The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-24
BUSY SESSION OF
 THE LEGISLATURE Mississippi Lawmakers Made
 Very Good Record NOEL NOT ALWAYS UPHELD Several of the Governors Pet Bills Failed of Passage-Leeislators Stuck To Economical Programme
 During the Term.
NOEL NOT LWAYS UPHELD

Jackson. Miss, March D. (speeia1)- The city of Jackson as well as the stale capitol building seems deserted today, nearly every member of the legislature having departed for home. The secretary of the senate and clerk of the house were both in their offices today. getting to- gether the odds and ends so that they may close up their business within tine extra time allowed them by their respec- tive houses which includes the indeXing of the journals.
 To show that this has been busy ses- sion. attention is called to the fact that 753 bills were introduced in the house, and that is 100 more than at any session Tn mnay years. A great many of these measures were never passed into laws, but curiously enough the vely last bill in- troduced, one for the benefit of the '. M. C. A. at Yazoo City, was passed. It was introduced a day or two before the close of the session, rushed over to the senate by special request, and was fortunate enough to get through without objection.
 In the Senate 453 bills were offered, and that is larger number than ever.
 Taking this legislature as a whole it has averaged with it's predecessors. There were just enough How pressure mem- bers to hold down the too liberal ee- ment and prevent extravagance The state colleges and institutions did not get all they demanded, but they have received sums sufficient to keep them going on their present scale. and not one of them II 1q Mr Tor- 1ison of Grenada chairman of the ap- propriations committee, has been referred to on the floor of the House as the watch dog of the treasury, and de- served the title, as it was due to his eff forts and the assistance of Frank Bur kit and his crowd that appropriations were prevented going to eight instead of six and a quarter millions, which is more than the states income.
 It may be that there have been errors of omission as well of commission, but the average citizen of the state will rejoice at the defeat of some measures while he will regret the defeat of others. but not one of importance was passed that need cause fear or apprehension that the best interests of the state have not been subserved.
 Among the more important measures that became laws were statutory pro- hibition, child labor, anti-convict leas- ing bill. state Repositories, changes in the banking larws. refusal to sell the old capitol and grounds, $30,0 to re- pair the governors mansion. etc.
 A list of the bills defeated will come nearer showing the wisdom and the foresight of the Mississippi legislators according to the idea of the average man. though several of them were de- manded by very large sentiment. One of the governors pet mea sures was constitutional prohibition but it failed. Another bill he advocated in one or two special messages was for 21a -cent passenger fare. but he never got it. The elective judiciary was another of the governors hobbies, and he advised the law makers along that line more than once, but it also failed Not only did it fail, but both houses passed what was known as the Quin bill, ar ranging for the selection of judges by primary election which was to be con
 
 to appoint to judgeships, over the ex- pressed determination of the governor to veto it if it ever came to him. The bill did pass by overwh elming ma Jorities. and went to the governor bu. he neither signed nor vetoed. He no doubt feared that in the event he did veto the bill and returned it to the legislature it would be passed in spite of the veto, and not wishing to subject himself and the state to any such half way elective Judiciary law. the gov ernor simply held it up, till next ses- sion, two years hence when he will send il in with his Veto
 The bill exempting 6 per cent money was repudiated when it reached the house in less than ten minues, there being no debate on the subject one way or the other
 A bill to tax dogs s1 each excited a lengthy discussion, but died abornin as all dog tax bills have always done
 The demand of South Mississippi for a constitutional convention and reap portionment and readiustment of school funds, fell by the wayside and that sec tion of the state got little or nothing out of it's demands.
 The drummers who travel this section are delighted at the passage of their bill giving them four instead of one day free storage on baggage-tbat being the last measure passed The Travellers also se- cured the enactment of the 'clean sheet bill" and one preventing fraud in the sale of stocks of merchandise in bulk, and are happy.