The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1907-01-03
MEMBERS ARE DEPARTING.
General Assembly COnvCnes at Nashville
Next Monday.

lessee Edgington, is on the ground.
but many Of the members from other |
counties are already there, and the va
rious candidates for positions to be fill
ed by the upper and lower house are
pressing their claims to recognition to
such of the Legislators as are now in
Nashville.
Tonight Governor reject Patterson
will leave for the capital city. He will
be accompanied by Representatives AL
bert Benham, Samuel FL. Cooper, Fred
D. Waddell and j. Messick Hall.
Thursday Representatives W. Il. Gill,
W. Fl. johnson and probably Others
will leave. Senator Walter W. Tai
bert may possibly be detained in Mem
phis until Saturday night, but will go
as soon as it is possible for him to get
away,
Nashville at the present time is full
of the democratic political leaders of
the state who have been attracted by
the warm fights that are being made
for the speakerships and other posi-
tions which are to be filed.
In the senate it seems that the con-
test for speaker is between Senators
Toilet and Bean, and the supporters
Of both express confidence that their
favorite will land the coveted plum.
In the house there are host of candi.
dates, including Albert Benham, of
this county, L. G. Gordon, Of Dyer, G.
A. Stainbsck, of Fayette, and Others.
The Shelby county delegation had a
conference yesterday afternoon and
the speakership matter was DISGUISE
at length. The consensus of opinion
was that Mr.. Benham would be sue
cessful in his aspirations to WELD the
gavel over the lower house.
Mr.. Benham has been in Nashville
recently and is sanguine of winning
the fight. He states he has mere votes
pledged to him than any other candi-
date, and that he is, to use his own
words, ''going to win"
Still other measures are to be intro.
duced in the Legislature at its coming
meeting. 1t is asserted that bill has
been drawn providing for the repeal of
the small offense law which prohibits a
justice of the peace from hearing the
testimony in cases while the grand ju-
ry of the criminal court is in session.
Again it is stated measure will be Of
fered providing for the repeal of the
present law prohibiting justices of the
peace from taxing costs in certain
cases tried outside the districts from
which they are regularly elected.
For time there was talk Of bill to
repeal the existing jury law, but since
the members conferred with the mem
bers of the judiciary it appears that
they are practically satisfied the exist
ing law is proving satisfactory. Hence
it is hardly probable that such bill
will be introduced.
The proposed bill of Senator Mans
field to relieve the supreme court
judges seems to meet with favor in the
ranks Of the legal fraternity through
out the state. In interviews promi-
nent attorneys take the position that
such measure should be enacted into
law.
There is talk of bill requiring rail-
road companies to charge only two
cents mile for transportation within
the state instead of the present rate,
three cents. Similar measures are be-
ing agitated in other states and in
Tennessee many of the members elect
to the Legislature are being importuned
to urge the passage of such bill here.
The Knoxville Sentinel speaks of the
probable work of the Legislature as fol-
lows:
Questions OF education, temperance
and taxation will probably be the most
absorbing problems to be discussed
and acted upon by the members of the
legislature by the messages from Gov,
J Cox and Governor-elect Patterson. II
is certain that the coming Legislature
will pass new revenue and assessment
laws. The legislature of 1905 was the
first one in ten years that did not pass
bills on this subject, but the democrat
&c platform demanding changes in the
assessment laws makes it certain that
new laws on these SUBJ ects will be en-.
acted.
Educational matters will probably
receive more attention from the legis-
lature than the measures upon any
other subject. There are several very
serious and important problems tc
confront the members affecting the
public school interests of the state.
The Baldbridge bill, to pro rate on The
basis of population the state school
taxes instead of allowing the amounts
raised therefrom to remain in the
counties subject to local disposition is
one that is certain to provoke long
and interesting contest. This meas
ure is of especial Importance to the
larger counties, as its enactment
would necessitate an increase in the
tax levy for school purposes of at leas
ten cents on the 800 in counties like
Davidson and Shelby.
Another bill affecting the educa.