The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1897-05-20
FOURTEENTH DAY.
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ItouSss
Jackson, May l2-Ihe senate committee on
public works has reported in favor OF the Cor
don plan for a new capitol and the penitentlary
! grounds as the site. THIS creates a direct clash
between the two bodies, II the senate concurs
IN the committees recommendation. The house
has adopted the plan OF Weathers g. Weatfiers
OF Memphis and selected the present site as the
one for the new building. The senate also
| passed the amendment to the constitution rela-
tive to the school fund. 1t ie,ies a tax OF 8 mills
for common schools and leaves the poll taxes IN
the counties where The same are collected.
Three mills Will amount to about AD25,0oO, and
the poll taxes, estimated on COLLECTIONS Tor last
year. amount to, about s22a, 900. The TWO make
a school fund amounting to SS5i, 900, Under the
| present system the schools receive, inclusive OF
ihe poll taxes, s923, 500. 1t is estimated that on
an average sos, 900 is distributed from the State
treasury. the polls making up the difference. As
Will be seen, this amendment VIII save the state
about si75. 900 annually. The counties are given
the authority to levy additional taxes for school
purposes. .
The house was called to order at 0 O'Clock and
spent most OF the morning session discussing
the bond bill for the new capitol.
Hr. Houston called up senate bill No. ], an
act to provide for any deficit in the State revc-
nue." and moved 1t be considered cngrossed,
read a third time and placed upon Its final pass
age. The bill empowers the governor to borrow
100000. payable In 1899, and to draw interest
not exceeding 6 per cen, per annliin.
The bill was passed with one dissenting vote.
The bill Is as follows;
Section /. BE IL enacted. That the governor Is
hereby authorized and empowered To borrow a
sum Of money not to exceed SIOt,000 at q rate OF
Interest not to exceed 8 per cent per annum, pay
able on or before January 10. 1879, but the Inter.
est to be payable as may be agreed upon. said
sum or sums Of money shall be borrowed as
needed by the State Of Mississippi 10 defray the
expenses Of the State from july l, 1897, to Jan
uary |, 1898. d.
Sec. 9. That the levy for the year 1897 be and
the same Is hereby fixed at 6a mills. Boards or
supervisors may levy taxes for all purposes,
which, added TO the State tax, viii make is mills
on the dollar, and no more, PROVIDED counties
having an outstanding Indebtedness may levy
an additional tax for paying interest thereon AMI
TO create a sinking fund to pay The principal. II
necessary, but the whole amount levied shall
cot exceed Is mills.
Sec. 3. That this act shall take eject and Dc IN
force from and after its passage.
Senate.
The senate was called to order at 0 o'clock and
proceeded to consider on its second reading con
current resolution No. 4, proposing to amend
the constitution relative to the levy for common
school purposes. The resolution was passed on
Its second reading by a vote OF - yeas to . nays.
Mr.. Cook introduced o bill entitled an act to
authorize the board Of leyee commissioners Tor
the Yazo0. Mississippi delta 10 issue bonds to an
purposes. Referred to committee on levees.
Mr.. Smith, from the committee on public
works, reported. with amendments, house bill
No. u. an act 10 authorize and provide for the
vi "a s"h V"oN'
senate bill Nc. "a, TO require services OF Ger.
tain persons on the leyees, was INDEFINITELY post
poned.
thorize the organization Of loan and trust COM
panies. passed at the last session OF the legisia-
tnre, and returned by the governor at this ses-
sion without his approval and with his objec.
tons thereto. Tn bill and the governors OBJ
~tections were read.
On motion Of Mr.. Wells the bill was referred
to the judiciary committee to ascertain II Tho
bill Is not already a law, the same not having
been returned 10 the senate with the governors
objections within the constitutional time.
Mr. Greaves called up house BILL No. ", TO au-
thorize and provide for the building OF a state.
house and TO provide Offices ior the state oilcers
and repositories for the books, records, papers
and archives belonging to the state during the
construction OF a statehouse. The same was
made the special order for 3 O'Clock pm.
The senate committee on public works report
ed the bill this morning with sundry amend
ments, the principal Of which are 70 adopt the
Gordon IN lieu Of the "Weathers" plan and
to change the site OF the new building from the
present 10 the ''peniteDtiary site"
Mr.. Cook from the leyee committee recon-
mended the passage OF senate bill No. 20. author
izing the commissioners Of the fazoo. Missis-
sippi delta levee district TO borrow 100000 Tor
ievee purposes, and the same was at once called
up aud passed.
Mr.. McLaurin. from the committee on levees,
recommended the passage Of a substitute for
senate bill No. II, but bearing same title, and
~ VII "ss uHtHcAtoASIy oAiN NY
and passed.
The afternoon session Of the senate was con.
sumed in discussing the house capitol bill. II
amendeded the bill In several particulars. The
amendments provide that the capitol shall be
erected on the penItentiary site, and the Gordon
plan 10 adopted. The bill as amended also pro.
vides that each branch Of the Legislature shall
elect one Of the commissioners, and that the two
In Joint session snail elect the third one. The
house bill was also amended In several other
minor particulars: This house provides for the
present site, the Weathers plan, and that the
three capitol commissioner shall Be elected by
4 Joint session Of the two houses.
Following 10 the bond bill As u passed the
house:
An act authorizing the issuance Of state bonds
for the purpose VI erecting . new state capitol.
Section 1. BE II enacted BY the legislature Of
the State Of Mississippi, for the purposes here:
matter expressed, and no other, tbs governor Of
this State u hereby authorized to and empowered
10 have prepared imnediately, ready lor sigma
| ture and execution, forty year bonds Of the State
| n NiasIssippl Of the total am0upt Of 75p,00o,
poyable 70 bearer, at The treasury In the city OF
! Jseksop, payable u the end Of ten years and 1t