The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1911-07-14
HOOPER OPPOSED
SALARY GRAB ITEM
BUT APPROVED BILL
FOUND THAT MAJORITY STOOL
FOR A PART OF THE
LOOT.
To Have Vetoed the Bills Wouio
Have Resulted in Confusion anc
Forced Legislature to ReconVene Ir
Extraordinary Session.


Extraordinary Session.
NASHVILLE, Tenn July T.
Though Gov. Hooper did his best, he
was unable to have cut out of the ap'
preparation bills the salary grab
He was able, however, to have the
size of the raid on the State treas
ury reduced from $500 per member to
5000 per member, or from $4,000 az
originally planned to $26,400. 1t lie
known that Gov. Hooper, through his
friends, sounded the members Of the
LEGISLATURE to ascertain what could be
done toward heading off the raid, but
found that independents, Republicans
and sometimes regulars who believed
in drawing on the State treasury were
largely in the majority.
1t is understood that the attitude
of Governor Hooper was along the
lines previously outlined in hts mes
sage to the legislature, in which he
expressed th2 opinion that there was
no legislative precedent or constitu
tional warrant for the payment OF any
sum, but if the legislature was deter
mined to vote any sum to itself by
way of compensation for expenses
that it should be done upon some
equitable basis and not in any arhitra.
ry or exhorbitant way
And right here it will be interest
ing to relate why the $500 of the sala'
Try grab was first in the general appro.
priation bill, and not in the miscella'
Ineous appropriation bill, which in.
cluded the regular salaries of the
members and the pay for the recess
committees likewise. This grab
was placed in the general, instead OF
the miscellaneous bill, for the evident
purpose of forcing Gov Hooper to APP
prove it, along with the other appro,
priation for running the State for the
next two years. A kind of rider
transferred from it's proper mount to
be forced on Gov. Hooper.
! There can be no doubt whatever
that Gov. Hooper found himself in
livery difficult attitude in regard to
this grab for the reason that a
very large percentage of all factions
were in favor Of the, appropriation
: Even as late as Thursday morning ii
appeared that both appropriation bills
would be sacrificed and the legisla.
ture disbanded in confusion, and the
immediate calling of an extra ses-
sion forced, on account of the differ
ence of opinion between the Cover.
nor and a majority of the General AS
sembly in regard to the salary grab.
| To obviate the necessity of a spec
ial session and the failure of the ap
preparation bills, it is said that the
governor finally agreed that he would
sign the bills, with this item includ-
ed, but cut from $66,5OO to $26, 400,
with the express understanding that
he did not approve the item as an In.
dependent proposition.
1t is rumored that Gov. HoOperon
three occasions, made efforts to get
the salary grab transferred to the
miscellaneous appropriation bill,
where it belonged, but that the com
mittee would not agree to this until
the Governor first agreed to sign the
bill, with the reduced amount per
member.
In selecting the three members
from the Senate, the sometimes regu-
lars on Wednesday morning agreed
on Senators McAlister, Houk and Ad-
ans. Senator McAlister, along with
Representative Galloway, voted solid
ly to cut out all pay, backing up Gov.
! Hooper's contention.
| A new thlng was done IN leSlsla-
tive circles when the two houses call
ed back bills already signed by the
speakers and in the keeping of the
Chief Executive Senator Cox, it is
said, on the train the night before,
declared nat such a thing could not
be done, and other members took the
same view, but the power OF the leg
islature of the State was equal TO the
task and the rifle was made.
Gov. Hooper will return the two
appropriation bills to the two houses
this morning with his signatures, but
not with his approval of the salary
grab.