Newspaper Page Text
The Morgan Monitor.
VOL. II. NO. 13.
GOV. ATKINSON’S
MESSAGE.
Governor Atkinson, in his message,
which was sent to the legislature yester¬
day, makes a sensational arraignment of
mab and lynch law.
He does not hesitate to declare that
Innocent men have been lynched during
his administration and as one of the
remedies for mob violence asserts that a.
prisoner when assailed by a mob should
he given a weapon by the officer in
charge, be unshackeled, and be allowed
to defend himself.
The governor’s comments are at consid¬
erable length and are extremely striking.
Ho says that any woman can have a
man murdered by a mob by simply de¬
claring that he had assaulted her and
that under mob rule life cannot be safe.
He makes a strong plea for law and or¬
der and asks the passage of an act un¬
der which counties may be sued and
verdicts of not less than $1,000 be obtained
by the heirs of any -man killed by a mob.
The governor sets forth his views on the
convict question as already printed in
full in The Journal.
Among other things he advocates put¬
ting street railway companies under con¬
trol of the railroad commission.
Stripped of purely routine matters, the
message is as follows:
NORTHEASTERN RAILROAD.
On the 2Sth day of May, 1896, after ad¬
vertising for bids as directed in act au¬
thorizing a lease, the Northeastern -rail¬
road was leased to E. A. Richards & Co.
at the sum of $1S,6C0 per annum, payable
quarterly, for a term of 20 years, from the
first day of June, 1896, and a bond taken
In conformity to law.
The rent was paid for two quarters.
When the rent for the third quarter fell
due on the first day of March, 1897, it was
not paid,' and when two months’ time,
In which they were permitted under the
law to pay this, had expired, the rent was
still unpaid.
33y virtue of authority vested in me I
Uicn seized the road ^nd have since oper¬
ated it for the state under the direct
management of Hon. R. K. Reeves, who
was appointed by me state agent.
I submit herewith a stac nent showing
the net earnings for each month for which
report has been made to me:
May...... .. ..$ 742 98
June........ .. .. 751 50
July........ .. .. 1,143 49
August...... • • .-. . .. .. 1,374 47
September.. . .. .. 2,000 00
Total $6,012 44
The months covered by these reports
ore the hardest of the year, but it is grat¬
ifying to he able to -state that they show
an increase over the earnings in the same
period when previously operated by the
state.
AJnder present conditions we can safely
Tely upon (the net earnings of) the. load
earning a good income on the sum at
which it was purchased by the state, to
wit, $100,000, and it will more than pay in¬
terest on the series of bonds issued to re¬
tire the $2S7,000 of bonds on said road, up¬
on which the state of Georgia was en¬
dorser.
As this is a short and dependent line,
mid in view of possible changes in the
railroad situation which might impair and
possibly destroy its value, I recommend
that an act be passed authorizing the
governor, at his discretion, to offer it for
sale whenever, in his opinion, it can be
sold for the amount of the bonds issued
by the state to cancel the series above
mentioned.
RAILROAD COMMISSION.
Your special attention is called to that
part o£ the report of the railroad commis¬
sioners in which legislation is recommend¬
ed to enlarge their powers, and to better
enable them to enforce their decrees.
These recommendations, briefly stated,
are:
Control of Issuance of stocks and bonds
of railroads.
Removed of all doubt of authority of the
commission to require the erection of de¬
pots, and additional power to require thq
construction of sidetracks.
Rower to regulate the interchange of
freights and cars in order to secure to
shippers the right to route their goods
and to prevent discriminations.
Speedier methods of enforcing the or¬
ders of the commission to compel rail¬
roads to Immediately accord to the public
rights which are due them.
After asking for this legislation the
commission adds:
’’We have exercised, and are now exer¬
cising, all the authority that has been
granted us. Our experience, and the com¬
plaints continually received from the peo¬
ple, clearly indicate that the additional
authority recommended is necessary to
their protection. If they expect relief in
these particulars they must look, mot first
to this commission, but to their senators
nnd representatives whom they elect to
the general assembly, and who alone have
the power to authorize the commission to
correct the ills complained of.”
You cannot be too careful in legislating
upon the subject of railroad control. A
wise and rigid control of these properties
is of the utmost Importance to our people,
and is essential to the growth of our corn-
meree.
STREET RAILROADS.
I advise that the authority of the rail¬
road commission be so extended as to give
them power to regulate charges on arrets,
railroads, and exercise such control over
them as may be needed to give good ser - - -
vice to the public, and adjust disputes be-
tween them ancl the public when made
by any party interested, or by the author,
ities of the city in which such street rail,
road may be operated.
The sole power to determine those
questions s-hould not vest in the street
railroad corporations. The authority to
pass upon -them should be vested in some
tribunal, and that tribunal should not be
in the control of, or created by, those
directly interested in the questions to be
submitted to It.
TELEPHONE SYSTEMS.
The railroad commission now has juris¬
diction over railroad, telegraph and ex¬
press companies.
The same reasons which induced the
state to give t-hem authority over these,
demand that their power be so extended
as to bring under their control all tele¬
phone companies.
The charges made by telephone com¬
panies shouid be fixed by the commission.
In my opinion they arc itow so excessive
ln theJr charges as to demand the Inter¬
ference of the state ln behalf of the citi¬
zens.
. Each of these comp anies are qvh-at are
usually termed' natural monopolies, and
should be controlled by the government,
EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS
There has been a constant and marked
improvement in our common schools.
rp, me steady , - ahd , gradual increase in the
appropriations for tiheir maintenance -has
resulted in multiplying the number of
permanent r'„ schools, arousing greater in-
* —
r n i! e people In , education,
rnproving the character of school bu’ild-
!"f®, ® nd mcreasing the efficiency of
in A,i this campaign . against ... ignorance
columns our
should not retreat, but move
mnmin. vanquished a and t i nti the cttem Y Is
the banner of light,
ani virtue floats in triumph
over the Held.
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA..
The people of the state are to be con¬
gratulated upon the ever Increasing pros-
perity and usefulness of their university.
With the increased room and facilities
furnished by your late appropriation
thereto, and the purchase of the new
farm, df ..
assured of permanency of Us
income, its still greater usefulness can
not to be doubted.
On the 7th of October last two hun*
dred and sixty-seven students had been
registered. Of them sixty-five jleb cent.
are members of various churches, to wit:
one hundred Methodists, eighty-one Bap-
lists, thli-ty-eight Presbyterians, thirty
Episcopalians, five Catholics, six Jews,
three Christians, one Lutheran and °tu- one
Unitarian. Of the fathers of those
dents, seventy-eight are farmers, forty-
four lawyers, forty-two merchants, nine-
teen doctors of medicine, nine bankers
six teachers, six besides preachers, various and eight in:
suranee men, other oc-
cupations.
For further details you are referred to
the annual report of the chairman of the
board of trustees, submitted Aceorttihg
to law.
.
GEORGIA' SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY
I am Pleased tc note the increased increased at- at
tendance at the school of technology. The
two hundred and twc-nty-flve students now
there give evidence that 'practicei Eiiiica-
tion is receiving sertstfg attention of our
people, Th6 school offers scientific
courses Of high grade in mechanical elec
trlcal and civil ’
engineering.
The new dormitory is filled with stu-
dents who are under wholesome regula-
tions and protected from evil influences
by the supervision of the authorities A
high standard in scholarship and skill in
shop work Is required, and the SchSol
■takes rank with the best technical insti-
■tutions in the Country,
Georgia, being hfeaf the center of the
cotton growing area of the Union, should
provide for the Instruction of her sons in
the manufacture of cotton goods. New
England has taken steps in this diree-
tion for the protection and advancement
of her manufactures. The textile Schools
which have been established dt the north
are bound to militate ts the detriment of
our own cattOn industries unless they
are met With similar institutions in the
south. A department of textiles should
be added to the School of Technology for
the purpose of giving our young men the
opportunity of becoming experts in the
manufacture of cotton goods. I am as¬
sured that such a measure would re¬
ceive substantial aid from many promi¬
nent firms and citizens, and On aecOliftt 6f
the present excellent equipment of the
school, the first cost ft onto be reduced to
a minimum-.
NORMAL-INDUSTRIAL COLLEGE,
This institution, whose curriculum em¬
braces a literary, a normal and an indus¬
trial course, is doing a great work for
the state by supplying its SG'hobis with
well educated, trained teachers, develop¬
ing the brain and increasing the culture
of her daughters, and rendering them
capable of being, when necessary, self-
sustaining and independent.
So great is the popularity of this col¬
lege that had its accommodations been
adequate it would have in attendance 600
students.
Several hundred applicants •Wer* us¬
able to gain admission at this term on ac¬
count of the limited accommodations.
The course of study in the normal de¬
partment is considerably in advance of
the. examinations giVen applicants for
first grade license in our common schools.
Under existing laws the graduates of
the North Georgia Agricultural and Me¬
chanical college at Dahlonega, State Nor¬
mal school at Athens, Middle Georgia
Agricultural and Mechanical college at
Millcdgeville, Gordon institute at Barnes-
ville, are permitted to teach in the com¬
mon schools without further examination.
I therefore recommend that the same
right be accorded the graduates of the
Georgia Normal and Industrial College.
STATE NOMAL SCHOOL. ■
Thlc i his school cn . nnl hiu -become a very valuable ,
part of our educational system and is
worthy of your aid and encouragement.
In the management of various public
institutions it has been found of great
advantage to the institutions and a relief
to the officers in charge to have some of
tbe trustees located so as to be accessible
to the institution. It is not advisable to
change cel. mt board the personnel of commissioners of the present ex-
charged with who are
the immediate control of
itic ber, institution, and as their present num-
five, is rather small, I recommend
that the governor be authorized to ap-
point, from the county of Clarke, two.ad-
ditional members to said board.
DAHLONEGA COLLEGE
I enjoyed the pleasure of attending the
commencement eXnf t Tt. f j his very ex
-
cel,ent institution, and gladly , testify to
its usefulness. It is doing a magnificent
work for North Georgia, and deserves the
encouragement which it has received at
the hands of the general assembly.
T-he governor recommends the appoint-
ment of a state penitentiary agent and
that bids be received for all the state's
purobJases.
He recommends that the state treasurer
be authorized to lend out the sinking
fund of $100,000 on the state’s bonds.
The governor makes war on bucket
shops. He says:
"The evil that is being inflicted on the
state by the operation of what is known
as bucket shops ls incalculably great
The possibilities of great wealth with
which these places allure their victims
arc well calculated to mislead and on-
trap men eager to grow rich, and ts a
tempting bait especially to young men.
Lives arp being constantly wrecked and
fortunes squandered by these tempters.
The material and moral welfare of the
state demand that the bucket shops be
suppressed.”
On election laws the governor »ays:
Law's regulating eleet/ions should effect¬
ually prevent fraud, and so guard the
right of the elective franchise that the
destiny of our state will be entrusted only
to those citizens whose baldat is un-puT-
ch.asa.ble. * * * The amount of money
which can !be used by n candidate before
the general assembly should be limited,
the purpose specified by Jaw, and the
successful candidate should be required,
before he assumes the duties of Ms office’,
to exhibit of fend file a sworn itemized state!
ment expenses which should not ex-
eeed the amount allowed -by law.
For a violation of this -lany he should
forfeit his right to the office to -which he
is elected.
The proposed measure should be suf¬
ficiently comprehensive to specify the
purposes for which money can be used
in a campaign in a party primary or final
election, and free officials from that obli¬
gation, which is incurred by -person-ally
receiving from others a contribution to
aid In securing an election.
If, tor instance, candidates for the offics
of soliener general, judge an-i .UpHeJ
Population and drainages.
MORGAN. GA.. FRIDAY. NOVEMBER 5 1897.
states senator are permittoa, oy direct
contributions, to plaC6catidlddtes and the
parly ftmhoH.tie&, iti the respective coun-
dlrect obligation to them by
contribution to campaign fund, it will de-
I grade political life, piit capacity and
! worth at a discount, and make money
1 the tea t of merit. The influence of
' >0l ^'- :cs * already money
n * s too great, and should
j I ‘'VKT All contributions 1 !**-!; r , edUCed for t0 political a minimum. campaigns
should be made direct to the party offle-
ials, and no man, not a resident of a
county, should be permitted to contribute
to the county election. To prevent undue
influences of money from this source
such contributions should, lh congresston-
.si campaigns, be given to the district
committee, Committee, and Hi State campaigns to the
state to be by them expended
where they think best.
THE INCREASE OF CRIME,
The increase of our prison population is
a ma ' tter for serious consideration. In 1859
there were only 393 convicts In our peni¬
tentiary; in 1871, 3S5, In 1874, 616; and now
there arc 2,357. This, of course, does not
include those in the county cllalngangs,
1 numbering about 1,850.
The fiumbei- iil the penitentiary would
be ev'en iahger but for legislation by your
- predecessors, under
the provisions of
which a large number who were convict-
. . felo,,y , , lias , , ** sent , to , “ , hc
en coun G
i
ctiaingangs.
r „ i< 1S<1 7 . U 1 - per ccnt o£ the convIc ‘* were
’
wllK e ’ and in 1897 8 per cent, are white,
During , this period the blacks in
penitentiary have ihiir@ftsed the
While the Meredith ivhitii hop pci- cent.
In convicts
has. beefi sffiftli; our Both penitentiary has been
rapidly replenished the ranks ot the
colored population. The number of con-
victs ln reccnt years is much larger than
LU after they were given their freedom.
More were received into the penitentiary
in -the and year 1S96 thin in the years 180a,
1870 1871 combined. The whole num-
ber of convicts received from the estab-
hshment of the penitentiary, March 10,
lsl7, to October 26, 1866, a period of 49
y * ars and 7 m ° n ths, "’as 2,029 ; total num-
ber received during the four years, 1894-5-
e ~ 7, was 2 - 307 -
The Io H°wing table will show the com-
mnmicnts to the penitentiary for the last
e *Shteen (18) years!
COMMITMENTS RttOM 1878 RiM:
Two years, Oct., 1878, to Got., isso...... 433
Two years, Oct., 1880, to Oct., 18S2. r>> s
Two years, Oct., 1882, to Oct., 1884. 596
Two years, Oct., 18S4, to Oct., 1886. 777
Two years, Oct., 1886, to Oct., 1SSS. 775
Two years, Oct., 1SS8, to Octl, 1899. .. 966
Two years, Oct., 1890, to Octp 1892. :V
One year, Oct., bet., 1892; lS In Get:, issl iSO-i. Tli
One year, 93 ; Vo Oct., 638
One year, Oct., 1S94, to Oct., 1895. 635
One year, Oct., 1903, to Oct., 1S96, 528
Total for 18 years........ ....... 7,747
This result has been reached in spite
of the fact that in addition to what has
been done by towns and cities support¬
ing local school systems, we have spent
within that time about four million dol¬
lars in an effort to educate the cniofed
people that thby heebmb bettbi* citi¬
zens-.
The governor adds:
The best of the race Intellectually and
morally should be selected to teach in
public schools. The law should require
the school authorities to look closely into
the conduct and character of each ap¬
plicant -before .19 gviLni'ed to teach.
Th|S phoVisioii should apply alike to
white a'Rd black. In every way possible
we should endeavor to improve the morals
of the people by imparting, through the
school room, correct principles and pure
morality. The teacher should not only
train the mind, but build noble charac¬
ters.
CRIME AND LYNCHING.
Tho graver crimes are of alarming fre¬
quency and -ffiote seriously affect that
portion of our population who reside OuL-
side ‘the towns dnd cities, ih these sec¬
tions, ihv, brittle «of burglary, arson and
t'tlpe have .become -more frequent than in
the years of disorder which followed tho
civil war-
The frequency of the offense of rape
Was become alarmiing in the extreme, and
seriously interferes with tine security and
oomifort of living dn the country. There
are new dn the penitentiary 78 convicts
for assault to rape, and 81 for rape*
Of all crimes known to our law these
two are the most villainous-. Their fre¬
quency (has terrofliied the people residing
iff rural districts, and so aroused their
fettr gild resentment that it has been im-
p^siblc 4n many of these cases to induce
them to await the action of the courts.
Since November 1, 1894, there have been
^ negroes lynched who were charged
with rape and assault -with intent to
rape, and one white man who was charg-
with rape,
In addition to these, there hUvC been
seven negro moil, onfe negro Wom'an and
cm ’ e White inah lynched who were charg-
With other offenses. Total for three
^Cars 22, or a 'little more than 7 per year,
These occurred in -the following counties:
Appling, Clinch, Dooly, Habersham, Mon-
roe ’ Montgomery, Muscogee, Talbot, Ool¬
Twiggs, Jasper, Calhoun and Bibb,
U 1h tne duty of government to protect
citizens, and to do all that can pos-
s 'hly be done to prevent the commission
°'f not only the offenses which Wave pro*
voked the -people to resort to such a rep-
f* henslM « remedy, but ^ offen8 l B - rtn<1
t0 suaranteo to every citizen charged
with a crime a trial before an Impartial
tribunal, as guaranteed by the constltu-
tion.
*00
■' n * ho aisc usston of lynching, let It bo
clearly understood thM It Is net a ques-
as t0 whether or not those guilty of
crime shall be punished, but whether or
^ot the innocent shall escape. Not a ques-
tion as to whether the guilty shall bo
PU nls hed, but whether or not the act of
punishing shall multiply criminals,
Ui a free government like ours there is
110 cxcuse lfor lynching. If there is evi-
deuce to convict the courts will punish; if
* her0 ls not , punishment should not be in¬
The courts of our state can be
trusted to punish the guilty and protect
our P r °perty, our persons, and the honor
and virtue of our women,
1 am deeply concerned for a remedy for
thls evil that we may save f r °hi guilt the
men w ' ho en g a S e in it, and protect the in-
n<)cent > w ho are too often sacrificed,
TRIAL BY MOB.
The mob is not a safe tribunal to justlj'
determine any cause.
Not long since in this state it is said
f'.ihat a mob, w'hich had gathered, failed to
take action because of a division ln their
own ranks . . . one portion wishing to
hang a man who had not been tried and
the other, to liberate one who had been
tried, heard in all the courts and sentenc¬
ed to be hanged for murder.
The mob Judges without a full and com¬
plete bearing from both sides. I-ts iiifm-
hers are not the most capable cf Judging.
It whisky. decides How in passion and, too often, iti
can it fail to make mis-
takfs and sacrifice the lives of the Inno¬
cent?
I fee! the more deeply upon this ques¬
tion because from the best Information I
can secure, I believe that during my ad¬
ministration there have been in this state
men lynched whowere not guilty
of tne crimes with which -they were
charged. How many, can never be
for thefr tongues are hushed, and
they are denied an opportunity to prove
heir innocence. 1 am informed that one
man, whom the mob believed to be guilty,
was shot down. A question then arose as
to his identity and he was salted down
like a hog, shipped to the location of the
•rime and found to be the wrong man—an
innocent man.
When an innOCCnt fnatl is lynched .for a
crime it serves to protect the guilty. Tin
members of the mob* their friends, and
sympathizers seek to impress it upon the
community -that the right ohe has been
punished and the guilty goes unsought
and unsuspected. Even during this year,
evidence has come to light, showing that
in several states victims of the mob have
been innocent men. During my term of
office one man, who was rescued from
the mob, was accorded a trial which re¬
sulted in showing -that he was not guilty
of the offense with which he was charged.
Another fled from rho mob to the execu¬
tive office and fts-.eu for protection and a
trial by jury. They Were given him, and
it developed that he Was not guilty of the
charge for tvhibh the fnob endeavored to
take his life.
To what extent this practice has been
or will be used for purposes other than
the alleged- reason given to the public,
will never be known. In one instance,
not long ago, it was stated and accred¬
ited that a man who had been charged
with rape came near being lynched.
When the truth became known it brought
to light the fact that the purpose in
preferring the charge was to have him
lynched in order to suppress his evide-nci
against parties i&w who had been violating
the prohibition ; in another instance
a man, charged With fin assault upon a
woman, escaped the mob which was in
pursuit and established the fact that
the charge was made against him to de¬
feat the collection of a debt. Had the
parties been lynched it is not probable
that their guilt woiflfi have been ques-
tioned.
These tilings serve to emphasize the
importance of adhering to law, and ol
your so legislating as to suppress this
evil, and guarantee to every one charged
with crime a fair and impartial trial.
Responsibility for jt he crime of lynch¬
ing rts'ts not only upon actors, but upon
the community which shulrt its eyes tc
the crime ancl permits and tolerates it,
and upon legislators who refuse to enact
laws td suppress itt
It can anti triji be Stepped When the be t¬
ter element who deprecate mob law ag¬
gressively condemn and determine to sup¬
press the practice.
It is no excuse to say that the north¬
ern people, who have less to provoke
them to it, lynch. Let us not take them
as a standard; civilisation but in .rather show a higher
t-Vpb bt blit'-,sUtb, itiifl erect
here a standard to which they may as-
plre.
LYNCH FOR WHAT CRIMES.
Lynch law has not been restricted to
cases where the charge was an outrage
upon a female. In Texas a man was
lynched simply to suppress his evidence;
in Kentucky because he was objectionable
to the neighborhood, and in Indiana five
men were thfe lynched last for burglary. In our
state, in three yetlrs, seven men
have been lynched for murder, and one
man and one woman because they were
suspected of arson.
WHEN CHARGE IS RAPE.
Even had It been confined to offenses
committed upon females It could not tic
justified.
To adopt it, in these cases, is to put the
life of every power of any
woman who might for any reason desire
his death. When such crimes are
charged the passion of the people 1 b more
deeply stirred than by any other, and the
mob is quick to act.
Yet viewed froin the standpoint of Rea¬
son and not of passion, there is less ex-
cuse for lynching - In such cases than in
any other. Delay cannot be given as a
reason, nor a fear that justice will be de¬
feated. At Montlcello and Columbus the
men were taken out of the court room
during the trial and lynched, In most
cases they are taken from the custody of
officers of the law, when 'they know that
court will convene and give a speedy
trial. For this offense, above all others,
the courts fire quick to tty* find if guilty,
the juries certain td convict.
the It is not then that they fear delay or
acquittal of the guilty, but It is a de¬
fiance of law. It is a desire to substi-
tute passion for evidence and vengeanco
for justice.
There being no excuse to be found for
fear of either delay or failure of justice,
but one reason ls left, and that is the ob¬
jection to the outraged victim having to
go into court and relate the horrible
story. That this is a tbrtihie ordeal,
every one must concede, but human life
must be valued even above this trial. She
would undergo this trial, not as a sacri¬
fice to the guilty, but to conform to the
rules of law, which centuries of experi¬
ence have demonstrated to be absolutely
essential for the protection of the inno¬
cent. The truth cannot be had save by
having both sides heard before an im¬
partial tribunal.
To remove this objection, however, our
law provides that, oh sUch occasiohf?, t he
judge may order thfe courtroom cleared
of ail save the jurors and lawyers en¬
gaged in the case on trial.
There Is, therefore, no justification nor
excuse for a resort to lynching, even in
'this class of cases, when the defendant,
ls charged with the most dastardly and
horrible of crimes, No man doubts in
t'hcse cases that the law will punish the
guilty, and if he did, he could not find a
remedy by making a murderer of himself.
The remarkable (fact exists that in n. m;t-
jority of instances the party lynched is
taken from the custody of officers. I can
understand how a near relative of the
victim of the lust of a human brute who
sees before 'him the man w»hom he be¬
lieves has committed the outrage, and In
the heat of passion, slays him, can enlist
the interest and sympathy of a commun¬
ity; but how any one can fail to condemn
those who are guilty of the cowardly act
of taking from the officers of the law a
man who is disarmed and helpless, and
hanging him without trial, surpasses my
comprehension.
EFFECT OF LYNCHING.
Both capital and worthy Imigrantn seek
places quent where occurrences law ls of supreme lynching and will the fre- ad- j
, '
vert iso ours as a lawless state and as a
half-civilized people. I
It sacrifices the innocent, brings lav/ I
Into disrepute, creates lawlessness, Im¬ I
pedes material growth, and In the of !
eyes
civilization all the w'orld and lowers degrades the the standard character of our j
of ,
our people.
This barbarous practice does not de¬
crease. but cnme ' H^ing .
stained their v hands in blood, Its perpetra-
f ors are more easily led to again violate
law. Recently a man tried on the charge
cf murder and convicted of shooting a
citizen through t'he window, as he sat by
his own hearthstone at night, confessed
also that he it was who tied the rope
around the necks of the two men who
were lynched in Columbus in 189C I con-
demn It and will not apologise for such
lawlessness. To exterminate the practice
it must be made odious and dangerous.
The penalty should be the scorn of t'ho
people and the punishment of the Taw.
DUTY OF DEMOCRATS.
There is no room for debate upon this
question If tq h f rp is, there Is none for
Democrats. With them the question is
settled. Tfibro is bill, ofie position the
members of that party can trike.
In the campaign in which the members
of this general assembly were elected, the
Democratic party went to the people up¬
on a platform adopted by the state con¬
vention in which this declaration is found,
to-wit:
“Resolved. That we deplore and de¬
nounce lynchlngs and favor the en-
actmeht df such laws as will effectually
prevent the same,”
I now ask the men who were elected
upon this platform will to enact into law pro¬
visions requirements which in good faith meet the
of this declaration. I do
not believe that you will dally with this
question, or pass laws which will he In¬
effectual.
The Democratic party owes It to the
people to live up to the pledges which it
made to induce them to entrust it with
power, or to come noldly to the front
and admit that it wilfully and deliberate¬
ly deceived to secure votes, and is un¬
worthy the confidence of the people. Your
actioh Is to determine whether or not this
condemnation can be truthfully uttered.
To be honest is iis jfntieh tile duty of a
political party as an individual.
Let the remedy which you apply be
herditi and severe.
THIS REMEDY,
In murder cases the complaint Is that
the eases can be too easily continued and
justice unnecessarily delayed. I am not
an advocate of hasty trials, but of prompt
ones. No one should be rushed into a
'trial Involving his life when passion in
the county where trial is to be had is at
white heat and a fair trial impossible.
The law should in all eases permit the
court, oh motion of the defendant, or on
its oWrt fnotlon; c.hdngb or on motion of state at¬
torney, -to the Vonfie to any county
in the state. In determining Whether or
not to order a change of venue, the judge
should be authorized to exercise a very
broad discretion and act upon all knowl¬
edge that lib might possess bearing upon
the question, if, in his opinion, a change
of venue is necessary to secure a fair and
impartial jury, he should order the
change, and this decision should not be
reviewed by the supreme court. The au¬
thority of the circuit judge in such cases
should be made plain and ample, and all
doubt removed as to power of the su¬
preme court to review his decision.
This change in our law, I believe, is the
first step necessary to secure, In all cases,
prompt and fair trials,
Iti some instances it is difficult to se¬
cure ft tH.ti granting On account of the laws regu¬
lating the of don f in uitnees.
This can be remedied by leaving to the
trial judge the sole power to pass upon
motions to continue, denying to the su¬
preme court the power to grant a new
trial on account of alleged error in so
doing. The llib circuit judge who knows the
parties; bftsb; and its history, and
has the witnesses cm the tjilestion before
him, can better determine whether the
motion Is made for delay only, and
whether a fair trial and a just verdict
can be had without further delay than
the supreme court.
Every practloneer knows that the right
of continuance is the most abused of all
rights granted by the law in court pro-
Gedurei and In my opinion the circuit
judge Will Correct the abuse if empower¬
ed to do so.
The law which gives the defendant in ore
peremptory strikes than the state should
be so amended as to give each party the
same number. Under the existing law
power is given the defendant to object
without cause to so many jurors that ho
can, in mnnv cqsm, pack a jury in his
own interest.
I have heretofore recommended tb tnd
general assembly, and again urge upon
you, that the law be so amended as to
punish assault with intent to rape with
death unless the punishment be reduced
upon the recommendation of the jury
trying the case, just as it may be dono
now when the charge is rape.
Those who commit these offenses de¬
serve to bo punished under the same
law.
It lots beeti insisted by some that the
way to stbji lynching 1.1 of to provide for
the prompt punishment rill who com¬
mit the crimes which provpke it.
Neither the law’s delay nor the failure
of justice can be given as an excuse for
lynching.*? in rape cases.
In dealing with the offense Of rape in
our courts there has been for the guilty
no delay and no escape. Courts are
promptly called, trials had, and justice
quickly administered. In such cases the
men whose names are in the jury boxes
in Georgia can be relied upon to convict.
The evil will exist for a long Lime, if
not disturbed, Until public opinion Is ed¬
ucated to the point where the condemna¬
tion is sufficiently intense and ilmlnimoits
to make it impossible.
It is therefore necessary that without
waiting for this slow process, the major¬
ity representing Jaw, order, justice and
civilization, pass such legislation as will
repress the lawless element and secure
the reign of law, The certainty of prompt
trials ttlOne will not end lynchlngs. The
delay of the law is a favorite excuse, but
jt is not the real reason for Its existence.
Other legislation is needed to aid in
checking it.
The arresting officer Is now clothed with
authority to take the life of the assail¬
ants when resisting their efforts to take
a prisoner from his custody, and, and it
Is his duty to take life if necessary to
protect the prisoner and retain him in
custody. This he should be required to do
at the hazard of his own life, or tiro
prisoner should be unshackled, armed and
given an opportunity to defend himself.
The knowledge on the part of the mob
that this would be done would deter it
from pursuing its lawless purpose, and
the law would be permitted to protect the
innocent and punish the guilty.
That It may be ascertained whether or
not this officer having the prisoner in cus¬
tody does his full duty in every Instance,
I recommend the passage of a law re¬
quiring a thorough investigation in every
case and providing adequate punishment
when he falls short of the full measure of
his duty in protectlriK his prisoner. When
this ls done he -should be Ineligible to elec¬
tion or appointment to any office until his
disabilities are removed by the general
assembly. The administrator or family
of a party taken from the custody of an
-officer and killed should be authorized to
recover from the county the full value of
his life, which in no case should he less
than $1,000. This provision will not only,
by appealing to self-interests, make tho
stronger influences in each community
active In opposition to lynchlngs, but up¬
on principle, ls but doing Justice to the
family of the victim. When the state
takes charge of a prisoner it is its duty
to protect him against all dangers save
the penalty of the law Inflicted for tho
„ lmo wlth whlch he cllar *„i, and for
failure to do <so, it is just for damages to
be paid. It cannot be seriously contend-
ed that the state has a right to disarm a
citizen charged wish crime, render him
powerless to protect himself, and then
surrender him to those who seek his lifo
in violation of law, without justly incur-
ring the obligation to pay damages there-
for.
THE CONVICT QUESTION.
Tho governor’s message so far as it re¬
lates to the convict question has, been al¬
ready published in full tn The Journal.
The governor holds that -the misdemea¬
nor convicts should remain under the con¬
trol ot the counties and that tho camps
should be regularly Inspected by an officer
of -the state. . - — -------
The governor reiterates h! s declaration
made to the Democratic convention when
he was nominated, that he would veto
any bill re-establishing the present lease
system.
He opposes Working the convicts on the
county roads.
The governor proposes the creation of a
commission which shall be in full control.
He wants a tract of land on which the
boys, women and men who are not able-
bodied shall be maintained.
Able-bodied convicts he wants hired out
for a term of five years under control of
the stale. Meanwhile lie would with the
labor of the other convicts build a central
penitentiary. The final disposition of the
able-bodied convicts he would leave to be
disposed c*f at the expiration of five years.
The plan provides for a reformatory for
boys and girls.
The governor also recommends the crea¬
tion of a board of pardons and urges some
law which will equalize the assessment of
taxes.
He also urges the return of $210 which
Miss Ella M. Powell paid for the state of
Georgia as (he state's share toward the
Cowpens monument.
FEVER RECORD IN MISSISSIPPI.
State Hoard of Health Issues Its Usual
Daily Report.
The Mississippi board of health is¬
sued the following official statement
Friday night:
“Clinton, three new cases; Nitta
Yuma, no new cases; Cayuga, two new
cases; McHenry, one new ease ancl one
death; Edwards, four new colored cases
in town and three white cases in the
country.”
Iiiloxi, ten now cases, no deaths.
Total cases to date, 576; total deaths
to date, 25.
MRS. 1,0 Mi STREET IS OPT.
Resigns As Assistant Librarian—Her Suc¬
cessor Is Miss Jewett.
Miss Susie Y. Jewett, assistant clerk
in the educational department, lias
been appointed to succeed Mrs. James
Jjong,street, formerly Miss Ellen
Dortch, as assistant state librarian.
Mrs. Hongstreet’s intention to give
Up the office lias been known since her
recent marriage. She paid a visit to
Atlanta a few days ago and tendered
her resignation. The resignation was
accepted and Miss Jewett was notified
of her appointment.
Mrs. Longstreet is now definitely
out of the race and her support will
probably go to Captain Milletlge, the
present librarian.
CHICAGO’S POLICE FIRED.
Change Made In Order To Put Now Mon
Under Civil Service,
Chicago's chief of police issued an
order Tuesday discharging appointing from tho
fo.jce their 434 policemen, and
in place a like number of mem¬
bers of tho “Star League,” who are
democratic ex-policemen who had
been discharged under tho previous
republican administration.
Jt is the biggest so-called “general
order” issued since ex-Cliief Badenoch,
republican, issued his famous order
No. 13, in May, 1895, discharging 587
men.
The changes were made in order to
put the department under civil service.
AFTER LOTTERY l'EOPLE.
Agents of Hie “Honduras National” Will
lie Prosecuted l»y Uncle Ham.
The United Staton government
thought it. had destroyed the Louis¬
iana State Lottery company, but it was
mistaken. That, company under the
name of tho Honduras National Lot¬
tery company has gradually regained
possession of its old territory and now
has its agents throughout the entire
country. The faftts are now in the
possession of the United States dis¬
trict attorney at New Orleans and
when the federal grand jury is impan¬
eled they will be laid before it.
TO I) EDI RATE MONUMENT.
Fifteen Hundred I’ennHylvunla Troops
Will Go to Ch.'ittunooipi.
Adjutant General Stewart, of Penn¬
sylvania, will issue orders to fifteen
hundred Pennsylvania soldiers for
free transportation to Chattanooga and
return, to attend tlie dedication on
November J5tb of the Pennsylvania
monuments on the Ghiekamauga bat¬
tlefield.
Governor Hastings and staff will
participate in the ceremonies, along
with representatives of the national
government battlefield commission. and the Pennsylvania
FRESI DENT J A L AITOINTM ENTS,
Collector of Customs at l’ensacola, Fla., Is
Nhhip<1.
The president Friday made the fol¬
lowing appointments:
Henry H. Pritchett, of Missouri, su¬
perintendent of coast and geodetic
survey.
Mifflin AV. Gibbs, of Arkansas, con¬
sul of the United Btates at Tamataye,
Madagascar.
James B. Stillman, collector of cus¬
toms for the district of Pensacola, Fla.;
Isaac N. Moffitt, collector of internal
revenue for the district of New Jersey;
Zoeth Houser, marshal of the United
Btates for the district of Oregon.
COTTON MEN COME SOUTH.
NorUiejri Manufacturers to Make Inspec¬
tion of Southern Mills.
About fifty members of the New
England Cotton Manufacturers’ Asso¬
ciation, which has just .concluded its
annual session at Philadelphia, arrived
in Washington Friday and left at once
for a tour of the southern mill districts.
They go on invitation of the Southern
railway. principal mill dis¬
Nearly all of the
tricts will he visited, and the mtlls in¬
spected. Danville, Va., Greenesboro,
Salisbury 'and Asheville, N. C., Spar¬
tanburg, Columbia and Greenville dis¬
trict ami nearly all the large mills in
Bouth Carolina will be inspected,
$1 PER .YEAR.
DEATH RESULTS FROM A CONTEST
ON THE GRIDIRON AT ATLANTA*
OF TROLLEY CARS.
Young Man Killed In the Wreck nnd
Many Others Receive More or Less
Serious Injuries.
Tlie football game between the Vir*
ginin nnd Georgia teams at Brisbino
Park, Atlanta, Ga., Saturday resulted
disastrously.
One of the Georgia players, Richard
Von Gammon, of Rome, received in¬
juries from which he died at the Grady
hospital early Sunday morning.
After the game was over, a trolley
car, crowded with spectators of the
contest, collided with an outgoing car
from the city, resulting in the death of
a yotttig man named Carlisle, and the
probably fatal wounding of Motormnu
Reeves. Many of the passengers on
both ears were more or less seriously
injured.
Many of the passengers who were
on the front platform saved their lives
by jumping. The cars were almost re¬
duced to kindling wood.
The reason young Carlisle was killed
was because ho was standing in front
of the car, close to the motorjnan. Ho
was on the outgoing car.
All the passengers were shaken up
and quite a number of them eomplain-
of being a little sore after the collis¬
ion.
The two sad accidents cast a gloom
over the entire city. This is the first
serious accident that lias occurred in a
football game in Atlanta in many
years.
The coroner’s jury licit! an inquest
over young Carlisle Sunday and re¬
turned the following verdict:
“We, the jury, impaneled and sworn
by J. R. Stamps, coroner, to inquire
into the death of William 11. Carlisle,
here lying dead, do find from the evi¬
dence adduced that the deceased canto
to his death from traumatic injury sus¬
tained in collision of cars Nos. 31 and
4(5, of Atlanta Railway Company, on
Cooper street, near Woodward avonue,
and said death was due to negligence
of company.”
Because of the shocking death of
their comrade the university players
are all bowed in grief. They have an¬
nounced that they wjll play no longer,
nnd that they linve disbanded. Many
of them declare tnat they will never
play another game of football on any
team or field.
The tragedy, which 1ms never before
been equaled in athletic games in
Georgia, it seems almost certain will
b^rthe end of the popular game in the
state; certainly it will he the end of
the gamo as it is played now, if the
minds of the legislators do not change.
SUNDAY’S FEVER REtORD.
The Situation Seems to Ho More Hopeful
at New Orleans.
Sunday was an encouraging day in tlio
yellow fever situation at. New Orleans,
but it is feared that the heavy rain
which lias fallen will have a bad effect
on tlio patients and will cause many
more new cases to be developed. Cold
weather is expected to succeed the rain.
Following is a list of fever eases and
deaths reported for last Sunday.
CITIES. 8f.W OASES, DEATHS.
Montgomery...... 7 0
Highland Park,Ala, I (I
New Orleans...... 35 5
Bay St. Louis..... 10 o
Memphis......... 3 o
Clint >11 ........... 2 0
McHenry......... 2 2
Scranton......... 11 0
Pascagoula....... 2 0
Biloxi........... 3 0
Mobile........... 11 0
Totals 87 7
LANDING “GRI D” IN ALASKA.
Captain Kay Wires War Department at
Washington of His His Work.
A telegram was received at the war
department at Washington Saturday
from Captain Bay, dated at Yukon,
September 17th, saying ho had landed
six hundred tons of provisions there
to be freighted by dogs to Circle City
and HavvHOu when the river closes.
GROVER HAS A SON
And Kutli, Father and Marian are Fog-
HCHHt'd of a Small Brother.
A Princeton, N. J., dispatch states
that a son and heir has been born to
tho house of Cleveland. Tho young¬
ster came Thursday.
Tho other children in the family ai j
all girls Iluth, Esther and Marian.
Esther was tho only child of a pres¬
ident ever born in the white house.
Tho happy event announced will
still further stimulate the lively inter¬
est of the public in the Cleveland fam¬
ily, and the intelligence will be hailed
with pleasure all over the land, and
wilt call forth many hearty congratu¬
lations and good wishes.
DELK REWARD LS DUE.
Atlanta Detectives Claim tho Money, But
' There Arc* Others.”
The sentence of old man Delk to
life imprisonment for complicity in
tho murder of Blieriff Gwyn, of Piko
county, causes the long held up re¬
ward to fail due to his captors.
The money has already been claimed
by Mehaffey, Detectives Looney, Hewitt and
of Atlanta, but will not be
paid until the question of other ciaim-
ants is definitely disposed of.