The Jimplecute. (Jefferson, Tex.) 18??-1907, 1905-02-18
REVIEW TO DATE
Of the Twenty-Ninth Legislature by
Chas. w. Carlson.

our legislature In place OF MAJOR
ity of Jim Crow" lawyers lie no
doubt evident to every one who has
followed up the pool bills for reg.
ulating ever phase of endeavor
which are now pending, Some of
these measure may not be needed,
but large number of them are 80
drastic in character as to work un
nessary hardship upon the business
enterprises and people ofTexas.
1st, there is the sweeping anti free
pass bill before the house which has
already passed the Senate. 1t pro-
hibits the granting of passes to
any except railroad officials and
employees and street car officials
and employees. Under such law,
if this bill should become a law,
the sick or wounded, or even the
dead, could not be transported by
the railroad, even its own victims.
without prepayment of fare, and
the companies could not encourage
the holding of conventions for the
promotion of immigration and de.
velopment by granting free trans
portation to the promoters without
violating or evading the law.
An officer in the discharge Of
his duty could not use the railway
train as means of quick transit in
an emergency if he happened not
to have at his command the means
to pay his fare.
The application of the law to
street railways would prevent fire.
men from using the street cars,
even when going to fires. if they
happen to be minus the fares, and
policemen and other peace officers
answering hurry calls would be in
the same fix.
Laws should be enacted for the
people at large and not for the ben
eft of few corporations, The
anti.pass bill is financial benefit
to the railroads and street car com.
panies only, and wheo you see by
what large majority it passed our
Senate you can see who owns it.
Now If this passes the house and
in the end it is not vetoed by the
governor, we can see who owns the
whole business.
A bill has passed the Senate re-
quiring complete yearly reports in
detail of all business transactions
and operations of corporations
This answers the oft repeated cry
for publicity of corporate methods,
but some claim it will it will lay =
heavy burden of expense in extra
bookkeeping which of course
would only add to the cost of the
product and the consumer or the
people at large would be the only
sufferers.
Bill has passed the House giving
all towns chartered under the gen.
eral law the right to regulate the
rate of public utilities, water, light,
gas and telepones. This law will
be good where the mayor and board
of aldermen know something about
the cost of producing such commo
dities. but would work hardship
where city governments are made
up of men entirely ignorant of bus.
mess of that kind which is the
case in nine out of every ten towns.
Another bill absolutely forbid.
ding the sale of future wages.
Another bill regulating sleeping
car rates.
Another bill pending providing
for taking children away from par,
ents who do not properly care TO,
them.
Still another bill is pending fix
ing tax on bachelors over 25 at +
steadily increasing ratio until at 81
a man must either marry or move
out of the State. This will neces
state the passage of bill impos'
ing a fine upon comely maidenl
for saying No, and the fine to bt
doubled for each otfense.
They are trying to do away with
all our innocent amusements o
our country fairs, such as cattle
roping, broncho busting. and imi
tation bull fights.
Prohibition is touched up with
an array of bills. but so far single
one has not been introduced which
would do the project any good.
Though some of this Legislation
may be necessary and good. We
taken as whole, it indicates al
unfortunate prying, meddling, anc
inquisitorial spirit. "Laisse
Faire" was once the corner ston