prominent lawyer of Clayton, Ga. Mr. Shore died Sunday. He leaves a son, daughter and several Lrothers to mourn his loss. Parris gave himself up to the sheriff. The cause of the tragedy is not given out, %« o * Brown Assumes Duties. Joseph M. Brown, of Marietta, be came a member of the state railroad commission Monday last, succeeding Hon. G. Gunby Jordan, of Columbus, whose resignation went into effect on that day. | Though Mr. Jordan resigned in May,j Lis resignation to take effect August 15, the fact did mnot become known until a few days ago, when Governor Terrell made the appointment of Mr Brown as his successor. - * * Scalpers Barred From Georgia. ‘ The state of Georgia is now free fiom ticket scalpers and is the only _state in the union that enjoys this distinction, with the exception of Pennsylvania. What is more, the Geor: gia legislature just before the end of the present session passed a bill, fntroduced by Senator Howell, of Ful ton, entitied “An act to prohibit traf fic in non-transferable signature tick ets issued by common carriers and to require common carriers to redeem unused or partly used tickets,” which sounds the death knell of all scalpers in this state for all time to come. 2 9 * Dr. Mumford Passes Away. After an illness of nearly three months, Rev. Dr. W. E. Mumford died at the home of his daughter in Macon, a few days ago. Than Dr. Mum ford, few ministers of the gospel in the south were better known. About eight years ago he took charge of the Meth: odist Orphans’ Home in Vineville, then a suburb of Macon, and five years ago Le scvered-.his connection with that institution and founded the Georgia Industrial Home. An orphan himseif at an early age, Dr. Mumford knew well the care that should be given to chil dren left to shift for themselves, aund since he founded the institution hun dreds of children have been cared for and placed on the road to becont ing good citizens. g * % - Increase Will Break Records. The increase in the total tax re: turns of the state for this year, aside from the public utility corporations, will be about $23,000,000, with the e€xception of last year’'s, the largest increase ever known in the state in a single year. All the counties have not yet sent in their digests, but with the exact of ficial information already received at the office of the comptreller general and the estimates from the counties whose digests are not yet in, Captain Harrison, chief clerk in the comptrol ler's office, has been able to make an estimate of the total increase. This estimate fixes the net additions to the taxable wealth of the state ai; ‘about $23,000 000 even, | The railroads and public utility cor | porations have alsn shown a goodly increase and given evidence that they. too, have been enjoying their share of the general prosperity, the increase in the railroads, for instance, being $1,500,060., This, with the individual| increases, will amount to $24,500,000, in round numbers. l This increaze taxed at 5 mills will turn into the state coffers the sum of $107,500, or when the cost of collzction is deducted, about $lOO,OOO. 3 * * * | Tax Rate May Be Lower. l Within the next few days Governor Terrell and Comptroller General Wright will ix the <tate tax rate for 1 1904, ! While no definite conchision on thei ' matter has been reached ,it is learned‘ that the tax rate for 1904 will be less{ lthun 5 mills. The governor and thei comptroller general have not finishedi figuring on the matter yet, and wiHi not do so until all the returns have| heen received. ‘ However, the governor is satisfied that they will be able to make t‘nel rate less than 5 mills, though just how much less it is impossible to predict at present. ‘ | The fact, however, that there wml be a reduction in the state tax rate| this year will be welcome news to? every section of the state. This taxl !r:xte is to secure funds for expensed: 'for 1904. The appropriations biils just' [passed by the general assemhly were for 1905, and the tax rate under which l(he money appropriated for next year will be raised, will not he made until about September 1, 1905. ' * * * Populist State Convention. - l The populists of Georgia will meet | in state cohvention at the state capi-{ (ol on September Ist for the purpose of ratifying the nomination of Thomas E. Watson and Tibbles for president and vice president. State Chairman Hollaway, who issues the call, says he Jdoes not know whether there wiill be a state ticket. The following is the) | call: Notice is hereby given that 2 stale convention of the people’s party of Georgia is hereby called to meet in the state capitol at Atlanta, Ga., on Tues day, September 1, 1904, at 10 o’clock a. m., for the purposes of ratifying the nomination of Watson and Tibbles for president and vice president of the United States, fer putting out anl electoral ticket and for such purpcses as the convention may decide upon. Each county will be entitled to twice as many votes as it has repregentalives in the general assembly, and to as many delegates as may be chosen by the party in each county in such man rer as shall be determined by the ex ecutive committee of each county. J. J. HOLLAWAY; | State Chairman, Clem, Georgia. J. D. WOODALIL, Secretary, Barnesville, Ga. | * * * | No Money Provided for Judgez. An interesting oversight on the part of the general assembly is general! ly commented on at the capitol. While the legisiature passed a bill inecreas ing the salaries of judges of the su preme and superior courts to $4,000 and $3.000, respectively, and the sal ary of the governor to $5,000, it failed to appropriate any money to pay the increases given. This makes it necessary for the judg es to wait until after the legislature of 1905 appropriates the money to pay the back salary increases, to which they will be entitled under this bill, before they can get the money. ' The bill provides that the increases shall not apply to any judges who were in commission at the time of its pass age, but it will apply to; all judges who are to be elected at the coming election in October. Associate Justices Evans and Lamar, of the supreme zcourt. will get their new commissions as soon as the election is over, and the result declared, because they are ! serving unexpired terms, and the in-! crease for them will then begin, The increacse for Chief Justice Simmons} and Associate Justice Fish will begin January 1, 1905, but all of these must wait for the money until after the next legislature has appropriated it. It is the same with the judges of the }superior courts, whose new terms' ’practically all begin on January 1 next, that is for all those who are elected l at the coming election. < Strangely enough, however, the bill | operates to the decided disadvantage l of Associate Justices Andrew J. Cobb land John S. Candler. Justice Cobb will 'not get the advantage of the increased ‘ salary until January 1, 1909, when his new term will begin, if he is elected in 1908. Notwithstanding the 'fact that they must wait for threc tand five years to get the increased .saiaries, they must, in common with iail other judges, give up any free 'railroad passes and franks, which %courtesies may have Lecen extended to them. - & ® ‘ Educational Conference Re:zclutions I The Georgia Educational Cenference lat its seszsion at the summer schoo. |in Athens paszsed some imporiant rez lolutions, a condensed report of swhizh lwe give bhelow: | Education lis the right of every child born into a civilized common )wealth, a right that is independent of icircumsta'nces of life or conditions of fortune. To guarantee and secure tv the children of the state the oppor tunity for such development is the prime duty of organized society. ~ We rejoice in the fact that Georgis was the earliest in the Union to rec ognize these fundamental truths oy providing in its constitution for the first system of public schools; was the first to grant a charter conferring upon a woman's college the right te bestow academic degrees; the firs: to recognize agricultural education in }the gift of Dr. William Terrell for a chair of agricultural chemistry'; ani ’the first bequest for strictly normal ed tucation in the will of Governor Gil mer. We note with unbounded gratifica tion the evidences of cordial and pra:- tically unanimous support given ir all the counties of the state to the pending constitutional amendmen® permitting local taxation for public schools., We deplore the agitation for tak 'ing away from the negro schools the support they have for thirty years pas* had in Georgia, and limiting then support to negro taxes alone. It woti, be an unspeakable calamity to strike down this policy which has been our proud boast and the complete cindi cation, of our justice and Kkindnes: to the negro. As soon let us say thal the poor 'counties of the state shoul.l receive for education only the taxer paid in by them; or that in any com munity the monies derived from thc wealthy be expended upon the wealthy | —and only those, of the poor upon the |poor. Such a measure against negre !schools would be a violation of tha! high obhligation which the superim Irace by virtue cof its power owes 1o the weak and disadvantaged race. The lexisting educational policy has be~n lconfined in its administration to the whites alone, enabling boards of edu cation in each county to adjust the r= lation of the funds fror the separa:e schools as is €quitable and proper lo cally. We appeal to the women of Geor gia to organize themselves into scho >’ improvement societies and thus t» bring to bear in behalf of educationa’ intere:ts and of school buildings those !fine qualitics and powers of womar hood which make them so indispen l~=a‘zfle to the churches of the land.— T. S. STEWART, -of State University I The longest railroad in this country is the Chicago Burlington & Quincy, I whica owns 7764 miles and operates l 7.971 miles. | CURBS MONEY LENDERS. Georgla Legislature, at Last Moment, Passes the “Antl-Shark” 81111. The “money ghark” bill was favora bly acted upon by the Georgia legis lature at the closing session and wili now beconie a law. Despite the strenuous and determin ed opposition of Mr. Hall, of Bibh, who fought it at every -turn, and left no stone unturned to accomplish its de feat, the house adopted the substituie reported by the general judiciary com mittes by a vote of 106 to 34, and then passed the biil on rising vote, by 92 to 7. Thus has the house put {tself on rec ord along with the senate in favor of protecting the poor and ignorant bor rower, and warnings almost amoun:- ing to threats had no avail to stop the tide of votes in the measure’s favor. The main provisions of the housa substitute, which will nocw become 2 law, are: The kindg of security dealt with by the bill, as enumerated in section 1, are: ' Household or kitchen furnitura, household goods, wearing apparel, sew ‘ing machines, musical instruments and wages. _ { Section 6 provides for the keeping of books showing facts concerning ev ery loan made, the name of the bor rower, amount, date of maturity, etec. Section 8 provides that these books shall be open to the inspection of the ordinary or grand jury of the county wherein the business is located. . Section 10 provides that feesg for investigating the security or title may be charged as follows: Fifty cents for amounts of ss:or less; seventy cents for amounts be tween $5 and $10; one dollar for amounts between $lO and $2O; one dol lar and a half for amounts between $2O and $35; two dollars for amounts between $35 and $6O. No fees shall be charged for reversals and one loan of practically the same amount follow ing closely on another shall be con strued, under this section, as a renew al. No original loans shall be sgplit into smaller loans for renewal pur poses. On loans of more than $6O the fee charges are left to be settled on a fair basis between borrower and lend er, provided such charges do not ex ceed 6 per cent of the amount of the loan. Section 11 provides that all pay “ments aggregating more than 8 per cent interest and fees permitted shall be construed as payments on the prins ~cipal. ~ Section 12 forbids charges for fire insurance on property mortgaged. Sections 14 and 15 provides for for feitures of licenses for violations of the act. Section 16 provides that before any criminal demand shall be issued om any transaction growing out of th» business dealt with by the bill the lender shall make oath that he has not violated the terms of the biil. Section 17 voids assignments of un earned wages. ’ Section 18 excepts banks, bankers and pawnbrokers. | Black Cats’ Island. } There is an island in Puget Sound, inot more than half a mile across, - which is so thickly populated with cats that they may be seen cover \ ing the rocks on a sunny day, from the riggings of passing vessels. ~ _The cats number many thousands, and the strangest thing is that they are all black. Every evening a boat load of fishermen land on the island and lay out & seine a quarter of a mile long. They pull it in with never less than a ton of fish, but next morning ’ these fish are gone. The cats devour them all. These cats have been placed here by men w!o are supplying the mar ket with woemen’s muffs. Once a year there is a great round-up, and several ‘thousaud pussies lose their lives.