The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1906-08-23

by the constitution for new counties.
The area Of James, Moore, Pickett and
Unicoi is less than 200 square miles. 1t
follows, therefore, that of the so called
new counties, conceding them to have
been constitutionally created, which
admits of serious doubt, from only one,
Chester, could territory be legally tax
en-.
There are only thirty mine counties
OF the state which have an area of as
much as 500 square miles. OF this num-
ber three, Robertson, Dyer and ndWilliam-
son, have just 500 square miles, there
fore under the opinion of the supreme
court above quoted it is plain that no
territory can be taken from any of them.
This leaves just thirty-six counties of
the state from which territory can be
cOnstitutionally detached. Any act
which seeks to detach territory from
any of the remaining sixty counties is
plain in direct conflict with the man
date of the constitution, and is nugato-
ry and void.
There are eight counties in East Ten
nessee having more than the territory
prescribed. These counties, with the
number of square miles of each, are as
follows: Blount 552; Greene 6l5; Knox
$50; Marion, 5O4; Monroe, 66S; Morgan
$40; Scott, sos; Sewer, 5SS. These coun-
ties named together, with the square
miles mentioned, in Middle Tennessee,
have more than the constitutional area
Cumberland, 54S; Davidson, $50; Dick
son, 600; Franklin, 61O; Giles, 6O5;
Hickman, 655; Lawrence, 500; Lincoln,
597; Maury, 632; Montgomery, 54S;
Perry, 500; Rutherford, COS; Sumner,
$40; Wayne, 757; Wilson, $50. The
following are in West Tennessee: Car
roll 624; Fayette 6l8; Gibson, 625; Har.
deman, 655; Hardin, 5s7; Haywood, $50
Henderson, SIS; Henry, 625; McNairy,
$40; Madison, 545; Obion, sos; Shelby,
769; Weakley, 565. A larger per cent.
of the West Tennessee counties have
the area prescribed than those of any
other section, two. thirds of the counties
of this division being without the limit.
The following acts passed by the last
general assembly, changing county
lines, are unconstitutional, null and
void, because in violation of the pro.
vision above referred to;
Chapter 17S, taking territory from
McMinn and attaching same to PolA
county,
Chapter 1866, taking lands from Put
nam and attaching same to DeKalt
county.
Chapter 1876, taking territory from
Moore county and attaching it to Lin
coin county.
Chapter SO, taking lands from DeKall
county and attaching same to Smitl
county.
Chapter So, detaching lands from
Smith county and attaching same t.
Trousdale county.
| Chapter 95, taking lands from Smith
county and attaching them to DeKall
county.
Chapter 9, take territory from Jack
son county and add it to Putnam.
Chapter 20, to take lands from Bentol
county and attach the same to Carol
County.
Chapter 3S, to take territory from
Overton county and attach same t
Putnam county.
Chapter 80, to take lands from Pick
EFT county and attach same to Fentres
county.
Chapter 36, detaching territory fror
DeKalb county aud attaching the sam
to Putnam county.
Chapter 81, detaching land from Lou
| don county and attaching it to Monro
county.
! Chapter AZ, to. detach territory froI
! Smith county and attach same to Wi
, son county.
Chapter SO, to take lands from Ovel
: ton county and attach same to Putnal
: county.
. Chapter 2O5, detaching lands frol
? Williamson county and attaching sam
Q to Mauray county.
Chapter 800, taking territory froI
t Jackson county aud attaching same
Smith county.
J. Chapter 453, to detach territory fro
y Fentress county and attach it to Owe
It ton county,
+ Chapter 1913, to take lands from o
/. ton county aud attach same to Picke
l. county. (This is an exact duplicate
II of chapter 1893, both the senate al
l. house bills having passed, rather 81
I. commentary on the intelligent maHn
.r in which the members of the legislatu
h attend to the details of legislation).
1t Chapter 1874, detaching lands fro
ot Coffee county aud attaching the sar
Or to Grundy county.
A. Chapter 373, to take lands from Owe
ton county and attach them to Pick'
IL county.
iu Chapter $40, to detach lands frc
of Putnam county and attach them
as Smith county.
a. Chapter 337, to detach lands from Ol
of county and attach the same to Overt
al county,