The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-13
SHORT BUT BUSY SESSIONS ARE HELD
  Many Important Bills Intro
 duced at Jackson  FOUGHT MANY TIMES Trustees of Penitentiary Want More POwer-Bill Introduced to Require Roads to Run Extra" When
 Regular" is Very Late
FOUGHT MANY TIMES

Jackson, Miss, January l2.-tSpeciai'l Short but busy legislative sessions were held Thursday in both houses. A num- Der of important bills were ihtroouceo' and over some of which there will be liVe- ly. controversies later on. These Heas ures are not before the legislature for the first time, they have been fought over and threshed out at previous sesslois' Especially is that true as to bills requh- ing railroads to equip their engines wlth electric headlights. That proposition brought on a protracted fight four years ago, and the railroads showed to the satisfaction of the majority that many railroad systems that had been equipped with them had abandoned them.
 One of tho warmest fights of the pre- vious session was over a bill similar 10 that offered by Senator Donald authoriz- ing the railroad commission to require physical connections between rival tele- phone companies. Practically there is but one telephone company in this state, the Cumberland, and proved to the satisfac- tion of the majority that it would be B great hardship to force them to give connections with every little company that was started up, as it means to build up the little fellows at the expense of the\ big one This matter has also besn before the railroad commission and was voted down.
 The railroads will all be interested in, the bill offered by MT. Beacham requiring extra trains shall be run when the reSu- lar train Is unduly and unreasonably late. Such law might be enforced on roads inside the state, but hardly onsinterstate lines, though it's operation just now when trains are from two to eight hours late would be appreciated by the public. There is a fight in that bill.
 Another effort to secure exemption from taxation on all money loaned at per cent Is to be made, as also with its companion piece the reduction of the contract rate for money from 10 to per cent. These measures always provoke fight, and this session will hardly be an exception to the rule, though it is be- lieved both will pass this time.
 The trustees of the penitentiary want more authority than the present law d. lows them, and would trim the sails of the superintendent by securing to then1- selves through an amendment offered to- day the right and authority to elect all the sergeants and guards-an authority now NOuSnSdIeu tO lnS who is responsible for the men under him. This also means fight.
 The election of United States senators by the people for the regular term is not sufficient for some of the legislators, hence a bill was offered providing that there shall be a primary election to fill vavancies of more than one year in that office. That will pass.
 The resolution of Senator Rowan call ing on Mississippi representatives att Washington to secure if possible the ex- termination of the New York cotton OK change, and failing in that, to secure an expert grader for all exchanges. will probably be adopted. the average Missis sippian looking upon the New York ex~ change IS a band of robbers.
 The Senate has placed itself on record as favorng the use of the Capitol posi- office for both branches of the legisla- ture. same tc be managed by one post mistress, who takes the place of one in each branch. It is claimed the postof- fec. expenses last session were more than $10OO while it is possible to cut that In half