The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1901-04-26
THE FIFTY SECOND
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Some Of the More Important Matters
Which Have Come Before 1t It's
Anti Whisky Tendency.

Which Have Come Before Tits
Anti whisky Tendency.
The Fifty-second General Assem-
bly, Of the State Of Tennessee,
which came TO a close last Mon
day, is in many respects one of the
most remarkable legislatures which
has assembled in the history of the
State.
1t has doEe more work than any
Of its predecessors in the matters
of routine, at least, and has accom-
plished much for the State.
It is true that no laws of a revo-
lutionary character which have any
such far-reachirg effects as, for in
stance the Jarvis law, have been
made into statutes, and, on the
other hand, it Is a safe prediction
that few of those laws winch will
appear in the acts of 1901 will be
attacked as particularly vicious.
Over 1,1C0 bills were offered In
the House and nearly 700 in the
Senate-an increase of 100 in each
body over the last Legislature, and
yet fewer bills will died on the cal
endar this week than two years
ago.
The Senate prepared the assess
ment, the revenue, and the two APP
preparations bills and passed them
first breaking the record by pass
ing on the assessment bill before
the recess. The House, however,
has been usually victorious over the
upper body when differences have
arisen between them as to amend
mends, this being notably true as
to the back tax attorney feature Of
the assessment bill, the medical
bill aud the dog law.
THE DOG LAW.
One Of the most important mat
tiers which came before the LegIsla-
ture was the question of protecting
and fostering sheep husbandry by
taking some steps to get rid of the
worthless and dangerous dog. The
experience of the Legislature Of
1875 with dog law was so disas-
trous that its memory had not
faded, but after twenty-six years
was still the most potent factor
against the enactment Of any sort
of a dog law.
However, the bill drafted by Rep
resentative Bashaw, of Coffee
County, was passed, and is the law
of the land, and it is hoped will
prove to be effective. The great
obstacle imposed by reason of the
Supreme Court decision that an ar
bitrary tax on dogs is unconstitu-
tional was obviated by the declara-
ton that the dog is a nuisance,
which was done specifically in the
Tillman bill and is by inference a
part Of the Bashaw bill, but it made
ii impossible to secure law which
is as stringent as was demanded by
the people. Yet the law enacted
is a step in the right direction, and
the wool industry will receive an
impetus from its enforce ment.
NEW CONSTITUTION.
One of the hardest fought battles
OF the session was that for new
constitutional convention. 1t was
unsuccessful, it is true, but the
skill with which it was fought
brought into prominence two or
three gentlemen and stamped then
capable parliamentary generals
who could almost persuade ma
| iority to vote against itself
The Senate was easy for the
proposition, which was to submit
the question Of a convention to the
people, but the House WIS divided
and the battle was fought there
three times and each time lost by a
hair. After the second defeat The
friends Of the bill invoked the aic
Of the caucus, and, with the aid O
the Senators, who we're really in
/ different about the matter, forceC
more than enough Democratic
members Of the House to endors,
1.-The bill, but when it reached 6na
Esote the .deadlg absentee got il
his work and it was done for. Thu
members of the Memphis delega
| ton were the most ardent sup
| porters of the scheme, and its de
| feat was taken by them with any
thing but good grace.
INSURANCE BILLS.
/ Two important bills touching in
| surance was passed.
One Of them brings the fraterna
life insurance societies and orders
under the control of the State Com
missioner, aud is a guarantee 0
greater safety to the assured and 0
greater protection to the orders.
| The other bill. winch will hav'
the effect Of putting stop to !
great deal Of litigation which en-
i sues where loss occurs abou