The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-15

committee bill, and arguing that /;
, commission was preferable to the ap
pointment of a state engineer, as pro
posed by the substitute. The com
mittee bill provided not only for ar
engineer as one of the commissioner:
to inspect the roads, but very properly
for a lawyer besides. who is to stand
as advocate, with the third member
as umpire, between the rights of the
people and the interests of the rail
road companies. This, he argued
WIS better than having single man
ROBBED with such authority. He didn't
desire the bill leglslated as "his bill, "
or to be photographed as "Cheno-
weth's BILL" but as the bill, which it
was, of the committee charged with
| its preparation in obedience to the
mandates of their duties, and because
he believed such legislation was right
and Just, and was demanded by the
constitution and the voice of the
people, which he still maintained was
the voice of God. He was no enemy
OF railroads. AS to railroad commits
sions, they had proved satisfactory in
the great states of Georgia and
Missouri. In the legislature of
/ Missouri, on proposition to
abolish the commission, the mo-
ton was tabled almost without
| dissenting voice. In Illinois when
it was proposed In the legislature to
abolish the system it was stated that
the commission had worked great
benefit to the people, and that to re-
peal the law would occasion great
disaster. The state of Texas he con-
n
great railroad interests of the state,
they should yield gracefully to such
Legislation as was now proposed.
Mr.. Chenoweth, as in his first adj
dress before the house, when the COM
mittee bill was introduced, closed with
an earnest and eloquent perioration,
cOrruscated with beautiful classical
illusions, eliciting applause in the
house, and enlisting the closest atten-
ton of the lobby. 1t was fine adj
dress, far superior to his former effort.
Chair-The question is on the adop-
ton of the substitute of the gentle
man from Ellis-Mr. Gibson.
The substitute of Speaker Gibson
was adopted by the following vote:
Ayes-Abbott, Acker, Adams of
Trinity, Barrett, Barry, Benavides,
Chambers of Collin, Chambers of Tar
rant, Cochran, Cravens, Cundiff, Davis
of Camp, Dennis. Duff, Finch, Fisher,
Foster of Grayson, Frymier, Graves,
Hardness, Hearne, Jackson, johnson,
Kendall, Labatt, Latham, Mcbride,
Mckinney, Moore of Washington,
Newton, Odom, Patterson, Peers,
Robertson of Williamson, Robinson
of Jack, Rogers, Rosenthal, Scott,
Swan. Taylor, Tucker. Upton, Wat
kins, Wilson, Wyatt-45.
Nays-MessrS. Armistead, AyreS,
Brown, Burns, Camp, Caven, Cheno-
weth, Cramer, Durant, Elliott, Ether
idge Foster of Limestone, Frank, Gar
rison, Harrison, Lakewood, Hender-
son, Hill, Jones, King, Mcdaniel,
Mccarthy, Merriwether, Moore of
McLennan. Nash, Parsons, Patton,
Phelps, Robinson of Bastrop, Sharp,
Stagner, Steel, Stringer, Thompson of
Austin, Tilson, Townsend, White,
Woods. Wortham-39.
Mr.. Lindsey was paired with Mr..
Moore, of Eastland.
Mr.. Taylor, who had voted yea for
the purpose of reconsidering, moved
to reconsider the vote by which the
substitute was adopted.
Mr.. Taylor said he had thought the
clouds of doubt which encompassed
this question had passed away, and
that under the light of new dispen-
satiOn the pledges of the Democratic
party to the people were to be re-
deemed. But it now seemed that the
and stricken down ut once fell swoop.
asrlNE Il Il hn Nraf
eran of old to his king, save me from
my friends; can take care of my en-
emies myself" Applause.l Just as
the original bill was about
to be perfected, another is
presented in side way to scatter
the friends in such manner
that there seems to be no hope of get
ting the scattered fragments together
again. If it was not recOnSidered he
should vote for the substitute as a
sort of homeopathic remedy. Mr..
Taylor's brief, but beautiful, remarks
were listened to with as much atten-
tention as Mr.. ChenOweth's.
The question was further discussed
briefly by Messrs. Labatt and McKin-
ney.
MIR. Mckinney moved to lay the
motion of the gentleman from Red
River (Mr. Taylor on the table.
The motion to reconsider was tabled
by about the same vote as that by
which the bill of Speaker Gibson was
passed.
There was some PERSONAL sparring
between Mr.. ChenOweth and Labatt,
which, when subsequently explained,
proved to be of no interest to the pub
lie.
On motion, the house adjourned
till p. m.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
Speaker Gibson and a quorum pres
ent.
Senate bill Isl, relating to false
swearing in quarantine matters, was
passed.
Also house bill 529, to validate sur
veys of school lands for the benefit OF
the counties.
Substitute for house bill 529 (Mr.
Taylor's), relative to clerks of the sew
eral state departments. passed to en-
grossment.
Mr.. Labatt spoke on question of
privilege relative to the remarks in
the morning between Mr.. Chenoweth
and himself, and after explaining his
votes, asked Mr.. Chenoweth if he had
intended to intimate that he Nabatt)
had been improperly influenced in
his votes on the question of railroad
legislation.
Mr.. Chenoweth said he had intend
ed to intimate nothing of the kind.
He had no idea about anybody being
influenced, as he was the keeper OF
no mans conscience. He intended
only to express his surprise at the gen.
tleman's change in his votes.
THE GIBSON RAILROAD SUBSTITUTE.
The house resumed consideration
of the Gibson railroad substitute bill.
Mr.. Chenoweth offered as an amend
ment to substitute the first four sec
tions of the printed bill for the first
part of the substitute, the effect of
which would be to substitute the COM
mission for the state engineer.
Mr.. Wilson made the point of order
that these sections had been voted
down this morning and could not be
substituted.
Mr.. Cochran, in the chair, sustained
the point.
Mr.. Chenoweth appealed from this
decision.
The appeal was tabled. Ayes 4S,
noes 30.
Mr.. Foster, of Limestone, spoke and
abiding to lobby influence said he
did not want any bill that failed to
make such interests uneasy. He
offered an amendment to be added at
the end of section Z of the substitute.
ha ~