Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1881-05-21
THE LEGISLATURE

Acts of the thirty-first general as
semply, which adjourned Oh the 2Sth,
reveals many good grounds tor
claiming for that body The respect
aud admiration OF the people OF Mis-.
souri. 1t can well afford to challenge
close and comprehensive scrutiny
Of itl work, for, while we 90 no.
say il. neglected nothing, We 40 say
that its proceedings were marked hy
. singular liberallty u Intelligence
Of spirit, and its ac:s were marked
by unusual wisdom aud NO
fair minded man can compare II
with the legislature Of any other
state in the Union sitting at the same
time without giving to 1t the higher
credit. II was Overwhelmingly DEM
ocratic, and yet SO little were party
considerations allowed to govern 1t
that republican members were Ell.
couraged to take q conspicuous and
active part in its proceedings, ana
the propositions coming from them
were treated with unusual favor. Ii
fs but fair to add that the republican
members accepted this courtesy in
The very best spirit, and employed
the favor extended 10 them to pro-
mote wise aud prudent legislation.
There was little experimenting
during the session !; the speeches that
were made were practical, pertinent,
direct, brief, aud never conceived in
the pufpossrof delaying or impeding
leglsIation.
One Of the first sacts of the session
wa the settlement with the late state
treasurer which rescued the state
frem damages, aud at the same time
pav0 the ex-ofioial q clear record,
thus disposlng a difficulty that had
harasssd the people for two years.
The Scts exsmpting voluntary life
Insurance from official supervision
regulating the driving of Texas cat
tie thr06gh the state; making the
keeping OF gambling establishments
felony governing the shipment OF
grain and live stock by rail; provid-
ing for the adjustment Of the claims
Of the state against the general gov
arument or militia service /; for en-
couraging sheep raising by providing
for the destruction of dogs on which
taxes are not paid changing thu
time for making assessment returns
from August to June, SO as to ex
empt farmGs' new crops regulating
the notarial vocation in st. Louis
requiring licenses in marriages SO a
TO protect clergymen and justices
from imposition abolishing thu
struck" system of paying working
men; these are some of the leadln:
general measures enacted by tn
thirty.first general assembly /; and i
may be safely asserted that the.
we're conceived in q spirit Of intelli
gent regard for the interests of tn
state, and will command the warn
approval Of the people. The fac
that even the republicans Of the stat
have nothing in the sessions recor'
to make serious complaint of, is hO
the least significant proof Of the uni
form liberality that marked the actio
Of the majority.
One thing remains to be briefly +.
ferred to-the earnest and emphati
action taken by this body in favor {
immigration, and the measure
adopted TO encourage it. Member
did not stop to reflect that the bull
Of immigration they were invitin
would come from the north al
might be OF republican characier-c
il they did, refused to allow the r.
Section to influence them. The
made . liberal appropriation for di
tributing the Missouri Handbook
the north aud i'll Europe, and cxten'
Cd q broad aud unqualified iuvitatio
70 ill Industrious immigration fro
all parts of the world TO Come
Missouri aud find a hearty WELDON
aud cheap and comfortable homes.