Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-02-26
OUR DESTITUTE PEOPLE.
Bills for Their Relief introduced
Yesterday.
Cases rs Bad as those Of the Kansas
and Nebraska Sufferers.

DR.. w. A. West, Representative from
Stewart and Montgomery counties, intro
dueed the following bill yesterday:
Whereas great restitution now exists in
many Of the counties Of the State, and
wherein the helpless poor are now suffering
from want, and from the fact that the
charity Of the liberal giver is exhausted,
and they are likely to suffer still more, un-
less relieved; and
Whereas, the general scarcity Of money
and provisions resulting from failure of
crops have put it out Ofthe power Of private
charity to aflordthe needed relief, and moth
ing short Of a public charity by which all
are enabled to contribute in proportion 10
their means.
Section 1. Be it therefore enacted by the
General Assembly OF the State Of Tennes-
see, that the counties Of this State are here
by.veSted with authority, acting by and
through their County Courts, to issue
bonds or borrow money, as in their iudg-
ments may seem best, whereby 20 supply
the wants Of their needy citizens: provided.
however, that no county shall for this pur-
pose issue bonis or borrow a greater
amount than ten thousand dollars, and at
rate not above six per cent per annum.
The said counties are further empowered
to issue said bonds in such denominations,
Of such character, and payable when and
where in their discretion NAV seem
best to accomplish TIE object in
view, provided further that no county shall
dispose Of said bonds at less than their
face value in the current money of the
country, or in case they are sold for pro
visions, or articles to supply the wants Of
their needy citizens, and no price shall be
paid for such provisions, or articles, in said
bonds greater than the same could be pur-
chased with the current money of the
country.
Sec. ?. Be it further enacted, that not
only shall said bonds issued and sold IN
der the supervision and control of said
County Courts, but the proceeds arising
from said bonds, or the money Dor
rOwed, ard the provisions or other
articles purchased Herewith shall
in like manner be under the control Of said
county courts and agents, and the said
county courts shall at any Of their quar-
terly sessions be and they are hereby
authorized to levy a tax upon all the tax
ables Of the county, to raise a fund 10 paw
the interest on said bonds or loans and the
principal thereof.
Sec. 3. Be il further enacted. that anv
fraudulent, unjust and unequal misapprO-
priatiOn in the raising or discussing Of the
fund so provided for, or any article so pur-
chased thereof, or any wilful or wrongful
act in the issuance or sale of said bonds
or borrowing Of money, shall beand the
same is hereby declared a felony.
Sec. 4. Be it further enacted, that the
reason Of this law rising out Of the exigen-
cies Of the times, il shall expire and the
provisions be Of no further force or effect
from and after the first day Of January,
1916; provided however, this limitation
shall in no manner whatever effect the OBJ
legations Of said party TO levy a tax, and in
any other manner, to fulfil its con
tract in issuing and paying Of said bonds or
borrowed money, or any contract arising
out Of their act or acts in the premises.
\ bill somewhat similar to DR.. Vests,
and made applicable only to Houston coun-
ty, was also introduced yesterday by Mr..
Pollard, the Representative from Dickson,
Houston and Cheatham counties.
a representative Of the UNION AND
AMERICAN called upon the gentlemen
above named, last evening, and learned the
following facts:
The distress seems 10 be mainly in Stew
art and Houston counties and in the south
ern portion Of Humphreys. Il is attributa-
bic chiefly to the failure Of the corn and
tobacco crops, and is not confined TO anv
particular class, but affects alike the rich |
and poor, though greater, Of course, among
the latter class Persons who, before the |
drOuth Of 1874, were in a prosperous con-
ditiOn, are now compelled to mortgage their !
property to get means with which to pur- |
chase the common EeCeSsaries Of life.
Horses, sheep and cattle are dying offby !
the score, which viii greatly impede the |
farmers in making preparations for putting /
in this years crops.
In Houston county, there are a large |
number Of people in actual need Of prOgi- |
siOns, and several families have gone away.
Others would be glad to move to some |
place where food is less scarce, but they i
have not the means to do so. Some fami- /
lies are totally dependent upon their
leighbOrs for food. Many labOring men
formerly found employment on the Louis
vile and Memphis Railroad, but have been
discharged and are now utterly destitute.
Il is claimed by persons who are cogni-
amt Of the facts that if something IS not
lone soon to relieve these people, the con
sequence will be distressing in the extreme. ]
A public meeting was held at Dover last
which was largely attended. for
he purpose Of providing means for the re-
ief Of the people. Resolutions were
ldOpted calling upon the County Court to
SIX the Legislature for authority to
ssue bonds TO the amount Of $4,000.
or the purpose of buying supplies to be |
old by commissioners to those needing re-
ief, the latter giving security, personal or by
for the same, and the bonds to be
one year from date, and to bear
tx per cent. interest.
Messrs. Louis HerndOn, VIM. ]. Atkins, |
:. Ledbetter, Jas. P. Flood, editor Of the
)OUer Record, and L. d. Hargis were ap-
Ointed a committee to confer with the |
General Assembly from the suffering cOun-
les. They have done so by written COM
and the result is the introduce
ion Of the two bills in the House yester-
ay.