The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1901-02-14

killing dog. There is strong senti- |
ment among the farmers of the state
in favor of law which will protect
sheep, and MS soon as the agricultural
committee confers with the Legislative
committee Of the farmers convention
measure with this end in view will be
introduced. A "dog law" is "a fright
full bugabee to most of the country rep
resentatives, and a warm time is ex-
pected when the dog and sheep come
to finish fight in thelegislative arena.
HOUSE BREAKS RECORD.
In the amount of business transacted
the house has broken all records thus
far. 1t has acted on more measures
and disposed Of more bills than any of
its predecessors. 1t is customary with
large legislative body to waste consid-
cradle time in talk, but the lower house
of the Fifty-second general assembly
has established precedent which, II
followed, will result in clearing the
way for need legislation within the
time allotted for the work. Speaker
Wilson started in to make record for
the prompt dispatch Of business, and
so far has succeeded in keeping the CAL
endar comparatively clear.
The number of bills introduced in
creases with each legislature. The Fiji
ty-frst general assembly broke all for
mer records, and if the pace set by the
present one is kept up it will eclipse
the record made two years ago. Up to
the adjournment Friday there had been
500 bills introduced in the house. OF
this number 219 have been disposed Of,
and the remainder are in the hands Of
the various committees or on the clerk
desk. The committees this year have
shown a more ready disposition to work
which is responsible in large measure
for the prompt dispatch of business.
The work of the house compared with
that of two years ago will be interesting
at this time, iuasmuch as the last legis
lature surpassed all others in the vol
ume of business transacted. Up to tht
recess two years ago only 349 bills haC
been introduced in the house. Over 50C
, have been introduced this year. Tn,
. recess, however, was taken on Jan
2S, ten days earlier than the adjourn
, ment of the present assembly. TIL
! number of bills introduced for the thir
I ty-three days two years ago was 476
and for corresponding time this yea
the number is SOC. When it is consid
{ cred that Immediately after the recess
there is always flood of bills, as wa
the case two years ago, and will hol
q good for this session, the comparison
b in favor of the present session j
4 strengthened. The number of bills in
4 troduced and disposed of, however,
4 not always indicative of the value OF
@ Legislature. 1t is merely mentioned q
4 evidence that the members of the hous
e have not been idle, whether the stat
a has been materially benefited or moi
OF the 231 bills disposed of, 1879 hay
been passed, 43 were rejected, 43 wer
tabled, failed for want of a constitr
o tional majority, and were withdraw
. by their authors. In addition to THU
IL the house has passed 81 senate bills, n
: jected 4 and tabled 8.
Il The most important legislation SO ia
o has originated in the house. The Pee
. er bill, which has overshadowed a
u other measures by reason of the war;
0 fight made on it, and the sensation.
/ rumors connected with its defeat, ha
d its origin there, as did also the cocain
9 bill which has become law, and th
J constitutional convention measure, th
u fee bills and the measures to legaliz
primary elections which are yet to b
q considered, and the pure food measure
. which have been passed and are no
" up to the senate for action.
a sENATE's RECORD.