The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-04-05
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

House m ct at appointed hour, Speaker
Gibson and quorum present.
Prayer by the chaplain.
The house resumed consideration of
the business pending from adjournment,
senate bill 1913, to redistrict the judicial
districts of the state, which, after some
discussion and adoption of numerous
amendments, was passed to engross-
ment.
Mr.. Ayres called up house substitute
for senate bill 167, to amend the fish and
game law.
Numerous amendments were adopted
exemPrfng Quptfss
MI. Caven offered an amendment to
strike out all exemptions of counties
from the operations of articles 423-44 of
the penal code prohibiting seining.
The amendment was discussed by
Messrs. Cayen, Camp, Hill, Swan, Labatt,
Strlnger, Woods and Others, and was
adopted. Ayes %, nays 27.
BY Mr.. Camp: Amendment intended
to restore certain counties named u the
operations of the law. Adopted.
An emergency clause was added and
adopted.
Amendment by Mr.. MCCARTHY, striking
out articles 427 and 428 relative to prairie
chickens and quail, was adopted.
Amendments exempting various other
counties from some one or more pro-
visions of the law were adopted.
Further proposed exemption from the
pending prohibition were lost.
MIR. Henderson moved to spread on the
journal a motion to reconsider the vote
by which the Caven amendment was
adopted and Mr.. Hill moved to lay the
motion of Mr.. Henderson to reconsider
on the table.
The motion Of Mr.. Henderson was
ruled out of order, as he voted in the
minority.
The bill was finally passed-ayes "a
nays 20.
A motion to reconsider was lost
MIR. Durant called up the senate peni-
tentiary lease bill.
Mr.. Mckinney stateu that the report on
the bill had not been correctly printed.
Mr.. Hill being informed that the mi
nority report. however, was correct,
moved to substitute that for the majority
report.
Mr.. Mckinney spoke at length against
the ratification Of the lease, and IN favor
of the minority report. The leae having
expired January 1. 1888, the question was,
shall The lease be rallied or revoked and
cancelled! He gave Lis reasons for the
legislature as u court OF last resort re-
sponsible only to the people, reaching the
conclusions of the report. He was moi
opposed personally to the lessees, whose
interests were involved In the matter,
and who, SO far as he knew
were very clever gentlemen, but the
question was TO be considered as a mat
ter of state policy and not OF indiyi ual
interests. The lease system was calcu-
lated to place In the hands of a few men
too much political influence, dangerous
TO the Interests OF the state. He referred
to the allusions made In the senate thai
the opposition to the lease system wal
the esult Of n "maudlin sentimentaiity. -
On the cont ary, he argued, that IL was
in keeping with the spirit and progress
OF the age. The system was unjust, be.
cause IL placed these lessees at a vantage
ground over all the other citizens OF the
state. AS TO the contract itself. II was
not fair, because IL transferred 1040 con-
victs who had been already leased under
bond, and there could be no authority
without q healing act TO justify q trans
fer. He opposed the bill further from
dictates of humanity, and because 1t was
troll Of its criminals. Mr.. Mckinney, al
he generally does. made an able argu.
ment.
Mr.. Patton said the only question thai
could come before US Is the revocation OF
rejection OF the contract, as made by
the peniteniiary board. Questions as tc
modifying. altering or changing that con
tract, no mOuiueu Oy the acLlOn OF tne
senate, cannot legitimately come before
this legislature. The contract must be
ratified as a whole. or must be rejected In
its entirety. He read the law that every
contract must be rejected or ratified BY
the next succeeding Legislature, and con-
tended that the only remedy was to re
peal the law and revoke the action of the
penitentiary board. The law OF March
II. 1881, was the only authority under
which the contract could be made, Thii
legislature can't lease the pebitentiary
for single day or period OF time. be.
cause by this law the state has delegated
that authority 70 the penitentiary board,
so that the latter is the only power u
execute the contract. Mr.. Patton made
these points for the consideration OF the
house, be said, without attempting al
this time TO elaborate them.
Pending further consideration, the
house adjourned till Q D. M.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
Speaker Gibson and quorum.
On motion Of Mr.. Taylor the house re-
sumedc0nsideration of house bill 70. t(
provide for dissolution Of attachmenz