The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1907-07-23
AMENDMENT MATTERS
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10 IAtH SsAe saa Fsrpess.


voted oa Tuesdas. Aaeuat { ~aa
l~rItssn fof the nsiiaa Ne~s
There ts saeh general Ignorance
Of the seope and parpone % the
laueudmente 60 by sote,. gn through
tout rssaa on 'he sth Of uext month.
that ! feel IL ia due thc public that
the newspapers ~ ,hr state be re-
qnealed 20 call ,h~ attention Of the
p.ep}e hef@eeu BON aud the
election So yha importance Of voting
fof or against the amendments So
FAR. I have not soen the amendments
published In any paper bat Tho
News. and from the com meat8 made
oo some Of them. "a shown by clip
plugs tn State preas it Is clear that
many newspaper men have not 20
much es read the proposed amend
merts
The first proposed amendment
merely provides for the erection and
maintenance of a home for aged and
needy wives and widows Of Coufcd
crate soldiers and women Of the
south who aided the Coufederacy. II
there are now. or II there ever here
after viii be in Texas such women
who need q shrltering home surely
Texans. especially the press of Texas
are willing that the legislature have
power TO provide It for them To
vote down this amendment would be
a dishonor TO the manhood of Texas.
II the people understand it it will
not be done
The second proposed amendment
provides for The establishment and
maintenance of an agricultural de-
partment and bureau of labor. This
amendment was submitted in answer
10 the demands of the farm and la
Dor press and unions of Texas. They
have asked for it. 1t remains to be
seen if they want such depart
ment.
The third proposed amendment
provides for increasing the pay of
Legislators. This amendment would
not have been submitted had it not
been for my own personal active eff
forts. If any one is to blame for 1t,
am the person. The legislature was
almost at an end when | secured its
7
ed special recognition from the
speaker for the member who report
ed it. | went to the president of the
senate and requested and obtained
jported it. My recollection is this oc-
CURED on the last day for consider
ing such matters. All other amend
ments, it was already provided,
should be voted on on August 6, and
it was for that reason decided that
this one should be submitted on that
d ". too. This is the history of that
amendment.
The purpose is 70 give better pay
and secure better work Texas lesis-
lators are poorly paid, and | have
always believed that poor pay result
ed in poor workmen and poor work.
The pay of a legislator ought TO be
such that he could give some time
to actual study of the work OF
legislator before he goes to AUSTIN.
AS it is the average member VINO
goes to the legislature goes there as
ignorant of building laws as he Is
of how to build an up-to-date man
of war This is putting it strong,
but not too strong. Generally the
men who go are poor men, unable to
buy books and lose time at their own
expense, on present pay. 10 fit them
selves for legislative work. Under
such conditions can We expect wise
and well finished laws?
Another purpose of the amend
ment is 20 cut out the possibility OF
the unreasonable and old-1me mil
cage allowed members in going to
IUI IflU nlHE li'lAA Nti'' f'h'''H
sututing Sc per mile for 2oc. as al
present.
Stul another purpose of the
amendment is to- cut out the need
and pay for extra sessions. II This
amendment is adopted the governor
can hold the Legislature 1I year
without extra pay .o members This
would give ample time for deihvr-
atD work ~ hiatus was found
3D. could Dee remedied. ~ au injustice
v.s done Dr. could Boz uutou". " a
law were PASSED BE- could be-" r.rs1I-
.a. aud alI without tho 0ust ut aH
eXtrs session Bur. nCt Hf all Aut
far careful study and deliberate
Wura would make fur., uiua uI
less rrqueu. occurrence. tHHHt I
over s better amendment eyr' sub.
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