The south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1879-1883, 1880-06-01
Legislative Synopsis.

The recent Legislature passed about
l,600 bills, mostly Of a local or pri
vate nature. less than 200 Of them be-
ing general laws. The expense o.
the session and the appropriation
made amount to about 500, 900.
They turned all onr rivers, excep
the portions OF Green and Darrei
river covered by the lease to the. q
b. II. II. Co., over to the United
States Government that it may i'm
prove their navigation as it deeml
proper.
The drains on the treasury of tn,
State were considerably lesseied by re
ducing the number of district courts
abollshing all save four Of the Crimina
and Common Pleas Courts and crea.
ting eighteen Circuit Courts, and beSt
OF all reducing the salary from 50, ,00(
to ~, 400. There arc now 10 court'
less than before, which, together will
the reduction OF salaries, amounts L
an annual saving Of $42,700. They
made some reductions that We cannot
commend, but disprove Of. The re-
Il ciion OF the per diem of jnrymen
was uncalled tor, as it was already
low enough. We are glad to add that
our representatives oppose this. The
cutting down of fees OF Justices attend
ing Courts of claims we also think I'M
called for. as it WAS hardly enough tc
pay the expense Of the justice Will,
attending, leaving him but little fol
services; now he will have to spunse
On acquaintance for board a,uk horse
feed or he will fall behind. The re
duclion was from SO w to 81 90 POI
day. ,s.
An act was passed allowing either
party to u civil action to file affidavit
Tor achange OF venue. Y D Fgfopt
The reduction in tho allowance
per cupita to lunatic asylums for car
ing Tor patients will be an annual saw
ing Of over $4,000. Another saving
has been made by requiring all harm
less idiots to be sent back to the coun
ty from where they came to be careG
Tor, the btate to pay $75 per annnn
to help maintain them; whereas, al
the asylum it costs $I65 per annum
An net was passed and approved
making it a nislelneanor to use abu-
sive language toward another. Thi,
is right. -i Y
AS the law now stands any persor
seeking to have himself summoned OIL
a jury will be liable to fine.
Important Legislation was hat
equalizing the exemption laws.
The Common School laws were ma
terially improved, which is in grea
measure due to our able Senator
Hon. s, L. Hill. 2 inHaI -
State taxes were increased from Al
to As cents on the 500 worth Of taxa
BILE property, but to be in force onl.
two years. t@
The penitentiary has been place,
under charge Of a Warden, with au
thority to hire out all able bodied con
victs ever 600 to labor on public
works. A committee has been al
pointed to locate branch penitentia
ry, who are to perform that duty ant
report to the next General Assembly
81 One OF the best acts passed was
law giving q reward Of $50 to any per
son. or persons securing the arrest am
conviction OF horse or mule thief
The SherifIs are now required t,
pay their revenue into the treasury b.
January lst instead Of April, as here
tofore. A failure to pay III by tha
time will incur penslty offve pc
cent on the amount duc.
Appeals can now be taken from ,
| Magistrate to the Quarterly Court o.
sums from $40 toS25; aud over $25 t
eithor Quarterly or Circuit Courts.
The salaries Of the Judges of tn
Court Of Appeals have been reduces
from 5000 to "a 100 per annum. /
| take effect at the end OF the term ofth
one holding who has the longest tim
4 to serve.
llsIin,, Nfflt 7
aFeuymep are now exempt fror
roadoworking. "
i The drunkenness Of a vile is now
cause for divorce to husband. Xxx,
Only one guard is now allowed q
officer in taking prisoner to the pen
tentiary unless the court sending III
tprisoner certifies that more are neces
sary.l0 7l a,ei3bt..
Jailers' fees for feeding prisoners
reduced from GO to so cents per day.
!, At the expiration Of their time COZ
victs are to be returned from the pen
Tertiary to the county from wheI
they were sent. vss '
Day laborers on a railroad can /
exempt fromsworking on public roat
by paying 81 90 per day for each da
summoned to work. s.a ~
Il The above are some Of the mol
important measures enacted.
While the session was the longest Q
. record, and the expenses thereof grea
it nevertheless, is not as bad as som
, of onr exchanges have attempted
make it appear. In striking a ba
} ancc sheet, If we were book-keeper v
should say the credit column com,
,, out decidedly head.-HarVord He
i aid. - z Z. e $40 LIT ~At'
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