The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-04-30

hans. Judge Raney did not think Of that.
All any rate, he is a power in the leglsia-
ture.
Prominent among other veterans In me
House are the genial and redouotaoie
Mai. George p. Healy, of Nolusia county
Judge Ziba King Of De Soto. and Col. HILL
Of Bradford. Whenever either OF them al
dresses the House. he is listened 10 with
respect and his judgment carefully con-
sidered.
A stage has now been reached in the his
tory OF the session at which some quite
definite estimate as to the character of its
work can be made. The session began on
April (, it VIII close June 3. Exactly tve
full weeks remain, and that time will be
devoted TO serious business, almost all or
an economic rather than a political nature.
About 500 bills and joint resolutions have
been introduced, and about 200 more are
yet to come Two-thirds of those which
have been returned by committees were re-
ported unfavorably. and in practically
every case an unfavorable report means
the death of the measure. The committees
are doing excellent work, and doing 1t
economically. Remarkably few clerks have
been employed, and economy is now as
much the slogan as it was during the first
week.
Legislation is being handled in groups.
There is, for instance, a considerable batch
of measures relating TO health matters,
looking TO making the state as nearly as
possible exempt from visitation by infec-
lions or contagious diseases. The State
Board of Health has been given full au-
thority to inspect and prescribe regula-
tons for the sanitary condition of hotels
and boarding houses. The organization of
the board itself will be put upon more
systematic and satisfactory working basis
by enlarging the powers of its executive
officer, the state health officer. Pulmonary
and tubercular diseases are being carefully
studied by the committees on public health
and legislation adopted elsewhere which
has proven effective In stamping out or
tending 10 prevent the spread of these
ravages, has been introduced here. To this
end, bill intended to prohibit iudiscrim-
mate kissing and splitting has been intro
dueed in the House, and is exciting no lit
tie amusement.
The finance and taxation committees are
engrossed in work of the most serious
| character. The revenue laws need amend
ment in some particulars, and the recon-
mendations of Controller Reynolds are be-
ing followed with marked closeness Pro
vision for the outstanding bonded indeJt-
edness of the state must be made at this
session, and bills by DIR. LEngle of Jack
sonville, the acknowledged inancier OF the
House, are pending. which will provide
| for refundng The bonded debt which
amounts to a little over 100000 The
| finance members will also have to solve
| the very serious pension problem, and il is
being approached with commendable cour-
age. Gov Bloxham has been congratulated
for the open and manly stand he took in
his message for a reduction of the pension
burden, and legislators have imbibed some
| of his courageous spirit It seems to be
admitted that the dependent pension law
enacted by the last legislature was a grew
Gus mistake, and chances are excellent
that 1t will be rectihed
The measure introduced this week to
| consolidate the several state seminaries-
| the White Normal College al DeFuniak
| Spring, the West Florida. Seminary al Tai
| lahassee, the South Florida Military Col
lege Barlow the East Florida Seminary
at Gainesville, and the Agricultural College
| at Lake City-into a University of Florida
to be located at Lake City, Is sure to be
defeated. 1t will be reported adversely,
| and although a lively fight is expected.
! there is no hope for the measure. Condi-
tons existing in this state do not yet favor
such a project. 1t would deprive the 10
! calities where semlnaries are now estab-
lished of the benefits now derived from
| these institutions, and most of the present
patrons would be unable to send their chill
dren away to the university.
There are a large number of important
measures in the committees, where they
are subject to extensive and important
amendments. The shape which they will
assume when they reach their final pas
sage can hardly be predicted at this time,
but it may be said that the hope and de-
mand of The people that this legislature
| should devote its efforts more to correct
| defects in existing laws rather than Great
ing a large body of new law bids fair to
| be realized The wishes of the people, in
| short are being more zealously observed
now than by any legislature which has as
\ sembled here in recent years