The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1906-02-16
Mississippi Legislature
Senate.

Mr., MOungcr introduced q %cohcurrcnt
resolution amending section $50 Of tht
constitution Of the State so that by 2
majority vote Of the electors Of q
! county the seat OF government may bt
changed from one part Of the county
to another, provided the distance to bt
moved be not greater than five miles
from the present or existing sit G.
Mr.. Dunn introduced a bill to appro.
pirate money to pay deficit in mileage
and per diem Of the trustees Of univer,
stiles and colleges.
The senate resolved Itself into a com.
; mittce Of the whole for the purpose of
considering code chapters, and tht chap.
t ter on revenue agent was taken up.
Section 4l9O, on powers OF the revenue
agent, was amended SO as to provide
for the authorities Of counties, Ihuuici-
pulities or lcycc boards to summon wit
ncsses in cases where property has es-
capped taxation, and FOR the revenue
agent to cooperate in summOning the
same.
The clause defining limitations was
changed 50 as to allow the revenue
agent to 90 back az far as 1896, but no
further, in the collection or inyebtiga-
tion Of delinquent taxes in cases where
they have escaped the assessor.
Nj. Mclean made an unsuccessful at.
tempt to Er, IN amendment inserted to
have the revenue agent put on a salary,
with four paid assistants. The majority
II the enate could not see ii that way
and voted the amendment down, it hay.
inc received only tWO votes.
Chapter As, on the subject of exempt
property or property not liable for
seizure to enforce a creditors claim, was
taken up and some few notifications
made. The most important of these
was in clause 10, subsection A, which
reads that the wages Of every laborer
or person working for wages, being the
head OF a fuuily, to the amount of 300
shall be exempt from punishment, Mr..
Dunn offered an amendment making il
read $50 per month and this was
adopted.
Mr.. Brandon offered an amendment to
section 1850, defining property not eN-
Cmpt from execution, which would IrO- |
vide that the property not exempt when
the Judgment is upon a forfeited bail
bond or from distress or attachment for
rent.
Mr.. Heidelberg stated that such a pro-
vision would bring about a radical de-
partmc from the present law and would
put debt for rent on the same footing
as for taxes.
MIR. Brandon subsequently Withdrew
his amendment, but promised to offer it
later on when some other chapter i,
reached.
Tho finance committee reported IN
fayurably on senate bill No. j., to ap-
propriatc 100000 for pensions to Con
frlcratc veterans that it do not pass.
The same committee reported unfavOr
ably on the house bin appropriating
$500 a year to the Confederate Ncter-
ans Hospital at Nicisburg, but that
substitute bill do pass,
Then came the county court bill with
the two reports, one being a favorable
ma iority report, and the other an un-
favorable minority, presented by Mr.,
GrcaNcs. Mr.. kcndrick suggested that
as the bill had been printed and tho
senators were acquainted with its pro
visions, it would not be necessary to
read it through. hut take it by sections.
Mr.. Dunn thought az section Al was
the heart Of the bill, it would be well to
consider that first, and this was agreed
to aud the section was read by the |
clerk. !
Senator II. j. McLaurin was then /
recognized and explained the features |
and principles Of the measure. That (
there is ample ground in Mississippi for {
such n law he thoroughly and consci, @
cutiuu,ly believed. t
Eventually the matter having been S
pretty welt thrcShcd out II vote was .
reached. Mr., Dunn moving that the
bill be placed IN its final passage, and L
the bill failed by Il vote of II to l.. S
Senator Malcolm Franklin of the r
submitted the report on all II
three Of the State colleges for the com I
on those institutions, which con- {
stunned some little time in the reading, b
mad Mr., IiiEhtoWcr, a minority report, Il
required a still longer time. b
After dispo,ing of the reports and y
the seuatc started on its Sandy Bayou Z
bill, Chairman Damn sent up an u
amendment to the house bill, which was ?
in effect that the passage Of this bill u
not affect any valid contracts at u
present in force for the year 1906. This, u
If course, implied that should the Sandy i
contract be found valid by the
Court the legislative enact If
mcut would not be retroactive. The bill C
rs amended, passed by Il vote Of 81 to 9 fC
Senator Farley then called up house ic
bill No. !, aVpr0priating 81 ,250,O00 for fl