The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-22

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Resolved, further, That a page of the
house journal be set apart and suit
ably inscribed to the memory OF the de.
ceased, and a copy of these resolutions
furnished his widow; and that, in
further token of respect, the house
stand adjourned till 8 D. m, and that
we now in body accompany the re-
mains of the deceased to the depot
for transfer to the place of burial.
j. Q. CHENowETH,
b. +. FRYMIER,
w. T. UPTON,
Committee.
On motion of Mr.. Nash, the resolu-
lions were adopted by rising vote;
and the senate being informed of the
action of the house, agreed to join in
the funeral procession, which was
soon after formed and followed the
remains to the depot.
DEATH OF MRS. w. L. THOMPSON.
Mr.. Wilson offered the following
resolution, which was adopted by
rising vote:
WHEREAS, The house has learned,
with deep regret, the sad fact of the
death of Mrs. w. L. Thompson, wife
of the Hon. w. L. Thompson of Bexar,
a representative upon this floor; there
fore, be it
Resolved by this house, That this
legislature keenly feels the great loss
sustained by the distinguished and
now bereaved husband, and hereby
ext ends to him its sympathy and con-
dolence in this hour of his affection.
The house adjourned till p. m.
The appropriations by the Texas
legislature for the support of the state
government for the year beginning
March 1, 1883. foot up $2,300,OOO, in
Guiding special appropriations not
embraced in the general appropria-
ton bill and exclusive of the appro-
priations proposed in the deficiency
bill.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
Speaker Gibson and a quorum pres
ent.
Mr.. Browning asked that the senate
be requested to return to the house
for corrections the bill restoring juris-
diction to Comanche and other coun-
ties.
On motion of Mr.. Fisher, the house
took up house joint resolution No. IA,
to amend section % of article 16 of
the constitution, so that current
wages for personal services shall not
be subjected to punishment, except
for debts contracted for the necessi-
ties of life.
The resolution was introduced by
Mr.. Fisher, and comes up with ma
jority and minority report. The ma
jority report is unfavorable.
Mr.. Fisher argued that the existing
law was unjust and discriminative
He moved to substitute the minority
for the majority report. He believed
every man should pay for the meat
and bread he eats and the clothes he
wears. Hence he made the motion.
Mr.. Cochran spoke in opposition to
the amendment. He hoped the
amendment would not be submitted
to the people, and if it was, that it
would be voted down. 1t would open
the door of credit to the prejudice of
the poor.
Mr.. Stout spoke in favor of the
amendment. He contended that it
would extend to the poor only SUCH
credit as they were entitled to and
needed. The object was not to take
away their wages, but to enable them
to obtain credit.
Mr.. Ayres said it was amusing to
hear the reasons offered for changing
the organic law of the state. A la
borer does not receive credit by rea-
son of the amount of money due him,
so much as by his character for integ-
rity. He thought creditors could not
ask more than the law provides.
Mr.. Tilson agreed with Mr.. Ayres.
With or without homestead, the poor
man was protected. He was opposed
to changing the homestead law.
Mr.. Foster of Grayson, moved the
previous question on the resolution,
which would allow its author to close
the debate. Carried.
Mr.. Fisher argued that the house
had no right to refuse submitting
the question to the people. If the
people didn't want it they could vote
it down. 1t was well known that
persons enjoying comfortable home
steads bankrupted on their debts to
outside creditors.
The minority report was rejected
and the majority report was adopted.
Ayes 60, noes IL. So the resolution
was defeated.
Mr.. Swan asked to further post
pone to take up house bill No. Alb,
relative to citation and service.
The motion to suspend was lost.
THE GENERAL LAND BILL.
The house resumed consideration
of senate bill No. 269, the question
being Mr., Franks amendment to
strike out "lease."
Mr.. Swan said he didn't believe the
available school fund would be in
creased as rapidly under the lease
system as under any sale system that
may be adopted by this or any other
legislature. The lease system, he
argued, would retard settlement and
would only give us tempo
rary improvements. Men would
not build permanent homes on rented
or leased lands, from which, like the
Arabs, silently folding their tents, "
they could as silently steal away.
Further, it favored determinations,
and could not be approved under any
business proposition. It's matter of
figures, he argued; there would be an
annual difference of S460.800 as the
result between selling and leasing
equal stated amounts of land in the
several counties for the benefit of the
school fund.
Mr.. Barrett made a strong argu-
ment in favor of proper provisions
and limitations of both the sale and
lease systems. He was not in favor
of either system, to the exclusion of
the other.
Mr.. Barrett, as usual with him, dis
cussed the question in a sensible,
statesmanlike manner, discarding all
sentimentality in the discussion of
the question.
Mr.. Foster, of Limestone, said he
did not intend to speak till the ques-
ton was reached in the bill as to the
amount of land that could be disposed
of to any one person, but the amend
ment of the gentleman from Erath
| (Mr. Frank would determine whether
the legislature would adopt the sale
or the lease system. On this point he
argued that it was not practicable, or
rather that it was not good policy to
attempt to sell and at the same time
lease these lands. To sell them
he commended was preferable
as it would multiply proprietary in
tereSts of actual owners in them in
| limited bodies, while under the leas-
| ing system the result would be that
they would be held in large bodies by
monopolizing interests, to the eXclu
sion of settlers. He cited the opera
tons of the land systems of Europe,
and made fine argument in support
of his view of the subject.
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