davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1904-02-06
Insurance Bill introduced.

Representative Foster of Warren
county last week Introduced in the
lower house of the legislature the bill
prepared by the Mississippi Business
Mems League seeking to amend i'm.
portant features of the insurance and
"anti-compact laws of the State.
The bill was written by Insurance
Commissioner Cole and provides for
the exemption Of personal property
from the valued policy law, the adop.
ton OF a standard form of policy to
be used by all of these insurance con.
Germs operating in the State and the
exemption Of these companies from the
operation of the anti-compact law, in
order that they may maintain rate
making organizations. The bill was
referred to the committee o1 insur.
ance, of which Hon. w. S. p. Doty is
the chairman.
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1904-02-06
Stock Law Bills,

Stock law legislation is proving a
thorn in the side Of the legislature, at
least 1t is a troublesome factor with
the working committees TO whom
measures of this kind are referred.
Several bills on the subject have been
introduced and each will provoke spir-
tied dispute in committee rooms and
on the floor, in case they should be so
fortunate as TO secure favorable report.
To cap the climax, a bill has been of.
Tered in the lower house providing for
a general stock law, applicable in
every county in the State. and a howl
OF protest against it is being made, es.
pecially by the members from the,
piney weeds section, where cattle ran
at large throughout the year.
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1904-02-06
DAY,

Only n bill of importance was
passed at the session of the lower
house OF the legislature this morning,
the measure being H. B. 122, which
Sibolishes the county boards of pension
examiners, composed of five eX.Confed-
crate veterans in each county, and
again places fhe duty of passing on
pension applications in the hands of
the boards of supervisors. Some op-
position was manifested to the meas
ure, but it went through by q vote of
81 to 16.
A good portion Of the session was
devoted to perfecting the Wells va
grancy bill, offered by the junior mem
Der for Kinds. The bill was consid-
cred section by section, and ordered
engrossed for formal passage at some
future time. There is no doubt that
the measure will go through in its pres
ent form,
The report of the judiciary
committee killed quite a num-
Der of bills introduced dur
ing the past ten days, amended other
measures, and reported two or three
substitutes.
Only three bills of general interest
were introduced during the, day-one
by Mr.. Burrus and two by Mr.. Turner,
as follows:
Mr.. B%urrus; H. B. 223-Prohibiting
killing of cattle running at large in
certain cases.
Mr.. Turner; H. B. 225-Making it
unlawful for a white person to marry
any person that has negro or Mongol-
ian blood in their veins.
Mr.. Turner; II. B. 226-Exempting
from taxation $4,000 belonging to all
unfortunates who have lost or may
hereafter lose both eyes, both hands or
both feet, provided, they do not own
more. than $4,000 worth of other tax
able property.
The senate did not meet until 4
y. M.
Afternoon Session.
The afternoon session of the legis-
lature was ~uneventful, the only notable
feature being the defeat in the senate
of the Alcorn bill providing that ex.
Ceptions to special venires in capital
cases shall be made Immediately after
drawing the same. A lengthy debate
ensued and the bill was finally defeat
ed by a vote of % to Il.
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1904-02-06
TWENTY-SECONp DAY.

Owing to the heavy snowfall
throughout central Mississippi from
west to east-thirteen inches falling
at Jacksonville legislative trip to
Vicksburg and the national Rark was
postponed to some future day, nd as
both houses had adjourned over to
Friday, it was impossible to hold a
legal session, and the halls of the
capitol were almost deserted. All
hands seemed determined, however,
to make the most of the situation, and
the many pretty girls, for which the
capital city is famous, had attention
a-plenty from the younger solons of
the State-sleighing parties being in
evidence all over the town.
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1904-02-06
THOUSANDS OF
SOUTHERN PEOPLE
WILL SUFFER FROM THE BIG
BAXTER FAILURE.
LIABILITIES WILL BE- $3,OOO,OO(
Smathers, Weldon and Gatins said te
Have Been the BacIIers OF the De
tuuet Concern--Brokers Who PLACED
Orders Fer the Firm Not to Be
Found.

New York, Feb. According 10 re
ports in Wall street, the failure of A
b. Baxter & Co, n-exchange brok
ers, which firm also is spoken OF II
connection with the operation Of buck
ct shops here and in 1875 other citiet
In the South and West, viii turn on
very disastrous to its patrons. The Ii
abilities are estimated all the way
from $4,000 to 5 5000, 900. At Bax
ter a Co.'S offices no information could
be obtained as to the whereabouts OF
any officers of the company.
Receiver George Yestner said he had
no data upon which to base an esti,
mate of the firms losses.
Counsel for the firm, Mr.. Maclntyre,
took a hopeful view of the situation.
He thought the creditors would re.
eeive a hundred cents on the dollar.
There are others in Wall street, how.
ever, who do not believe the creditors
viii get anything more than golden
promises.
According to an investigation which
has been made by men representing
the New York Stock Exchange, Baxter
& Co. carries on its books more than
10000 customers and not ~infrequently
had dealings in stocks in its various
branch Offices amounting to 10000
shares daily.
An official who makes Investigations
for the stock exchange said: Baxter
4 Co. Is the lineal descendant OF Wei
den & Co. which was composed OF
George Weldon and e. j.. Smathers,
and conducted as a non-eXchange brok.
erage shop at No. IL Broad street in
1896. In the same office Smathers 4
Co, did a separate DOn-eXchange bust.
ness. Neither firm had any connec.
ton with any exchange. These firms,
like Baxter & Co. had Offices all over
the country and used each other as
brokers.
weldon & Co, failed d~isastrously in
1899 and left a trail Of penniless cred
itors.
Then came the failure of Smathers
g. Co.
None of the hackers of Baxter &
Co. appear by name and are concealed
behind dummy "incorpOrators who are
or telegraph operators. | have
information that Smathers, Weldon
and John f.. Gatins were hackers Of
& Co. Smathers and Gatins
sailed for Europe two days before the
failure.
"Gatins put $3.50, 900 into the bust
ness of Murphy & Co. seven years ago,
Murphy ran a bucket shop In Atlanta,
Ca, with J. Overton Paine, who had a
disastrous failure recently and was
charged repeatedly with fraud.
81 have not heard of any broker who
will admit that he placed orders for
Baxter & Co"
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1904-02-06
Tamperina With Liquor Laws.

Notwithstanding the movement for
constitutional prohibition, several eff.
f,rts are on foot in the legislature to
amend the liquor and local option
laws, and it seems to be the opinion
of the authors Of these measures, near
ly all Of whom are prohibitionists, that
in case the proposed amendment
should fail to secure the required two
thirds majority, that the existing laws
need Strengthening in several re-
spects. Three bills have been offered
in the lower house making it a felony
to sell liquor in Mississippi without
license, punishable by imprisonment in
the penitentiary.
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1904-02-06
Primary Law Chances.

The house committee on registra,
tiols and elections last week made a
favorable report on the senate bill
amending certain sections Of the pri,
mary election law so as to abolish
the electoral vote and plurality fea-
lures, providing separate days for
State and county elections, and lin.
iting the county committees in assess
ing State Candidates to defray election
expenses. Hon. e. F. Noel, author of
the primary election law, and who
drafted the amendments thereto, ap-
peared before the committee prior to
the making of the report and explain.
ed several Of the features of the
amendments.
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1904-02-06
Root'g Final Cabieuram,

Washington, Jan. 31.-Just before
his retirement from Office Secretary
Root addressed the folio wing telegram
TO Gov. Luke Wright:
Washington, Jan. 30, 1904.
Wright, Manila:
Hearty congratulations and good
wishes upon your assuming office Of
civil governor. There can be no bet.
ter wish than for the same fidelity
and ability which has always charac.
terized you public service in the Phil
ipplne Islands.
ROOT. Secretary"
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1904-02-06
FRENCH MONKS
TO Make Wines From South Carolina
Grapes.

Paris. Jan. 31.-Fifty Endist monks,
expelled under the associations law,
have left for America to start IN
South Carolina "a wine industry, which
they hope Is destined to rival that Of
France.
They bear with them roots and
gratis Of the rarest of Bordeaux and
Burgundy wines and are confident OF
success, declaring that those who have
heretofore failed in this matter have
been ignorant Of the science of hor.
ticulture and declaring that there ex.
lists no reason why the United States
should not become the first Of the wine
producing nations of the world.
The first settlement will be neal
Columbia. 3. C..
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1904-02-06
Beds and Board for scsbs.

Trenton, N. J., Jan. 31-The rubber
manufacturers Of this city whose EN-.
ployes are on a strike have adopted
unique methods to break the strike.
The out Of town men who are at work
are provided with sleeping apartments
and board In the mills. Joseph Full.
man applied to the police to get his
~18-year.old SON out Of the mill. he
was referred to the president Of the
mill. The latter refused to allow the
lad to leave, so the lad jumped from
the second story and escaped. They
claim the wne Of the mill misrep-
resented the situation to them.
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1904-02-06

fered in support of the measure is that
engineers and firemen on the second
locomotive of double headers are un
able to see the track ahead, and place
their lives in the keeping of the crew
of the forward engine, which a.gu.
ment is answered by the officials by
calling attention to the fact that ev.
erybody aboard the train place their
lives in the hands of the same men,
and the contention of the trainmen is
purely a selfish one; that, in all fair.
ness, they should take the same risk
as the people who travel on railroads,
and trust to the skill and GOODNESS Of
the men at the throttle for their safe,
ty. 1t is furthermore urged against
the bill that the accidents on double
header trains are less freCSent than
when passenger trains are run in Sec
tons a few minutes apart, and the
apathy of the public against travel
ing on second sections is well known.
In the senate the constitution com.
mittee reported ~unfavorably on the
senate concurrent resolution in regard
to the salaries of judges.
The same recommendation was
made as to the senate concurrent res
olution 16, to equalize the salaries of
the judges Of the State. The bill fix.
ing the legal rate of interest and ex-
empting from taxation all money loan
ed out at a rate not exceeding 7 per
cent was referred to the finance COM.
mittee by the judiciary committee. 1t
reported favorably the bill comforting
upon illegitimate children and to their
mothers and brothers and sisters, all
the rights and benefits now conferred
upon Legitimate children.
The finance committee reported ia
Vorably the bill to make up the de-
felt in the salaries of circuit AID dis
trict attorneys; senate bill 80, making
emergency appropriation for the
capitol, was also reported f%avorably.
The public health and quarantine
reported favorably senate
bill 4S, to fix county health officers
compensation. 1t reported adversely
senate bill At, regulating child labor
on the ground that the title was not
The pension committee reported ad.
senate bill 50, to dispose of
prisoners convicted of misdemeanor
md relieve the county of expense.
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1904-02-06
Charity Hospital Report.

The biennial report of the Natchez
Charity Hospital was received last
week and distributed among the mem
bers Of the legislature. This institu-
ton is jointly supported by the State,
county of Adams and city of Natchez,
and during the past biennial period has
been greatly improved and enlarged.
The report shows that 9,6l0 patients
were treated at the institution during
the past two years, and the house sur
geons give some interesting statistics
on the class of patients handled, the
nature of surgical operations, etc. No
recommendations of general interest
are made.
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1904-02-06
TOWN WIPED OUT BY FIRE.
Two Business Houses Left in Hollan
dale, Miss.-Hish Wind Sweeps tbs
& Raging Flames.

Two Business Houses Left in Hollan
dale, Miss.-Hish Wind Sweeps tn,
& Raging Flames.
G~reenville, Miss, Jan 3l-Twc
buildings were left standing in Hol
landale, a town on the YazOo & Mis-
sissippi Valley railroad, fifteen miles
south Of Leland, this afternoon after
a fire which swept the town.
The building occupied by the Bank
OF Hollaudalc and the ]storehuuse Of
Russell Bros, are the only surviving
structures TO remind oae that a pros.
porous little town ever existed. Where
other houses formerly stood are smok,
ing ruins of ashes and debris. While
tho total property loss is variously es.
tmatod, II Is ConsCryativeiy figured
between $l50,000 and 100000. Many
OF the business men were fully in
sured and some carried no insurance
at all,
The fire originated about ; o'clock
yesterday afternoon in a fish shanty
occupied by a negro named Joe Vim.
cent, and owing to a high wind blowing
from the north the flames spread
across the street to the larger build.
ings. The volunteer fire workers
fought against inyincible odds from the
outset, no having a chance at any
stage Of the fire to subduc the flames.
After raging for nearly two hours the
wind Gained down aud to this fact is
due the saving of the dwelling houses
from destruction.
~
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1904-02-06
T~WENTY-THIRD DAY.

The feature of the legislative session
today was the message sent to the
senate by Gov. Vardaman regarding
the care and keeping of the new CAPT
toll building. The governor bases his
communication on the resolutions OF
the statehouse commission. Follow.
ing Is the message:
ITO the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatiyes:
"Your attention is directed to the fol-
lowing resolution adopted by the state
house commission, January 26, 1904:
Resolved, That the governor be re-
quested to advise the legislature that
this commission had consulted all the
State officers touching their views as
to the needs of their Offices in the
way of furniture, additional to that
already furnished by the commission,
and that IT will require something in
the neighborhood of one hundred
thousand dollars to purchase all of
the furniture which in the opinion Of
said officers should be placed in the
building.
Whereas, the capitol commission
has learned that the report made by it
and submitted to ex-Gov. Longino for
transmission to the legislature has not
received attention,
Therefore, the governor Is request
ed to advise the legislature that said
report has already been transmitted
and is in its possession, and that the
secretary of the commission is ready
to make the financial report required
by law
"To finish the capitol, provide the
necessary furniture for the Offices
therein, and to complete the grounds
in accordance with the original plans
of the designer of the capitol build
ing, will cost approximately $1,000
1t is not absolutely necessary that all
the furniture included in this estimate
should be put into the Offices at this
time, nor is it imperative that the
grounds about the capitol building
should be completed at once, but 1t
would be better. n 1t ii to be done 1t
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1904-02-06
NEoao's INcENoIARY SERMON,
Advises Hearers to Resort to Arms
Against the Whites.

Wilmington, Del. Jan. 3I.--A sen.
sation vas caused here today by the
preaching Of IN incendiary sermon by
the Rev. Thornton, a negro minister.
He urged his hearers to organize and
prepare to prevent the lynching Of
members OF their race, and advised
the use of arms If necessary. He also
denounced the Acknowledgement Of the
negro race by many Southern States
and declared If the negroes were to
kill a few white men who we're be-
HAD the scheme there would be an
end put TO the plan before long.
A number Of members Of the city
police force were in the church, fear.
ing that an attempt might be made
10 precipitate a riot, but their serv.
ices were not required.
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1904-02-06
COMMENT AND CRITICISM.
Opinions Of Interest on LEGISLATION
Past, Present and Prospective,
To SUPPRESS whiteesppI,,.

The senate has passed a bin setting
aside a special contingent fund OF 81.
500 per year to be used by the COVER.
nor in the suppression OF lawlessness.
This measure Ia recommended by
Gov. Longino just before his retire.
ment from office ald in its original
form, as introduced by Mr.. Mcneil.
carried an appropriation OF $4,000 per
year. which the committee decided
to reduce to S2,50Q.
The fund is intended especially for
use by the governor in suppressing
the whitecapping outrages in the
southern and southwestern counties OF
the State.
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1904-02-06
ROUGH
Result in PiIIng Up T~hlrty-six Million
Dollars Of Personal injury Suits foi
Hbira1o


Chicago, Jan. 3l-Personal injury
suits amounting to $3S,6 SOC. 952 are
pending against the city Of Chicago
according to the report of City At.
torney John +. Smulski. made public
today. The council, the legislature
m finally the people are appealed to
for relief. Sidewalk injuries caused
the majority of the suits. MIR. Smulski
in his report shows that the interests
combining to loot the city in this way
amount practically TO an organization.
Names Of lawyers, mostly young men,
and doctors occur with great fire.
quency In the list of suits. The city
attorney says the piling up of suits
will inevitably continue for some
years, even should the city at once
begin to tear up every wooden side
walk. The city attorney says the
main cause Of this condition ia the
deplorable state of the city's finances,
which makes 1t impossible to care
properly for its streets and sidewalks.
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1904-02-06
Cole Insurance Bill.

The Cole insurance bill will be In,
troduced in the house in a few days
by Representative Foster of Warren.
The bill will bring up considerable
discussion over the valued policy law.
Mr.. Cole promises a compromise on
this law which has been taking gen
orally with the members because of
its manifest fairness to both sides, and
there is strong probability that this
amendment will pass.
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1904-02-06
DAY.

oaly the lower house of the legis.
lature was in session today, the sen.
ate having adjourned until Monday.
No business of general interest was
transacted. After the committee re-
ports and introduction of bills was
concluded the calendar of local and
private legislation was taken up and
a number of minor measures passed.
The session was listless throughout
and many of the house members left
on the afternoon trains for their homes
to spend Sunday.
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1904-02-06
55aSISSIPPI L~EGISLATURE)

'oo5sislature enters upon its
-, nothing much in the way
,Ion in which the people are
vi has been accomplished.
the most important bills that
to come before the legislature
"a lot been Introduced as yet, but
will be during the next ten days.
viewer, a great many measures have
yeen introduced, and some of them
disposed of. 1t is probable that an eff.
tort will be made to pass the general
appropriation bill before the end of the
month, SO that the State officers,
Judges, chancellors and district attor-
neys may be able to get their money.
The bill for the support of the com
mo1 schools of the State, which pass
ed the house, will probably come up
In the senate ONE time soon, and will
be passed practically as it came from
the house, and will be sent TO the gov.
ernor for his signature. The January
distribution of the school fund is due
to be made now, and if there is any
delay on this score the school teach.
ers of the State will be kept out Of
their money.
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1904-02-06

all, to finish the entire building ana
grounds and be done with il WhilS
the capitol building and grounds viii
cost the taxpayers a quarter of a mil
lion dollars more than was contemplat
ed whel the bill was passed by the
legislature which provided for its con
struction, ! am of the opinion still
that 1t Is not wise, proyident or pru,
dent TO permit the buildings and
grounds to remain in an unfinished
state. The legislature should act in
this matter.
Il would also submit for your con.
sideration the proposition to create a
permanent commission, to be com.
posed of three or more Of the State
officers, of which the secretary of the
State shall be one, whose duty ii shall
be to exercise supervision and care
over the States property located in
the city of Jackson, not under the con.
troll OF a board of trustees. The mem
bers OF this commission should per-
form its function without additional
compensation and relieve the State of
the expense of maintaining the pres
eat statehOuse commission.
There should also be appropriated
a sum of money sufficient to meet any
emergency or repair any unexpected
damage to the States property. which
1t might sustain during the recess OF
the legislature. The State cannot af.
ford to permit its property to go to
wreck.
1T has com to my attention that
some of the employees of the capito!
building hare not been paid for several
months. recommend that this matter
be looked into Immediately ald thor
oughly, and that an appropriation be
made to pay these faithful laborers for
their work.
JAS. X. VARDAMAN, Governor"
The practical and businesslike tone
of this message has caIsed much ia
vorable comment among the members,
and 1t is understood that a measure
Will be at once framed and introduced
In the senate covering the sugges-
tons made.
The Days Work.
Legislative routine today was quite
u~neventful. The senate made the uni.
form school book bill, favorably re-
ported from the committee on educa-
ton a few days since, the special or.
der for next Tuesday. There is no
opposition of consequence to the meas
ure, and the customary publishing
house lobby is conspicuous by its alb
sence.
The major portion of the senate SEES
sion was devoted to the discussion
a very uninteresting road-work-
ing bill, on which the members ven.
tured a variety of opinions. The
measure was finally passed by a vote
Of 10 to IS.
A few regular appropriation bills, all
carrying small amounts, were passed.
The State library was given al allow
lnce of $1,000 for the biennial period.
The Ratliff bill passed by a decisive
vote, requiring that office of county SUI
of education be elective
all counties. Four counties are af-
,ected by this measure.
In the house an hour or so was spent
n vigorous complaints against the
lcoustics of the hall, and the discus
zion of proper remedies for the de-
ect. The members whose voices are
lot noted for strength and %esunan
especially vigorous in their com
Many new bills of a local nature
we're introduced in the house, but moth
ng further Of general interest trans I
tired in either branch, and both houses s
,djourned for the day. /
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1904-02-06
HoUSEBOAT CAPSIZED.
Louisville Boat Club Working to Save
Their Splendid Home.

Louisville, Ky, Feb. lit Is thought
the toWboat Bellevue, which was sunk
by the ice, will be a total loss. The
swift current is sending huge cakes
of ice against the boat and It has been
found impossible to get men to work
In an effort to raise her, owing to the
condition Of the river. The ho%useboat
OF the Pastime Boat Club was dis
lodged from her moorings and now lies
bottom side up opposite Towhead
Island. The members Of the Louis.
Vile Boat Club have been at work all
day e~ndeayOring to save their home.