The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1899-05-05

Il
people were desired, would it not
have been a good idea to have taken
vote on the closing of the river
also?
The Memphis Bond Bill gave our
representatives an opportunity to
test the genuineness of their loyalty
TO the cause of free silver Said
bill proposed to authorize cities of
certain size TO issue bonds payable
in gold. The great leaders of the
democratic party had warned the
people of the danger of contracts
payable in gold, and that even the
restoration of silver upon the statute
books would be useless if creditors
could exact gold payments. This
proposition came from the town of
Josiah Patterson and Mike Connol-
ly, too; yet our representatives,
champions of free silver though
they were, voted for the measure.
The Jarvis law was very strenu-
ously fought by Representative
Foster. 1t was a law which work
ed great saving to the tax payers,
and some serious inconvenience
upon those who had to attend court
as witnesses. 1t also reduced the
fees of clerks and officials. It was
a democratic measure, was approx
ed by the platform of the party,
and endorsed by Gov. McMillin and
by the people by an overwhelming
majority in the November election.
Mr.. Foster worked assiduously
against it, nevertheless, even had
bill of his own practically repeating
it. The final outcome was to res
tore that part which had reduced
the pay of sheriffs and clerks in lar
ceny and assault cases, which con-
stitute the large majority of cases
affected by the bill, and witnesses
were left without pay, except in
cases of conviction, as before. Thus
the interest of the office-holder was
duly cared for, but the people were
left out. This was a very impor-
tant bill, as Mr.. Fosters brother in
law is a clerk of the court.
The Cumberland Telephone box
was removed from the office of our
obliging merchant, Mr.. J. A. Bar
rett, to Senator Reaves' office in the
Free Press building on April 10th,
and we notice in the Nashville
American that the senator voted on
April 18th to reduce the tax on
Telephone Companies from 40 cents
per box to 20 cents. OF course,
this was merely a coincidence.
In the Revenue Bill there was a
clause, as there has been for years,
to exempt farmers from paying any
tax for selling meat from wagons.
We see from the papers that Sena-
tor Reaves moved to strike out this
and place a butchers tax on them.
Here are two motions, one to reduce
the tax on corporation, the other
to place one on farmers!
This Revenue Bill raised the
state tax to so cents al valorem.
The ad valOrem tax comes principal
ly from land Yet, the newspapers
state that the money that will be
raised from the new law will be less
than that from the law of 1897.
Why is this? 1t can not be other
wise, than, because, while the tax
on land has been raised, the tax on
corporations, trusts and privileges
has been reduced !
In response to a great popular
demand, to which McMillin's adj
ministratiOn and the democratic
party was most solemnly pledged.
the Legislature has abolished a mum
Der of courts in the state; but while |
doing this righteous act, to our sur
prise, they created new salaried of |
fees, the Offices of Superintendent
of the Capitol and Inspector of Fac
tories, with salary of $3OOO-thus
taking one step forward and one
backward In reform.
The appropriation bill Of this leg
islature was unprecedentedly large,
and the visiting or junketing COM
mittees spent more than ever before
on themselves. The charitable
to which Mr. Foster be
lOnged, spent SllOO; the amount
spent by the last legislature G897 |
was $3.50. The educational commit
tee, to which Mr.. Reaves belonged, /
spent SI264; the same committee in
1897 spent 1888. The Revenue
and Assessment Committee of this
session spent $500, aud the Judici-
airy and Redistricting committee,
SIl67.
The odious ''dead body bill''
which Mr.. Foster reported in a let
ter TO the BULLETIN as killed, turns
out not to be killed at all, but only
changed so as to apply to Counties
of 100000 people.
All of these things will hang
heavily upon our two representa-
lives when they come to give an ac-
count of their stewardship, and they
,annot hope to escape the just cen,
iure Of the people. Respectfully,
CITIZEN.