obc. 3eff(trsonkut
/ II
VOLUME. THREE
NUMBER THIRTY-NINE
Summary of Ebents as They Happen
“By Tom Dolan
The constitutionality of the Wise
law putting a tax upon “near beer”
is being- vigorously fought. The
great interest in this matter grows
out of the fact that not only is the
Wise bill a provision in the interest
of prohibition, but the revenue aris
ing from this tax is designed to ap
ply toward the support of the con
victs so soon as the lease system is
abolished.
The bill providing for the abolition
of the convict lease system in Geor
gia is not all we could have wished,
but it is a step in the direction of
real reform and as such welcomed.
It provides a number of plans for
the care and working of the con
victs on country roads and state
farms, if funds can be provided for
these latter, and if the counties will
take their pro rata of the labor.
The number of convicts who will
come under the head of “overs” is
one feature which showed more anx
iety to get through with that extra
session than real thought in the dis
position of the question* before it.
However, the State of Georgia will
watch closely the workings of the
new plan and patiently try to perfect
all parts of it. The present bill
offers several chances to slip a cog
here and there, but our legislators
must patiently work out a solution
of all the difficulties until we have
a system equal to that of the best
anywhere.
