The Green Forest tribune., 1903-02-14
THE STATE LEGISLATURE.
It's Doings As Reported by Our
 Special Correspondent.

matters are warming-up con- siderably before the legislature. The McPherrin bill, which seeks to place the entire management of the penitentiary in the hands of the governor, is being cussed and discussed both in the senate and on the streets. The gov ernor's forces claim to have 20 votes in the senate, for the meas- ure. The combined vote for the proposition actually numbers eight, with a half dozen senators "a btraddle of the fence,' and chances are that they may fall off on either side. The bill will hardly be able to muster more than a dozen votes.
 The governor has signed the joint resolution providing com- mittee to investigate the recent purchase of the Cummings plan tation for a convict farm. They expect to visit the farm in a body and make critical investigation of the details of the purchase. The committee is composed of eight as good men as there are in the state, and if there is anything wrong in connection with the farm or it's purchase the public will know it.
 Senator Norwood's bill appro- priating S140,000 for an annex to the insane asylum passed the senate Thursday by unanimous vote. It will probably be passed by the house next Friday.
 Several evenings during the past week have been devoted to argument before the ways and means committee on the anti trust bill. The insurance inter- ests were looked after by half dozen able representatives, while the antis were represented by the governor, Senator King, Judge Bourland, and others. We hardly think the bill in it's present shape will become law.
 By the way, this is the most temperate legislature we have elected in years. Neither of the presiding officers drink a drop of stimulants of any kind, and a large majority of the members of both houses are total abstainers. In this it differs from the last general assembly, in that they were nearly all royal booze kill CTS.
 General Murphy failed to make connections on the 9th, as he ex . pected, but surely will address the members of the legislature and general public at the capital theatre this week, probably Thursday.
 Local bills are the curse of this as of the last session. Over sixty local bills have been introduced, 7, and half the bills passed are of a local nature, and this in spite of a positive constitutional prohibi- ton. Most of these bills have to deal with railroads and whiskey. This reminds us, that the worst anti railroad men are those from counties having no railway facil- ities. As a rule these fellows know all about how railroad should be regulated. They have introduced many of the ''dras- tics," and father all of them as soon as they are born. It would please many of them to see every railroad bed in the state torn up, and the right of way sown in oats.
 A big fight is going on this morning over the location of a district court at Brinkley, Mon- roe county. The bill has passed the house, read twice in the sen- ate and referred to the judiciary committee, which committee will hear argument on the proposition tonight. The lobbies of either house are crowded with friends and opponents of the bill, and a red hot time is looked for. The bill may be taken up tomorrow | L. LII ,<,l Il l