The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1906-04-06
HOUSE

Complete adjustment of the present
board OF control, the creation of a new
board Of trustees to be composed of
three members elected by the people and
a superintendent to be appointed by the
governor are the prime features OF the
bill passed by the house for the future
management of the State penitcntiary
Of the State Of Mississippi. With slight
amendments the measure passed the
lower body as it appeared from the com,
mlttee on peniteitnnry.
When the chapter on salaries came
up a heated debate cnsued on the ques-
ton of the fees of the Insurance com
missioner. The senate had amended this
section 50 that after 1905 his salary
would be $500, instead of fees, as at
present.
Mr.. Ross offered an amendment max.
ing the salary Of $500 apply from the
passage of the law under consideration.
Mr.. Ross amendment carried, and then
Il further amendment was passed allow
iHg the insurance commissioner 81, 900
each annually Tor two clerks and $500
for travelling expenses.
A department Of agriculture is the
latest addition to the executive branch
Of the government of the State of Mis-
sissippi, for the measure creating the
office passed the house, having previously
secured the approval of the upper body.
The lower body tackled on two amend
ments, one reducing the salary of the
commissioner to 1000 and the other
eliminating altogether the bureau of i'm
migration which the senate sought to
have as m adjunct Of the department.
These two differences between the SEN
ate and house will be thrashed out by
a conference committee, and if they
are settled the bill will then only await
the signature of the governor to become
a law,
The question of the appropriation of
$4,000 for the old ladies' home at Jack
son received its fatal death blow, at
least so far as this session was con-
ccrucd, when the house voted to table
the motion to reconsider by a vote of
So to A.
Another motion to reconsider was
tabled relating to the creation of the
department of agriculture, the members
expressing themselves as being satisfied
with the elimination of the immigration
feature.
Mr.. Wells offered an amendment to
the chapter on insurance. Ills amend.
ment required life insurance companies
to invest one-haif of the premiums col.
lectcd in this State in State, levee,
municipal and school bonds of this State,
or to loan the money on lands in this
State. The amendment was defeated by
a vote Of 20 to rs.
During the revision Of the insurance
laws of the State bills we're passed for.
bidding any foreign fire insurance COM
pany from doing business in Mississippi
unless it had n paid-up capital stock Of
$500, 900; requiring all life insurance
companies to deposit with the State
treasurer one.half of their capital stock,
either in cash or assets, and giving the
insurance commissioner the power and
authority to compel all companies to
produce before him all their books and
to compel the officers of every company
in this State TO give testimony,
The house then took up the chapter
on pensions, and it was adopted with few
minor amendments suggested by Chair
man Denton of the pension committee.
1t was during the consideration Of this
chapter that Messrs. Denton, Arnold and
Talbot took The floor to oppose tho strik.
ing out of the section giving pensions
to negro servants OF soldiers during the
war.
The house locked horns with the sen.
ate and refused to exempt money loaned
at 6 per cent. and money on deposit from
taxation, the speakers against the bill
claiming that one was made for the
benefit OF the money lenders and the
other for the special benefit Of the banks
Of the State.