The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-04-12

on JDe LaDIei WHICH was auOPl0u ny
vote of Is to 8. (5enators Atlee, Boren,
Kearby, Mckinney, Smith, Steele,
Woods and Yoakum voting "no."
| Senator Atlee offered an amend.
ment to section ! OF the bill so as to fix
the annual tax upon life and accident
insurance companies at per cent OF
| the gross premium receipts instead
of at 2 per cent.
Senator Simpson offered substitute
that the tax of per cent be upon the
net premium receipts instead of upon
the gross premium receipts.
Senator Pressler opposed the amend
ment ana substitute.
Senator Atlee said the state of West
Virginia had undertaken to impose a
similar tax and that it had been
declared unconstitutional by the SUI
preme court of that state The court
had construed the tax to be property
tax, and that state has q similar pro.
vision in its constitution to that in
ours. which provides that taxation
shall be equal and uniform.
Senator Imboden made a strong
speech in favor of the amendments,
and pending discussion the senate adj
jOurned
THE HOUSE
The house met with Speaker Coch-
ran in the chair.
Prayer by Chaplain Pennington:
O, Lord God OF mercies, the giver of
every good and perfect gift, we thank
Thee for the rest of another night and
the light and blessings of another
day, and all temporal blessings, and
the hope OF the gospel. Accept our
Misunderstanding and praise, and for
give our sins, and sanctify or labors
this day to Thy honor and glory and
the elevation of humanity, and save
us for Christ's sake. Amen.
The report of the free conference
was read on senate bill to retire $780,
500 state bonds and substitute there.
for bonds at lower rate of interest
The report was adopted which fixes
the interest of the new bonds at 5 in.
stead of per cent.
House bill No. $40, empowering
county commissioners courts to fill
temporary vacancies in certain county
Offices was ordered to be engrossed.
House bill No. 286, which provides
for correction and revision of abstracts
of located titled and patented lands or
lands assessed to unknown parties,
was engrossed and finally passed.
Representative Golden's bill to pro-
tect employees and laborers in their
right to belong to labor organizations
was considered.
Mr.. Henderson of Milan offered q
substitute.
The substitute was accepted by Mr..
Golden and was dered to be en-.
crossed.
Mr.. Pagan of Lamar offered an
amendment which he commended pro,
ted all alike, employers and employees
and union and non. union men. The
amendment prohibits members Of
labor organizations from interfering
with the employees of any such corpo
ration, not members of such organiza
tions, and provides fine from one tc
two hundred dollars. Not acted on.
The bill was finally engrossed and
postponed as the special order for IL
o'clock Monday.
Mr.. Pickett called up the substitute
by the committee for sundry resolu.
tions to create smelling committee
to act during the vacation to investi
gate and report upon the manage
ment of the state departments and
state institutions.
The report was adopted and the
substitute was considered, which pro.
vides for &C ommittee of three mem
bers Of the house and two senators, to
act with the state revenue agent and
report to the governor with suggested
list of officers and salaries and neces-
sary officers and employees, etc.
Mr.. Faubion moved to postpone the
bill indefinitely, which lead to some
discussion by Messrs. Rogan, Greer,
Morrison, Tankersley, Onion, Gossett
and Moody, the last speaker contend
ing that the work should be done by
State Revenue Agent Harrison.
By Mr.. McFall-Amendmen that
one of the committee shall be Popu-
list.
Mr.. Faubion withdrew his motion
to allow Mr.. Wheeless to present o
substitute, but after it was read OBJ
jected to it as not german, and the
speaker sustaining the objections the
motion postpone was renewed. The
substitute provided two assistants as
experts to assist the state revenue
agent to do the work.
The motion in connection with the
merits of the resolution was discussed
by Messrs. Pickett, Greer, Henderson
of Lamar, Sheriff. and others-main-
ly in favor of the resolution.
Mr.. Sheriff. said he did not believe
as intimated that the resolution was
in the interest of anyone as a candi-
date for office, or aimed specially at
any official, but as a matter of fact he
had heard it charged that the state
treasurer had from 100000 to $l50,00
deposited in banks instead of in the
state treasury.
Mr.. Onion in reply to this said he
had note from Mr.. Workman that
this was not true.
Mr.. Morrison-Mr. Workman told
me that he sometimes had from $780,
600 to $4,000 cash balance to the
credit of the state in the Austin banks.
| am responsible for this statement.
The motion to postpone indefinitely
prevailed. Ayes 81, noes 40.
Adjourned till o'clock.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
In the afternoon the house com.
mittee of the whole resumed the gen.
eral appropriations pending from yes
tarboN,