Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1906-03-23
THE MISSISSIPPI
LEGISLATURE
OUR CORRESPONDENTS
WEEKLY LETTER.
RESUME OF TIE PAST WEEK
Subjects of Legislature Recommend
ed and Acted Upon From Day to
Day---House and Senate Bills Pass
ed and Other Items of Interest.

One Of the chief issues now before
the legislature is how to adjourn IN.
the shortest possible time. This ques-
tion is seriously worrying many mem
bers who are finding that their duties
here are beginning to interfere with
their private affairs to large extent
and many are complaining that every
day here now is costing them money.
There seems no possibility of an ad-
journment before April 6, however,
and many think the session will run
until the 18th, the time named in the
governors proclamation. One thing
is now certain and that is that the
appropriation made for the expenses
of the present session will be exhaus-
ted by the end of the present week
and that supplemental appropria-
tion will have to be made in order
to meet the expenses of the session.
The expenses of the legislature are
about 81 ,050 per day and this means
that something like $4,000 addition
al will have to be appropriated to
wind up the session. In spite of all
efforts to expedite matters, for some
reason the session continues to drag.
The first bill seeking to change the
system Of penitentiary managemen%
was introduced in the lower house by
Mr.. Norment of Oktibbeha. 1t pro-
vides for the appointment of three
commissioners to serve for terms of
four years each. One commissioner
shall be nominated by the house and
one by the senate, and the. third to be
selected by the governor. The three
commissioners shall appoint warden
and all other prison officials and en-
ployes. One commissioner shall act
as president, second as secretary
and the third as treasurer.
In all other respects the bill pro-
vides system of prison management
practically the same as that now in
force.
The house passed a bill as recon-
mended by the governor, providing for
field officer to the state board of
health, whose tenure of office shall be
from October to January, at salary
of $1,000.
The senate after a lengthy debate
which took up a whole day, expressed
itself in favor of selling the present
governors mansion property and
building new mansion to cost $40,-
600 on the site at north end of the
old capitol yard, also to sell all of
the property in rear Of the rear of
the old eapilto and all other vacant
state property In Jackson.
The argument against the sale of
the old capitol and the mansion was
that the historic memories connected
with the two old piles should be cher
ished and preserved to future genera
tions, but the business view prevailed,
and the vote taken indicated that the
sentiment in the senate is for the
sale. The bill was recommitted for
being segregated and perfected.
Judge Alton B. Parker of New York
standard bearer of the Democracy of
the Union in the last presidential
election was the guest of the Missis-
sippi Legislature Tuesday and was
right royalty entertained.
The occasion of Judge Parker's
visit was the special invitation ex-
tended him by the Mississippi Legis-
lature to address that body during the
present session. He was introduced
in each House separately and ac-
knowledged the introduction in few
brief words eongratulating the Legis-
lature upon having erected so hand
some building within the appropria-
ton and congratulating the people of
the state on having elected so econ
omical a legislature. The House and
Senate then adjourned and Judge
Parker was escorted to the Century
Theatre where he delivered his ad-
dress.
The theatre was crowded to its ut
most capacity, and large crowd was
in the lobby and entrance, and even
filled the sidewalks on the outside.
His address was eloquent and IN
structive, giving an outline of the
principles and duty Of Democracy.
He offered many excellent ideas and
suggestions to his hearers how to meet
the crisis which has been brought
about by recent revelations in high
finance.
The following resolution was unaa-
imously adopted by the Biloxi Com
mercial Club at its meeting and pre-
sented to the legislature:
Chicago Chicago is soon to have