The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-03-14

county against the railway commission
hill Also, petition of 7. w. Shook, relative
TO gates and pasture fences. $3.50,
Mr.. Levy, by request, introduced mousse
bill 612, providing for prosecution tor
official misconduct and prescribing penal
ties.
The special order, the general school
BILL was considered
Mr.. Parker, of Fort Bend, argued that
it was text book bill, in the interest OF
publishers rather than of the state
a pot pouri measure which
was not needed and would
retard more important subjects of legis-
lation. 1t was impossible to make an ON
nibus system that would apply with equal
fairness all over the state.Leave the law as
it is for local adjustments and free school
control by the people under the present
system, which he argued should not be
changed every two years before it is fairly
tested. He moved to postpone the bill
indefinitely.
The question was further discussed by
Messrs Woodruff, Whatley, McGaughey,.
Miner, Connellee, Pickett, Hays and Par
ker, of Tarrant.
Pending consideration, the house ad-
journed till p. m.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
House bill, requiring general railroad
Offices to be kept in the state, passed.
Mr.. Hays spoke against the school BILL
He was opposed, he said, to re-enscting
forty-seven pages of the existing law in
order to incorporate provision for a uni
form system of free school text books.
Amendment was offered by Mr.. Browp,,
of Grayson, to section 3, so as TO make it
read "no part of the public school fund
shall be appropriated to or used for the
support of any sectarian school," leaving
off the words cor any school IN which any
secterian, church tenets or doctrines are
taught or promulgated"
Mr.. Kincaid offered Institute, adding
proviso that the action shall not prohibit
the reading of the Bible. Mr.. Brown &C
cepted this.
Mr.. Parker, of Fort Bend, spoke in favor
of the Kincaid amendment.
Mr.. Martin did not object to the mere
reading of the Bible, without any religious
tenets being taught The Bible of itself
was not sectarisn, though differently con-
strued by the different sc cts.
Mr.. Bryan-What bible? The Jewish
Bible, the Catholic Bible or the Protestant
Bible? Religion is home teaching by the
mother at home, which should not be in
terfered with by the schools. The Old
Alcalde had settled this question to the
satisfaction of the Methodists with whom
he had controversy. Religious tolera-
ton, the Declaration of Independence and
establishment of the University of Vir-
ginia were three sources of pride in the
political teachings of Jefferson.
The question was further discussed by
Messrs. Pope, Fielder, Woodruff and Kin
caid.
The amendment was adopted by vote
of so to %, when further consideration
of the bill vent over.
Mr.. Moses presented bill for the re-
lief of j. B. Maulden.
House adjourned till $3.50 O'Clock to-day.
From fridays Daiiy,]
House met at $3.50 o'clock. Speaker Alex
ander and quorum present. Prayer by
the chaplain, Rev. H. w. Dodge.
Mr.. Thompson presented petition from
fifty odd citizens of Austin county asking
for state board of health.
By Mr.. Towles--Similar petition from
some citizens of Van Zandt county.
BY Mr.. Williamson-From citizens of
Kerr county asking for continuance of
the ranger force.
Mr.. Moody-From citizens of Freestone
and Limestone counties, asking that music
be taught in the free schools,
Mr.. Sorrel wanted to reconsider the
vote passing the bill to work state con-
victs on county roads, but his motion was
overruled, as he had voted in the negative.
Mr.. Bryan introduced house bill GA
amending article 1882 of the insurance
law so as to conform to the law in other
states, so as to read.
Section 4-Calculatlon of the net yalue
OF each policy shall be based upon the Am
erican experience table of mortality and 4,
per cent interest per apnum. And the
net value of policy at any time shall oe
taken to be the net single premium which
Will at that time effect the insurance, less
the value at that time of the future net
premiums called for by the table of NOR
tality and rate of interest designated
hUOVe.
Resolution by Mr.. Hathaway was
adopted providing for joint committee of
both houses to prepare bill on needed
road legislation for their respective.
bodies.
Speaker Alexander presented a bill for
relief of Dan B. Graham.
Mr.. Robinson, of Bexar, called up house
bill 156, providing for establishing of an
insane asylum in southwest Texas, to be
located west of the Colorado river, in
southwest Texas, and appropriating $780,
900 for the purpose.
The bill was considered in committee
OF the whole, with Mr.. Pickett in the chair.
Inc Dill as favorably reported by the
committee on asylums, of which Mr.. Nc
GauRhey is chairman, was read.
Mr. Brown, of Grayson, spoke at length,
In opposition to the bill. 1t was, he con
tended, an improper measure. Il yopld