The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-03-28

| O'Clock p. m.
Mr.. Moses presented house bill $50,
amending article 4249 of the lawreqairing
railroads to report to the comptroller.
Free conference report on house bill 33,
amending article 663 of the Penal Code
relative to malicious mischief was adopted.
Senate bill amending the charter OF
Paris passed.
Mr.. Stevenson, of Parker, asked to take
up senate bill 50, allowing persons to sue
in their own counties for damages for
wrongful attachments. The bill passed
to third reading.
The house resumed consideration OF the
general appropriation bill.
Mr.. johnson offered his ameEdm ent,
same as was voted down in committee OF
the whole, reducing the items in the comp
troller's department to an aggregate of
about $4,000. Hostages, 81; nays, 60.
Amendment by Mr.. Whstley was
adopted, changing the appropriation for
getting up evidence as to claims for
frontier protection from $4,000 to $1,000,
to be expended under direction of the
governor.
Mr.. Moses offered amendment striking
out the salaries for superintendent and
clerks of the department of education
Hostages, IS; nays, rs. The bill was
ordered engrossed.
Mr.. McOomb called up house bill BOZ,
requiring railroads to pay small claims
for labor or damages under $50, under
certain regulations. 1t allows suffers,
proving bona fide claims, an allowance
additional to the claim not exceeding $50
for attorneys fees and costs. The bill
passed.
Mr.. Faubion introduced house bill 65S,
amending the railroad law by adding
article 4227a.
By Mr.. Breeding, amending article 1894
of the Code of Procedure.
Adjourned till s O'Clock for night ses-
sion.
NIGHT SESSION.
Mr.. Kincaid moved for a committee of
five to arrange memorial services for de-
ceased members. Adopted.
House bill 208, requiring county officials
to answer interrogatories of the commits
sioner of statistics, came up in regular
order, but the consideration was checked
by a call of the house.
House bill 351, fixing liability of rail-
roads for killing stock in cities and towns,
after some debate was lost.
Bill providing that purchaser at tax
sale shall have lien on the property,
passed.
The bill requesting sheriffs to keep a
list of deputies posted in his office, and
requiring the oaths of deputies to be re-
corded, was taken up and passed.
Senate bill No. AZ, amending the law
relative to landlords and tenants, passed.
Mr.. Hamblen enter ed a motion to
reconsider the vote striking out the enact
ing clause of bill No. 351, fixing liability
Of railroads for killing stock.
Mr.. Hays called up the motion and
moved thatit be laid on the table. Carried.
Mr.. Urbahn introduced bill making an
appropriation to pay the claims of George
Raymond.
Senate bill relative to transfers of iudg-
ments of courts of record, passed.
House bill 366, giving farm laborers
lien on crops, was indefinitely postponed.
House bill 81, amending article 797 of
Penal Code relative to fraudulent mort
cages of crops, reducing penalty, passed.
The call of the house was suspended by
excusing absentees, and house bill POS
(Mr. Crayton's), pending before the call,
passed.
Adjourned till $3.50 to-day.
From Fridays Daily
House met at $3.50 O'Clock. Speaker Alex
ander and quorum present. Prayer by
the chaplain, Rev. H. W. Dodge.
Mr.. Miner moved to take up the libel
bill-senate bill $50. Opposition to the
motion led to discussion of the merits of
the bill, in which it was commended it was
in the interest of corporsted powers. One
member, as bit of satire, said if the bill
passed he wanted the law prohibiting car
rying six-shooters repealed, 30 men could
defend themselves from the pless.
Mr.. Gresham commended the bill was in
the interest of honest newspapers. Little
libeling sheets are not responsible. The
only defense against them is the six
shooter or the double-barrel shotgun. An
appeal to the code would be the only
remedy in such cases.
Mr.. Kincsid favored taking up the bill,
and read from the governors message on
the subject of libel law. He made a
strong argument in favor of the bill. He
contended that where the truth is pub
lished it is wrong for an individual to re-
cover damages on account of his own act
of immortality.
Mr.. Levy favored the bill as very i'm
portant measure, and hoped it would be
considered at once.
Mr.. McGsughey commended cthere was
merit in the bill, and referred to the case
of a public official who had committed a
great crime, about which newspaper man
was advised but was afraid to publish,
although of important interest to the
public.
Mr.. McComb: "There was time since
the landing of the May Flower when the
people were not permitted to read a news
paper, and the lights of knowledge were
shut out. Why should anybody be afraid
of press, restricted as this bill proposes !?
A Legitimate, responsible press-the
honest newspapers of the country-were
ssntinels upon the watch towers of public
opinion and held many rascal in check.
The press has as much right to liberality
of expression as individuals, and it is we'll
to nave free press, not afraid to give
utterance against vice, lawlessness and
crime. As the law stands the press fears
to give utterances that should be given to
the public. If the bill proposed is not
perfect let us perfect it and give to a re-
sponsible press some safeguard against
the rapacity of evil men,"
Mr.. Stevenson, of Parker, said that the
discussion indicated to his mind that the