The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-02-21
OUR JACKSON LETTER.
THE LEGISLATIVE PROCEEDINGS
OF LAST WEEK.
The Proposed Constitutional Con.
VentiOn-Ihe Educational In
terests OF the State.
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE ArPEAL.l

/ another 1r0llc. Inefo are ab0ut lSU
members and officers and attaches of
the two houses. This number, how
ever, was swelled to about $50 when
the train left this evening on the trip
of pleasure, as quite a number had
wives and friends to take along. Some
half dozen members of each house re-
NAMED to attend TO their committee
wo'k. On the invitation of President
McConnico they 60 to visit the" North,
Central and South American EXPOSE
tion," t. do which they were fur.
nished with free passes by the courtesy
OF the Illinois Central railroad. They
have also accepted an invitation from
the Louisville and Nashville Iailroad
to take free ride along the MISSISSIPPI
pi Gulf coast on Sunday. Now, 1t is
not all inconsistent for the members
OF the House to accept these free
rides on free passes Issued by the rail-
road authorities, for the House
at the present session has passed
bill repeating the law pro-
hibiting their giving to, or &C
ceptance by, member OF the
Legislature or any civil officer in the
State. 1t remains to be seen whether
the Senators are consistent in their &C.
ceptance Of said passes, for the bill
prohibiting their use has not yet been
acted on by the Senate, but is now
pending therein. Cau they vote
against the repeal Of said law and be
consistent with their action in accept
ing free passes on this occasion. Sew
eral OF the heretofore strongest advo-
Gates OF the law forbiddinR the use of
free passes by officers accepted these
asses to-day, among them the author
or the bill. 1t is to be hoped that
these parties recognize their error in
having advocated mea 'ure that is a
reflection upon every officer OF the
State and must be charact erized as
petty demsgogism.
The bill providing for calling con-
stitutionol convention was the special
order in the Senate to-day, and the
session was principally occupied in
its discussion. Gen. H. L. Burkitt of
Clay county (author OF the bilD, the
Hon. J. Whitney OF Jefferson, and the
Hon. Joel P. Walker OF Iauderdale
made exhaustive arguments in support
o1the measure. Mr.. Walker spoke with
much earnestness and with great elo-
quence. Tho Hon. s. Z. Packwood of
Pike aud the Hon. WE. Love of Anti
made telling speeches in opposition to
the bill and answered in fitting tsrms
the arguments advanced by the affirma-
tive. The time for preparation for the
trip to New Orleans having arrived,
the further consideration OF the bill
was postponed until Monday morn
ing next, when the discussion will be
resumed, should enough members re-
turn to constitute quorum.
Our constitution could be improved
upon, but there is too much to be
risked in calling a convention to re-
model it. The fear ia that we might
lose many good things we now have,
and have inflicted on US features more
offensive and obnoxious than any
thing now contained in the constitu-
ton. While the bill has many warm
and earnest advocates in the Senate,
it is not believed that it will pass that
body.
The House discussed, until nearly
IL O'Clock last night, the bill provid-
ing for leasing the penitentiary to the
Gulf and Ship Island Railroad Com.
pany. The speech OF the Hon.
James Gordon of Pontotoc county, in
support of the bill, was earnest, clas-
steal and poetic. He travelled through
classic fields and plucked bright
flowers of poetry, with which he gave
bright ornament to the sound logic of
his arguments. He was frequently
applauded. No result was reached,
and the bill was laid over for further
confederation. Its friends are very
confident OF success in the House.
There is nothing, az yet, to indicate
the sense of the Senate on the sub
iect.
The fears expressed in former COM
munication that the charitable and ed
ucational institutions would suffer by
parsimonious legis' alton are being in
creased as committees begin to formu-
late the items for their support, and
the cry OF poverty echoes and re-
echoes in almost ceaseless sounds in
the ball of each House. All recognize
the fact that the present revenues of
the State are insufficient to meet the
expenditures, and that the only way
to meet the deficit is to increase taxa.
ton. There are many, however, who
are conscienLiously averse to increas-
ing the taxes, while there are some
who it is feared are trying to make rec
ords whereby to recommend them.
selves to the dear people for future
honors. There are others who are I'M
selfish, and who are men OF sound,
practical sense and OF liberal, but not |
extravagant views, seeing the necessi-
ties of the hour, have the nerve to |
meet them heroically by levying taxes
sufficient to meet the exigencies of |
the times. The people would prefer. |
low taxes, but the masses of the tax.
payers are proud and patriotic and are
willing to be taxed for educational
and charitable purposes, and for the
conduct of the State government in a
proper manner.
A bill has passed the Senate, and |
will doubtless pass the House and be-
come law, sbolishing the Stats Board |
of Agriculture and immigration and |
reducing the salary of the commits
sioner to $40 per annum, thereby vir- |
tually a0olishing the office. The State
has spent a good deal of money in the |
interest of immigration, and it is GER
tain that she has received quid pro |
quo for every dollar SO spent, but the |
advantages thus derived seem not to |
have been appreciated.
A very unwise aud radical measure |
has been adopted by the House in the
passage Of bill to enforce contracts
for labor. While it has some provis-
ions protecting the laborer against
the landlord, yet its general tenor
points in the interest of the landlord, |
and its operation, should it become
law, would be oppressive to and |
abridge the liberties of the working
class. There is no prospect that the
Senate will ratify the action of the |
House in this matter, vet it is to be |
regretted that anything that savors OF |
class legislation should even be intro
duced, and to be regretted the more
that it should be entertained in and |
snl NrooI he M spta1f;oa.A l