The Tupelo journal., 1904-01-29
Letter From Hon. P. E. Carothers.
ia cksOn, Miss, Jan. %, 1904

-" NhNob Ahlcc' oous --3 IoOI.
Editor Journal :-AsI promised
you that | would occasionally write
you a few lines in regard to the
doings of the Legislature and as |
have a little spare time this even
ing will try to comply with that
promise. The Legislature SENS
anxious now to get to business in
earnest. Some Important measures
have passed the House and have
gone to the Senate for their action
and | suppose they will be favOra-
bly, acted on by that body. Among
the most important is the com
mon school bill and the bill for
the old and disabled soldiers of
the war between she states. The
bill for their benefit carries two
hundred and fifty thousand dol
lars a year, an increase over the
last two years of S50,O 600 per year.
This will be welcome news to the
old heroes hat wore the gray. |
am glad that it was my pleasure
to be on both Pension and slso
the Appropriation Committees
when these measures We're first
launched IL virtually all or most
of the work is done in the Com
mittee room. Most of the measures
that | advocated IN the campaign
have been favorably acted on, ex-
cept the bill to get a few more
SPECIAL school districts. | intro
duced a bill last week to allow a
small increase in the number of
achOOls in such counties as need
ed them but this morning the Com
mittee on Education reported the
bill back unfavorably. However
there was a minority report and
We will haye a fight in the house
over it, though | have but little
hope of success a the State Super
intendent of Education is against
all such measures. His policy is
to consolidate rather than in
crease the number of schools. |
wish old Lee county could have
gotten a few more as | so well
know her need of them. The
representatives of the State Col
leges are in evidence but have not as
yet made known their wants to this
body. There is no danger but what
they will get all they need whether
it is all they want or not. What
is known as the W ellis vagrant act
passed the House Yesterday and
will be a most splendid law. If
enforced it will clear the public
we'll and many other places in
Tupelo and other towns Of a lot of
trifing, worthless negroes and
will also stop the tramplng of
white and negro tramps along
our highways etc., begging a
support instead of working for a
living. A bill or resolution pro-
viding for submitting to the PEG.
pie a constitutions amendment
to rid the state of the liquor
traffic has been presented to the
House and | suppose will be acted
on soon. | think that prohibition
people need not have any fears of
this Legislature on that question.
l will say that our good friend,
Hon. Emmett Cavett, Big Bud of
Noxubee, was called to the chair
to preside ove this august body
both yesterday and today which
he did with the grace and dignity
of a Chesterfield. | will close
lest l weary you and l learn that
my friend DR.. Hoyle will write
you a letter occasionally. The Lee
County delegation are all we'll. 1
had a communication with Mr..
Thomas yesterday in which he
said that Lee County had furnish
ed this body with the best Ser
geant-at-Arms that we have ever
seen since he had beenin the Legis-
lature in the person of our good
friend and townsman, Mr.. A. 81.
Hutchinson. This will be good
to Nj. llntchisons mauy
friends in Lee county.
Your friend,
P. b. CARoTHERs.