Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-02-22
THE TENNESSEE LEGISLATURES
what It Has Accomplished Thus Far in
the Enactment Of Laws--.Per.
sOnaI Points.

NASHVILLE, February 1S.-I called
this morning on the secretary of state
Major Gibbs, who received me most
courteously, and in answer to NV re-
quest laid before me all the laws
enacted by the present legislature
Running over them with some care I
am now enabled to lay before the
readers of the Courier journal some
OF them having a general application
TO the whole State of Tennessee. and
the nature and character of which |
am persuaded will be of general inter
est.
Take then the act. entitled an act
to regulate the use and construction
Of public buildings (theaters, town
halls, etc, etc. with a view to the
public safety. In the act all munich
pal authorities are required and EN-.
powered to see to it that all necessary
safeguards against accidents by fire
shall be furnished and provided at the
expense Of the owners of said theaters
or halls. 1t is a good act, and one
that should be considered by the Ken.
lucky legislature.
Another act provides that all under
the age of q shall enjoy the priv.
leges Of the public schools Of the
State. Heretofore those oyer Is
were excluded from this great priv.
lege.
A bill to provide for the levying and
collection of taxes to run the State
government. Another bill gives to
troopers liens upon crops produced
by them, said lien to exist for three
months from the 18th day of the No
yember months.
But by far the most talked of act Is
that which provides that no clerk of
the Supreme Court, clerk or master of
a Chancery Court, clerks of Circuit-
Criminal or County Courts. trustee or
collector of revenue, register of deeds.
district attorney for or secretary of
the State shall receive, directly or
indirectly, from the fees, emoluments
or perQuisites of their offices more
than $1,000. And the provisions Of
this act also apply to commissioners.
trustees and receivers appointed Inv
the court. All sums received in OK.
cess OF the $1,000 are to be turned over
to- the State comptroller or to the
county trustee = to the comptroller
when said surplus is received by the
State officers named, and to the trus-
tee wherever the county officers arc
concerned. There are various opin-
ions as to the legality of this bill. and
the officers interested have decided
upon bringing it before the notice of
the Supreme Court. Another bill
looking to the same end, framed so as
to cut down the fees of the above
named officers, will, / am told. be
introduced. You will remem-
Der that the Kentucky legislature has
been continuously hammering away at
this same subject for the last three
sessions, and have never been able to
accomplish the end desired. That the
fees Of the Gbove-named officials in
this State are, in some cases. much too
cannot be doubted, but that
Tennessee statesmen will find it a
difficult matter to regulate, none can
ABOUT THE JOINT COMMITTEE.
In my last | stated the Joint com
mlttee appointed to report as to the
validity and regularity of the ont.
standing bonds ofthe State of Tennes-
see, and provide some plan looking to
the liquidation of the same, would
probably finish their labors this week.
1t is now said that the committee will
to begin tomorrow, sit with omen
and their meetings thereafter
be public until the close of their
Some rich developments are
promised, since n~umberless vague
charges are afoat concerning bribery.
rings and other croOkedness, affecting
some of the most prominent members
OF social and political life. The re-
port of the committee, although fore
Swallowed by their records and public
utterances, is looked forward to with
much interest.
THE HOUSE
passed a number of bills on their third
reading, lone ofwhich, however. were
Of any special interest.
Who" asked your correspondent
OF an accommodating member this
morning, is that distinguished,
yet baldheaded gentleman sit
ting about the center ofthe house ?"
The answer was: Why, that is
the celebrated = (the member did not
say notorious) why, that is the cele.
brated Roderick Random Butler"
%, yes w replied, she is the
same that got tangled up in a cadet
ship thlcket OF pea-vines and honey
suckles."
The very same answered nv
he was somewhat tangled
but, bless your soul, Butler is not the
man to stay tangled, and-Radical as
he is-he is n of the most conserva-
tive OF our members, able, hard work
ing and attentive"
THE JOURNALISTS IN THE HOUSE.
The newspaper men in the house
are, OF course, able and influential TO
prove this will only enumerate some
OF their places on committees. etc.
There is ). Harvey Mathes, of Shelby.
chairman of finance and ways and
means, lie was a prominent candi-
date for speaker, and was beaten by
only a few votes. Mr.. Mathes is n
quiet member, but a hard worker. and
a man of great influence. lie stood
like a hero by his fcllow-citizens. the
Momphians, during the yellow fever
scourgc, and was himself, together
with his devoted wife, a terrible suf.
ferer by the scourgc.
Hon; John NJ. Driver, of Benton
ana Humphrey, and editor of the
Nayerly journal, is chairman from
the house side of the joint committee.
and is a man of decision and influence