The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1908-03-20
FIFTIETH DAY.

The work of the legislature today
consisted largely in routine matters,
with very few bills or resolutions cal
culated to stir up jebate or engender
opposition. The senate, after some dis
c~ussion, passed Il bill providing for q
special attorney for the railroad com
mission, the bill specifying that the Of
fetal must be selected by the governor,
as are other state appointees, and that
the attorney so selected shall be under
the supervision OF the attorney gen.
eral. =
Another bill, appropriating the sum of
SO 1000 as a salary for such officer, was
passed by the senate.
The house was occupied q good part
of the day with the concurrent resolu-
ton providing for an elective judiciary
and passing upon several amendments in
connection Herewith. The amendments
making provision for the increase of the
supreme bench from three to five mem
bers, was struck out, while additional
amendment, making the terms of the
supreme court judges ten years, instead
of eight, as now, was adopted. The two
amendments in the general resolution,
making the circuit judges and chancel-
lors elective by direct vote of the people
at the same time that the congressman
are elected, or in years when there are
no general elections held, were severally
adopted, the resolution finally passing IFS
first reading.
The house also passed unanimously
the bill fixing the punishment for Sc.
J,aI,a. 90. attnn,ptnl unlt,rt ian at i'm
%prisonment for u term of not more than
twenty years, and also passed the bill
providing for improvements and addi-
tons TO the executive mansion. This
was a senate bill, which the house COM
mittee amended by cutting the appro-
p~riation down from $4,000 to 100000.
A resolution was presented and adopt.
ed providing for u Joint committee of the
two houses to investigate the matter OF
official salaries and prepare n bill for
| presentation at the next session, pro
| viding for such changes as may be recon-
mended.
The house bill providing for an appro-
~priation for carrying on the Department
of Farmers Institutes at the Agricul'
tural and Mechanical College, with an
amendment reducing the allowance from
1880 for each of the two years, to
$4,000, was passed, 95 to O..
The only appropriation bill that ex'
cited discussion was the senate bill APP
propriating $4,000 for the work of re-
storing, repairing and improving, includ-
ing the building Of an annex to the ex-
~ecutiye mansion. Mr.. Morrison stated
that his committee had studied the bill
very closely and were satisfied that no
interest would suffer if the amount were
cut about $4,000, and that was the
house committee recommendation.
Mr.. Yewell of Carroll introduced an
amendment to cut the appropriation to
$1,000 and was supported in his CON
t~ention for the reduction by Mr.. Majors
and others, but their protests were OF no
avail, as the amendment of Mr.. Yewell
was voted down, and the bill was sub
sequently passed by a vote OF 81 to
10.
The house bill appropriating money
for the maintenance OF the Mississippi
National Guards was the next up, the
original bill having aggregated 1882, 900
to be cut to $4,000 by the economical
appropriations committee. In its emas'
cuiated form the bill passed easily.
The elective Judiciary resolution then
came up as the regular order, the DEBATE
being long drawn out, though good ma
tured.
The discussion of this amendment re.
solution continued until the hour for
adjournment.