The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1904-03-19
ready to follow . leadsrship.

ready to follow q leadership. Tbs
senate contains several very able MON.
bers, but IL seems that none OF them
has aspired to assume command, and
both bodies have followed a drifting
policy which is the chief cause Of The
small amount of work accomplished
If the two houses had been under viz.
orous and energetic leadership IL
would have greatly enabled the pre-
siding officers to transact business
quickly and adjournment could have
been reached during the week Just
passed.
Up to date nearly 1000 bills have
been introduced in the two bodies. The
calendars show that so per cent of the
number are local and private meas.
ures, of which $50 have already been
passed, and many others are pending.
Bills are being introduced at the rate
of fifteen or twenty a day, and meas.
ures placed on the calendar from now
on will have but little prospect Of
passage. A brief review of the gener.
al legislation shows the following i'm
p~ortant measures enacted:
Common school appropriation, g..
500, 900, an increase of $4,000
Pension appropriation increased
500, 900 per year.
Jim Crow" bill, providing for sepa-
rate street car accommodation for tie
races.
Stringent vagrancy bill enacted.
Amendment for constitutional pro-
hibition defeated.
Resolution ~instructing United States
senators to vote for Panama treaty.
William II. Hearst Endorsed, Grover
Cleveland turned down and resolution
criticising Bryan repudiated.
Constitutional amendments provid.
ing for an elective judiciary system
passed by botn sides, though at va.
rance In terms.
Uniform text book bill passed and
now pending in conference commit.
tee to agree upon amendments, with
no prospect Of success.
Several school laws revised, salar.
les of county superintendent regu.
lated, improvement of rural school
houses encouraged, punishment provtd-
ed for selling of examination ques'
lions, better method of extending
rural school terms provided.
Privilege tax bill passed, making
numerous increases.
Circuit and ~chancery court districts
redistricted by joint committees and
the measure reported back to both
bodies for adoption. No new districts
created.
Bill to make separate court districts
in Pike and to abolish Second dis.
trict in Coahoma pending, with no
prospects Of passage.
Primary election law revised and
amended SO as to eliminate plurality
and electoral features and regulate as.
sessments on State candidates.
Insurance laws amended. PROPOSE.
ton to exempt insurance companies
from the antitrust law repudiated.
Personal property exempted from val
ued policy law.
Foreign corporations securing do
nestle charters authorized to form
mergers.
Bill requiring all foreign corpora.
tons doing business in the State to
take out domestic charters defeated.
Two branch agricultural experiment
stations authorized, making a total OF
four in the State.
Two levee boards authorized to is
sue bonds for improvement purposes
~aggregating 81, 500, 600. Office of cot
ton tax collector OF Mississippi levee
board abolished.
Appropriation of $4,000 made for
the suppression of the boil weevil.
municipalities authorized to issue
bonds a~ggregating about S1,5OO,0OO.
Labor Day made legal holiday. Sim.
liar action will be taken regarding
the birthday of Jefferson Davis.
Circuit court civil cases made tri-
able when personal notice served thir.
ty days in advance Of term.
Increase In number of notaries pub
lie authorized.
Permanent capitol commission ere.
ated.