The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1898-02-11
MANY BILLS INTRODUCED.
Memphis and Nashville Received
What Prizes We're
Distributed.
spel-al 10 Tho Chronicle.

The extra session OF The Legislature
Is over the legislators have returned /
TO their homes and many of them
will have hard time satisfying
their constituents as 10 the value of
the work performed A glance over
the result of their labor viii not show
very much real legislative work done.
They managed to consume the time
allowed for the extra session, and al
though many bills We're introduced 10
carry out the purposes Of the Govern
or in calling the extra session, very
few passed.
Six Memphis bills were passed and
have been approved by the Governor.
These bills look TO the extension Of the
city limits Of Memphis and provide for
improvements therein, such as water
works, sewers, turnplkes and new pub F..
lie schools \ fight was made on two
Of the bills, namely, the annexation
bin and the water-works blll The an
nexatlon bin passed without amend
ment.
A vigorous fight was made on the
water-works bill and mt one time the
chances for its passage did not look
very bright The opposition was rep
resented by a number Of gentlemen
from Memphis while the only adyo.
Gates Of the measure on the field were
the members of the Shelby County
delegation, one of whom, Mr. Norhcet,
was opposed to certain features in this
bill.
The microbe bills are now laws. If
the election to issue bonds is carried,
all well and good If the people vote
against issuing bonds to purchase or
extend the water-works the sewerage
proposition may fail, for without wa
ter in the annexed territory sewerage
would be impossible, and then the
prime object of the bills viii be de
feated.
Some of the railroad and telegraph
companies having contested in the
Federal Court the assessments made
by the Railroad Commissioners, the
Governor included in his call number
Of subjects relating to remedial legis,
latiou along this line. A few ways
were recommended in the call to get
at these corporations. Among the num-
Der were: Back assessing the prop
erty lcyyng a privilege tax, remedial
legislation to cure defects in the exist
ing assessment laws, and to prevent
taxpayers from enjoining the s-ors
from certifying State taxes to the
proper officials. Many remedies Were
suggested Practically none of them
were embodied in laws by the extra
session
Only one bill relative to railroad as
sessnents was passed This bill mere
ly ratlfes and confirms the power OF
the Railroad Commissioners to levy
assessments for 1897 and 1898. The
hill is simply confirming an act already
passed by the Legislature 1t does no
ill terms nullify the assessments made
by the old board Of 1897 and does no
seek to settle the question as to whicl
assessment shall stand-the one made
for 1897 for 1897 by the Railroad Com
missioners. A bill was introduced b.
Mr.. Matthews providing that all as
sessments made for 1897 by board
other than the Railroad Commission
shall be null and void This b.
passed the House but found a Water
loo in tie Senate.
A new assessment bill, with a claus
in it providing for back assessment
was killed in the House, leaving Nj
Craig's bill the only one which In
become a law.
A resolution was passed by bot
houses authorizing the Railroad Con
missioners, the Board Of Equalizer
and the Attorney General for the Stat
to compromise or settle in any name
that might to them seem fit the case
now pending in the Federal Court. 81