The Tupelo journal., 1908-02-28
~THIRTY-FIFTH DAY.
House.

The feature of the House session was
the debate on the G. l.. Jones constitu-
toinal prohibition amendment resolution,
which was called up by the gentleman
from Union as the special order, and de-
bated very thoroughly. The resolution
seeks to embody in the constitution, as
part of the organic law, the same princi-
Piles that govern the statutory prohibi-
tion bill, which was today advanced on
the last stages of completion with the
signature of the speaker. 1t was earnest.
ly supported by Mr.. Jones, A. c. Ander-
son and L. d. Cavett, and as vigorously
opposed by Messrs. Yates, Alcorn, john
ston, of Coahoma, and Others, and on
being put to the vote it was found that
there lacked three votes of being enough
to make two-thirds of the House, and 80
the amendment was lost.
Quite a coincidence in connection with
this vote was the fact that all the mem
bers representing wet" counties voted
with the majority, or for the amendment,
while the South Mississippi representa-
tives, who had vigorously supported stat
utory prohibition, voted no"
Another surprise in the house was the
calling up and passage, in the face OF
an adverse committee report, of the
Johnston bill, providing that all sher-
ifs secure from the internal revenue
collectors the names of all to whom
liquor licenses have been issued in order
that they may be published in some
newspaper in the county.
The house passed two appropriation
bills, that for the support of the state
blind institute and for the support and
maintenance of the pe%nitentiary and
state farms, with certain amendments.
1t was not so with the bill for the
logical, typographical and economic sur
vey, which carried about $4,000, and
which was killed outright in the COM
mittee. though it had passed the Sen
ate.
Senate.
Mr.. Hebron called up Senate concur.
rent resolution z, requiring al oxami-
nation by the state revenue agent into
the report that has been circulated for
some time relative to the conduct of the
secretary-treasurer of the YaZoo- Missis-
sippi Delta Levee board. The resolution
was adopted.
The special order, discussion of the
state constitutional convention question,
was taken up.
Mr.. Mahon, chairman of the Commit
tee on Constitution, found himself in a
most embarrassing position, in that he
was found to oppose the majority of his
committee. But his sense of duty to
his people and his loyalty to his state
compelled him to take the position.
Mr.. Gibbs thought this question was
the most important before the people.
He gave a graphic story of the times
which led up to the holding of the last
convention-that time when the men of
Mississippi, fighting for white suprem-
acy, slept on their arms as much as
ever they had done when wearing their
Confederate uniforms, and fighting for
their homes and firesides. Mr.. Gibbs
tribute to the men from whose brain
the system was evolved and to whose
splendid courage the state today owes
her immunity from the torment that
once almost crushed her out, was SUI
perb.
Senators West, Bush, McGehee and
Rowan spoke and ~besought their fell
lows to heed the cry of South Missis-
sippi and grant her justice. Eventually
Senator Dean moved indefinite post
ponement. which carried.