The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1901-04-19
TENNESSEE STATE NEWS.

years. 10 prohibit or allow the purchase, safe or
giving away OF any article OF MERCHANDISE In
said city, town taxing district or county. This
is local option measure.
The conferences committee on the revenue bill
has about reached an agreement on ali the
amendments except those as 10 the electric light
section. The house amended the bill so as to
strike out the provision for a tax on municipal
plants which the senate put on larger cities.
The house also put straight tax OF $50 on
plants In cities Of over 100000 population, so
as 20 take Memphis from under the scale grSdu
ated according 70 power. The committe has so
far been unable to agree on these two amend
ments.
FIFrY-sEvENTH DAY
The senate todas passed the Vandeyenter bill,
which makes II obligatory upon the railroad
commission to enforce the long and short haul
clause OF the commission law Heretofore the
commission has had the power TO suspend this
section Of the law whenever In its judgment 1t
was right 10 do so. The bill came from the
committee recommended for rejection, but NAn-
deyenter moved to non.eoneur aud the senate
sustained the motion by good majority. The
penalty for a violation Of this section OF the
act, and under which the commission will have
to proceed In future in the event the house also
passes the bill will be hns OF 500 TO $500 for
eacn offense.
The house expressed its opposition to return
ing TO the back tax attorney system, and being
unable TO otherwise reach an agreement as to
the method Of collecting the S26o.0oO of taxes
now delinquent, finally authorized the speaker
TO appoint a committee to draft section OF the
assessment bill covering this point.
The house tabled the senate bill providing for
the organization of the State board OF sgncul-
ture.
The report OF the committee on education was
submitted to the legislature this afternoon. The
report goes into details regarding the various
State institutions, and makes brief recommended
tions for the betterment OF the work. An in
crease OF the annual appropriation TO the nor
NAL college to the amount of 5000 is recon-
mended The State superintendent Of public
instruction Is compllmented for his manage
ment OF the States educational facilities. The
accounts and management OF the State institu-
tions were found to be commendable.
FIFTY EIGHTH DAY.
The senate went on record as favorIng changes
in the organic law, when it adopted resolution
providing that the governor, secretary OF State,
comptroller and treasurer shall be elected by
popular vote for terms OF four years, none OF
them TO be eligible for reelection until after an
intervening term; that county officers shall be
elected for four years and be ineligible. same al
State officers; that election Of county officials
shall be on the same date in November as the
national and state election; that tile general
assembly shall have power to enact local road,
fence and school laws.
The house also went on record as favorlng
changes by voting to submit local option
amendment to the constitution, the vote being
10 for to against.
60
eral assembly, and II sanctioned by that body
must be submitted TO the people in 1908.
1t is almost certain the house Will concur in
the amendments adopted by the senate. and vice
versa.
The house passed the assessment BILL after
providing for only three revenue agents, where
there are now four, but increasing their maxi
mum compensation to 900 from 5000. Sales
of property on which taxes are delinquent will
be by the TRUSTEES. with no back tax attorneys.
FIFTY-NINTH DAY.
The committee to investigate the charges Of
bribery. or attempted bribery In connection
with the defeat OF the Peeler local option bill
and other matters, submitted its report to the
general assembly today. Some 600 pages OF
evidence were taken. The committee says it
made most thorough and searching examlna-
ton, but that no evidence OF wrongdoing on the
part OF any member OF the legislature was
secured The only suspicious evidence was the
fact that the wholesale whisky men raised
fund OF 81, 400 with which to influence legisla-
ton, but there was no evidence to show that any
of this money was corruptly used.
The proceedings In the house were enliVened
by vicious attack by Mr.. Royst0n upon the
editor OF the Nashville Banner concerning his
advocacy OF dog law and his criticism of the
formers vote, Mr.. Gordon's efforts to get In
minority report criticising the alleged l-treat
ment OF children by guards and others in the
Tennessee Industrial School, and the defeat of
the bill to refund to the counties certain mer-
chants privileges taxes alleged to have been
enormously collected.