The leader., 1904-03-19

tire afternoon, and the result was
rather surprising to many members,
who regarded the action OF the house
in declaring several days ago by q
majority of one In favor of bond
issue in preference to increasing the
State tax levy as valid and binding.
The Stennis bill provided for forty.
year bond, optional for redemption In
ten years and bearing per cent IN
terest.
Since this measure has been voted
down it now seems that the only al
one mill, and on this subject It is
difficult to tell just how long the law.
makers may be tied up.
The senate passed the bill allow
Ing $4,000 fee for the attorneys en-
gagged to represent Mississippi before
the United States Supreme Court in
the boundary dispute between Missis.
sippi and Louisiana, and also $4,000 to
defray the incidental expenses of the
defense. The State will be represent
/ ed by the Hon. Monroe McCiurg, of
Greenwood; Hon. Hannis Taylor, OF
Washington, and Dodds 6 Griffith, Of
Biloxi.
The vote whereby the bill carrying
an additional appropriation of $10,-
600 for the Mississippi exhibit at the
Louisiana Purchase Exposition was
defeated was reconsidered and the bill
passed by vote OF 29 to 8.
The bill providing that all profits
accruing from the State convict Farm
ing system be set aside as a public
road fund was indefinitely postponed
FIFTY-FIRsT DAY.
In view of the very close vote by
which the 500, 600 bond issue bill was
defeated in the lower house yesterday,
the action of that body in passing an
amended bill providing for 100000
issue this merning was somewhat sur
prising. The original bill, which was
under discussion during the entire ses-
sion yesterday afternoon, obtained on.
ly 81 votes to 53 against it, and the
vote this morning was SO ayes Only
five more members were present when
the bill passed than were shown on
the roll call the evening before, and
this shows that at least twenty five
members changed their minds on the
subject.
Properly interpreted, however, the
passage of the bond bill was a COM
promise measure. 1t was certain when
the motion to reconsider was entered
yesterday that the Stennis bill, provid-
ing for the 100000 issue of forty-year
bonds, could not pass, and 1t was
equally certain that majority could
not be obtained on the proposition to
increase the State tax levy. There
fore, the members who believed that
the 100000 issue was too large ac-
cepted the compromise offered by the
advocates of the issue. 1t is signifi-
cant, however, that TIE author of the
original bill, Mr.. Stennis, did not vote
for his measure in an amended form,
and it is yet contended by many mem
bers that half million dollars will
not be sufficient to meet the prospec-
tive deficit, thus suggesting the prop
osition to increase the tax levy a half
mill.
The members who voted against the
bond issue were Messrs. Blackwell,
Carothers Of Lee, Cavett, Clark, Cole
man of Carroll, Coleman of Lefiore,
Denton of Lauderdale, East, Etnridge,
Heidelberg, Hollingsworth, Hoyle,
Mitchell, Murphree, McQuiston, Nc
Farland of Monroe, Robinson of Choc.
taw, Robinson of Rankin, Sheffield,
Smith of Holmes, Spencer and STEM
mis-.
Both houses of the legislation de-
voted good portion of the morning
to appropriation bills, and all of the
important measures of this character
have been disposed of.
The house passed the bill originat-
ing in the senate allowing the ma
tional guard $500 per year, and a
measure appropriating $4,000 to the
Mississippi oyster commission with
which to purchase patrol boat
The senate passed the bill for the
support of the State charity hospital at
Vicksburg.
Several local and private bills were
also disposed of by the senate
Numerous committee reports were
made in both bodies, among others
being an amended form of the house
bill providing for State normal and
training school for teachers, which was
favorably recommended.
The house judiciary committee re-
ported favorably on the bill requir-
ing counties to pay the expenses Of
circuit judges and chancellors during
court terms.
The question of making land as
sessments this year is still in an un-
settled shape, the senate having iu-
definitely postponed the house bill re-
quiring an assessment of realty this
year. The senate bill providing for
biennial assessments is pending in the
house