The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1895-06-27
NASHVILLE LETTER.
$4,000 Worth Of Passes Distributed
By Members Of the Legislature,
Hon. r. Railroad Butler Heading
the List of Spongers With
Only $17, 900 Worth.
tFRoM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT.


The man who inquiries if we have
forgotten the late demented legisla
ture should come here and climb
capitol hill and lift up his nose in the
supernal fragrance, but he had better
bring along a few extra sheets OF
mucous membrane. II you had heard
half the rot perpetrated in the halls
of lobbylation you wouldn't wonder
when the frowzy smell rises in the
great power OF its hog smashing
pungency and smites your aquiline
proboscls like thing quite putrid
and a stink forever. Some lay it on
the packing house but / have smelt
decaying craftsmanship before. 1t
didn't cost the people but little over
100000 in money, and the railroads
about $150000 worth of passes to
launch that smell on its nose rotting
career through the blue efiluvium.
That is the figure, valuing passes at
$40 each, that the Baaasr places on it,
and it ought to know, as it is Col.
Stahlaman's paper. 1t is an average OF
113 and 7.11ths passes each. The
z 1lths of passes ] suppose were
given to the voters they sliced up in
Bedford and Lawrence to carve out
those remarkable fractional majoritiee.
1t was an average value to members
OF $113636 and 4.11ths cents each, but
it was not pro-rated. 1t is said that
Hon. r. Railroad Butler made away
with 1,700 passes, and a few Others
went up in the hundreds. If the rail.
roads h I'D given them passes out OF the
State and no return coupons the peo.
pile would rise up and bless them.
| Hon. E. Dudley Duncan, the pedes.
trionissimo Of the long parliament, was
still in town last Friday. 1t is not re-
ported that he will walk back. Shoe
leather has ris, since he performed
that long distancod feat, to say moth
ing of the rain OF passes.
The supreme court has already sei
its unconstitutional foot down on one
of the few passably good laws passed
that raising the limit on petit larcen,
to $50. 1t was counted on to do tn,
counties some good, as under it
petty thief went to the work house
The supreme is clearly wrong il
its decision. The flst rule OF lega
constr uctiop is the intention of tn
law making power, and as this legisls
ture abrogsted the constitution where
eyer it stood in the way,the intention
to do SO in this case must be inferred
Things are as quiet on capitol hi
as In store that don't advertise. Tn
governor persistently desists iror
carving the enslard, and most OF tn
pie eaters have grown tired of suckin
{ a dry teat and gone home. There al
enough left, however, to keep tn
grass killed on the hill and the govel
nor from getting lonesome. Il
/ packed his paiamas and hied out
. some secluded nook Friday wher
/. moth and rust can not find him nc
j applicants break through and pull h
1 weary leg. Some people hold IL
!. antiquated idea that when man ge
A through pulling the peoples leg
. make him governor that he ought u,
to be nagged and importuned by 9th
people who haye as much rightto pu
legs for the ofise tney are after as
had. They think it is the governor
business and duty TO listen patient
to everyone who has request to i