The Tupelo journal., 1906-02-09
A Letter From Dr.. Hoy!e

The past week was a very UNI
eventful one in the house, but
much work was done by the var
ious committees. The feature of
the week was the defeat Of the
whiskey bill making it a felony
to sell it in prohibition counties,
for the second offense. You
know it was passed once by 108
or IL majority, but was recon-
sidered and defeated by about
the same number, so it is a dead
letter for this session. The pro-
hibitionists seem afraid of any
bills, especially when the author
is from the other side So they
were split up on this bill, some
afraid of snakes, whilst others
believed it a good bill. am Of
the opinion that.we have all the
law we need, if it were executed.
If we could get behind the officers
and force them to do their duty
it would forever put an end to
the blind tiger business. The
patent medicine or Lockwood bill
was killed in committee room,
and is done for this session. They
threaten to come again but it
will pc in vain. The child labor
bill, the committee agreed to re-
port it so that no child under ten
years should be worked in fac
tories, and those from ten to
thirteen for only six hours dur
ing the day.
The senate passed the Revenue
bill to exempt all monies loaned
at 6 per cent. from taxes, as well
as all cash on hand or deposit.
They also fixed the Revenue
agent so that after January 1st.
1908, he could only go back six
years in examining books, but
until then he may go back to
1886.
| presume this week will be
mostly devoted to Code work.
The committee to which was re-
ferred my Reform School bill
were much pleased with it and
reported it favorably to the house.
1t will be called up this week. 1t
was for white boys from 6 to 16
years old, but it will be hard to
pass it the first session, as it al
ways is with new bills. AS tc
appropriations, we have now
passed the 4, 900, 900 mark and it
will take two million more to do
us. We will have to sell two
million of bonds, unless we raise
taxes one mill, which will hardly
be done, all are averse to doing
that
Our disbursements have out
grown our receipts for the last
six years more than 20 per cent.
What we have already appropri-
ated will exceed our receipts for
the next two years, so from this
on will be bond issue. 1t is hard
to stop things. We have got ex-
travagant ideas about our prog
ress, or greatness, and forget
that a day of reconing must sure
ly come. | believe the County
or District Bill will be passed
this session, if so, they will very
materially change our judicial
system. 1t will to a large extent
do away with Justice of Peace
and give us a county court once
every month. The Vicksburg
monument bill has not been re-
turned from the committee, that
is, the appropriation for it. The
committee are very much divided
on it and the economists are
whetting their knives for it. |
am sure it will be much reduced
from the 500, 900 first expected.
Our low pressure crowd, as we
are called, has largely increased
and | am sure will save much
for the state at this session.
The weather here is bright and
sunshinny every day. Have had
but little rain since we have been
here and I am anxiously waiting
for lizard time, when the warm,
sunny weather comes, then will
the farmer andcountry members