The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1883-04-12
LEGISLATIVE WORK.

stituents, the people are anxious to
know what they did for their relief I
we will therefore give a brief resume
Of their work ON few matters Of the
most Importance to the people Of the |
state.
We were mistaken last week, in
saving that the tax on cotton gins
was a general law. 1t only applies
10 the City Of Memphis, where their
taxes are SO burdensome that they
have to tax everything. II has no
application to any other locality, and (
our farmer friends can breathe easy
on that score.
\ bill was enacted into a law pro-
viding for the settlement OF the state
debt in strict accordance wiJh the
provisions Of thr Butte platform. The
state Debt proper, which it'll uccru-
cd interest was found % be about
S3.OO0.OGl it to &c settled in full
aud the bonds issued in aid Of r. i.
are to be settled at 80 cents on the
dollar with per cent interest, The
charge that the state debt proper
would exceed the amount stated by
the Democrats in the canyass last
fall WAS ascertaincd to be groundless,
and their figures we're demonstrated
10 be correct. In fact. twas found
to he little less than the Democrats.
claimed 1t was.
a bill 10 regulate railroad rates
and to prevent unjust discrimination
was enacted into a law and it is be-
loved it will save thousands Of dollars
yearly 10 the producers Of the state.
The Commissioners are charged with
ihe duty of seeing that the provisions
of the hill are carried out anl ia all
cases Of violation of the same, they
are required to bring suit against the
railroads guilty thereof, in the Eame
of the State. The recovery in all
such cases cannot be less than 500,
nor mpre than $1,000 for every viola
ton. Then we see that the strong
arm of the state is to used lnprotectirg
its citizens against unjust and un-
reasonable discrimination upon
she part Of railroad monoPolies.
The svpreme court of Thu state and
uf the United States have both decid
ed that T. . rOrSttI issue Of the Ban k
Tennt ssee Was receivable for taxes.
Nothing was left to the Legislature
but 10 make provision for its payment.
And in order to prevent ITS all being
paid in one year, and thereby
embarrass the financial operations of
the state, bill was passed providing
for the issuance Of certificates oil
indebtedness to take up the Torbett
Issue. These certificates are payable
enc fifth in each year for years.
While there is some $1,000, 00e OF
this issue extant, it is estimated that
about $500, 900 Of it will DO paid
in by defAulting tax collectors
against whom the State has judg-
ments and that the other s5O0,OO0
can be taken up in five years,
without hurting any one. This was
unqnestIonably the wIpest disposition
which could have been made Of tho
matter.
The taxes for state purposes, pay
mcnL If interest &c, was fixed at 80
cents on the one 500 of taxable proI
erty, this rs as little as almost any
state in the Union pays, and will he
ample to meet all of our wants,
The Penitentiary WAS ordered tn he
leased on, again for n period of SIX
years from January LIST, next, the bid.
ding to be commenced by the pres
ent session at 100000 per annum,
For the last six years the State has
received only SIC, 500 per annum.
The State Is certain to get 800, OOC
per aunum tor the next SIX yeas and
may get more. This is considerably
more than any state in the Union gets
for the use Of its conYicts and will
nearly pay the cost Of criminal prose.
cutions.
Eighty thousand doIlirs was APP
propratcd for the building Of an
Asylum for the Insane az Knoxville
on farm now owned 10y the State
The demand for ;his expenditure
was 50 pressing that it could not be
neglected. When it is renembe,
that there are 500 of these unfortu-
mates now in the State, in jails, poor
houses, &c, and some wholly unpro
vided for, all will admit that 1t ought
To have been done, whether one dol
lar was paid on the public debt or not.
The proposition submitted to the
Legislature by NJ. I. Polk IN settle
ment of his default, was rejected.
But a Resolution was passed through
both houses authorizing the Control
Ter to receive from Polk, SI75, 600 in
new issue, $50, 900 in state bonds
with sS7,75O of coupons attached,
making in all S2s7, $50 at s250,O0O.
This later amount TO he credited or
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