The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1897-01-15

I (lncluding therein turnpikes, railroads
ana street railroads) in Tennessee, he
made illegal and non-enforcable here
to the extent just indicated.
In my opinion no measure will prove
OF greater ultimate benefit to the people
of this State.
The Collection Of Back Taxes.
1t appears 80 me that the present sys-
tenn of collecting back taxes should be
abolished. There is no need of having
/ attorneys when there is no litigation as
at present The trustees of the coun-
ties can as well and satisfactorily col
| lect these taxes. This will simplify our
system of tax gathering and destroy a
dangerous element of political power
now invested i'm one man. The present
! law should be repealed and the collec-
tion placed in the hands of the trustees
of the counties.
Assistant Attorney General.
l recommend the creation of the
office of Assistant Attorney General of
the State.
Either this assistant or the Attorney
General should have an office at the
capitol, and continually remain thereat.
1t should be his duty Cl to advise the
Governor and all departments; (2) to
look after and direct all the Litigation
VI tre 'otaVe IhIoGshout ehe o5aGe ~ 10
piosecuVe az az eulUS aSdlLlsI ueiaulllhg
and f.iIino bo,,i5, +Lat lo,S;t,.iy, novGt ltey
of the ; ate. 'F
By reason of the fact that the Attor-
ney' General must attend the sessions of
the Supreme Court at Knoxville and
Jackson it is impossible for him to
perform these duties now. Moreover
the fees that are annually paid to
special counsel will LARGELY exceed the
salary of sach assistant. and system
can be introduced where no system
now prevails.
The power to appoint such assistant
should be vested in the Judges of the
Supreme Court. as is the appointment
of the Attorney General FOR tbo state
The term of office should he co-exten,
siye with that of the Attorney General
p,,I,,,ap,s
-, Di1,', -
again can atCehIloh TO Ihe meme
iency OF our ROAD laws Under the
so-caileu" administration OF the pres
ehC laws our roaus, instead OF belne
miaue oeCCer' are, as a arule, maze worse;
Inc ulII IL Jug from the SUES anu
Ghlo"h 10 the cehtre: thls l. usually
uole III Uhe lall ol Vhe year OF on Uhe
aPproach Oh WINTER, win the result
thaU "hen Ihe WINTER rains come we
HlusI IraNel anu maui Ihrough quag-
ulIIes lhsIeau VI Well-Workeu roaus'
Penitentiary.
| am gratified to believe that Tennes
see is about to have one of the best. il
not the best, prison systems in the
Union.
The new prison near the canital is
nearing completion. and when com
pleted will, in my opinion, be as nearly
|
expended,
The prison at the coal mine is In
excellent condition.
The chanped conditions of health
spirits and ability and willingness tC
work on the part of conyicts shows the
humanity and wisdom of the abolition
of the lease system.
tits now demonstrated that the pres
ent policy and plan of EMPLOYING con
victs will be selfsuppOrting, as will
satisfactorily appear from the report OF
the Board of Prison Commissioner.
and the MANAGER of the coal mines.
The most considerable obstacle TO the
success of the mines is that set forth il
the report of the manager, to-wit:
The combined opposition of (coal
operators in this and adjacent State,
and their influence i'm inducing rail
roads to refuse to the State fair anC
equitable rates of freiphts. and con
) ining our trade To a few comnetitiv,
points. like Chattanooga. Atlanta etc
call especial attention to that mart o
the report. ana suggest that such lepis
lation as will he necessary TO CONNIE
railroads TO an uniform rate of freiGh
he had.
| think there can be no doubt of th,
power in the Legislature TO mass smell
, | i,,,,,. ,,n,,o,,,i,,r. r,iIra,I, l. -, -
points i'm the State. AIthougb in mass
inc from noint to noint i'm the state
the roads NAV mass throuUh oths
States.
10 make such law cartain Of oba
} dience if wonld he well In also dacIar,
its violation criminal offansn aur
punishable as such.
: The mine owners and onara torS n
Tennessee ana Kentucky Hoo for
long time heen engaged in making nIan,
to defeat the State i'm its efforts +,
employ its convicts i'm coal MINING
The efforts have heen and ara now con
= tinuous and unceasing. on the l2th q
March. ISg5. they had a Meeting i,
Chattanooga claiming to renresent mn
wards of siYtv mines ana n canitaI ~
) NOT less than SjO OoO ooo v
At This meeting viporous and mn
relentng war was declared AGAINST tb,
State for its preparation to omen Goa
mines and work therein the convin
labor of tha state which will nravan
nrofit to the onerators Of otbar n,ina,
on their canitat Of not lass tb.n en-
, 0oo no0 and insistirT tbat .u,itb ~,
cbSnge in our crinniHa1 iaws moI,ip'
smaiIer offenscs co%nigahio %ofor,
Wa"iStrates witb soryitnJa on onhIi'
roads as a penaltv, wonld reduce tb,