Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-01-17
LEGISLATIVE.
The Citizens of Lipscomb County Request
a Change in the Land Laws.
Majority and Minority Reports on the Pistol
Law-The Majority Report in Favor OF
Change Adopted.
Trenty-First Legislature.
THE SENATE.

! was called to order at 10 'clocl1 by
Lieutenant Governor Wheeler. The roll
call developed quorum present. Prayer
by chaplain, Dr.. smoot. The reading of
the journal was dispensed with.
Petitions and memorial: By Mr..
stephens, petition from citizens of
Lipscomb county requesting change in
the law regulating the sale of school
lands. Referred to the committee on
public lands.
Bills and Resolutions: Judiciary No. 1
BY Mr.. Mcdonald, favorable report on
sena re bill No. 50 providing for the in
corporation of towns and cities lying on
both sides line dividing two counties
| Mr.. Mcdonald reported the bill pIo-
viding for the pensioning of INDECENT SOL
| diers of the Texas revolution and indi-
| gent signers of the Declaration of indie
| pendence. Referred to the committee on
state affairs.
| By Mr. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS report on
the bill exempting firemen from jury
! service.
By Mr. Mcdonald Favorable report on
the bill providing for continuance of the
defining its powers and duties.
BY Mr.. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS report on
the bill dividing the Dallas judicial dis
trict into two judicial districts.
By Mr.. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS report on
the bill forcing the burden of proof for
damages to persons or property on ac-
count of injuries inflicted by barbed wire
| fences outside the limits of cities and
towns.
By Mr.. Med onald-Favorable report
on bill impounding cattle running at
large.
By Mr.. Med onald-Favorable report
on the bill making each ward. of incorpo-
rated towns and villages an election dis
trict
BY Mr.. McDonald-Bill for lien in
cases of tax sale. Referred to the COM
mittee on finance.
The finance committee, by Mr.. Jarvis
Favorable report with amend
ment on the bill to appoint com
missioner to investigate the financial
management of institutions of the state.
By Mr.. Jarvis-A favorable report on
the bill allowing counties to fund their
debts and provide for the payment
thereof.
Bills and Resolutions: BY Mr.. Crawford
To amend the code in relation tothe theft
of horses, cattle, ETC., and making GER
tain offenses misdemeanors
By Mr.. Experimenting the law regu-
lating private corporations and calling for
reports of mercantile houses to the comp
troller.
By Mr.. Stephens-To change the price
of school, university and asylum lands,
making the price of agricultural lands
81 .25 and 81 go for opposite quarter sec
tons timber lands So an acre, grazing
lands 81 so, forfeiture two years after
default.
Senate bill No. 8 the special order,
was laid before the senate. The bill calls
for punishment by fine of not more than
5000 for carrying on or about the person,
saddle, or in saddle-b bags, any pistol,
dirk, dagger, slingshot, sword-eane,
spear or knuckIes made of any metal or
any hard substance, bOwie-knife or any
other knife manufactured or sold for the
purpose of offense or defense.
The majority report of judiciary COM
mittee No. 2 changes the punishment to
a fine of not less than S25 nor more than
5000, or by Imprisonment IN the county
jail not less than ten nor more than
thirty days, or both by such fine and inn
prisonment.
The majority report of this committee,
signed by Messrs. Field, Crafnord,
Stephens and Frank, insists upon the
obligatory feature of imprisonment as it
deters many more persons from carrying
deadly weapons than mere fine.
Mr.. Field spoke for the mi
nority report. He declared he did
not expect to change the minds of those
wonderful personal---very. Democrats
upon whom the decisions of the highest
of4 I,n oil IF
weight But he insisted upon this pro-
gressive move and wanted imprisonment
to do away with the practice of carrying
arms.
Mr.. Pope made q strong speech against
the proposed Imprisonment feature of the
law He claimed the small number of
convictions under the imprisonment law
of the Twentieth legislature proved the |
unwisdom of adding an Imprisonment |
penalty to fine that before then was
assessed and collected
Mr.. Lane declared if Mr.. |
Field s remarks on personal liberty Dem |
ocrats were directed to him, he would |
gladly plead guilty. He gloried in such |
liberty. He did not believe in the obli- |
gatory feature of imprisonment. There |
were times, possibly, when men should |
be allowed to use their own judgment in /
TINS matter, ana not be confronted with |
certain Imprisonment therefor.
Mr.. Crawford spoke eloquently for the
minority report, demanding imprison-
ment absolutely.
Mr.. Simkins stood upon the law as ii
is to-day. He demonstrated as anarch-
istic the theory that ''the least governed |
people are the best governed people. -
Upon being asked by Mr.. Upshaw if
that sentiment had not been endorsed by
the governor in his inaugural yesterday
Mr.. Simkins answered if it had not that
would not make it right.
Mr.. Burgess was delighted to hear the |
governor give expression to the senti-
ment Mr.. Simkins harshly criticised. |
He believed in holding steadfast to the
''biIl of rights as the states
and the people best safeguard.
Mr.. Kimbrough offered a substitute for
the majority committee report changing
the time of imprisonment of ten and
thirty days to five and sixty days. De-
feated; yeas II nays 16.
Mr.. Atlee spoke for the
alternate features of the bill.
He wanted the imprisonment
optional with the jury. He thought the
law in that shape could be better en-