El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-08-07
TEXAS PENITENTIlRY Commission
CHANGES ARE TO De RADICAL
House Bill, Now Under Consideration, Provides For
General Manager and Two Assistants; Middle in
Penitentiary Matter Takes New Turn; the
Governor Talks Pc litics at Banquet

senate passed finally, under suspen-
sion of the constitutional rule, the
house bill making appropriations for
the judiciary department OF the state
government An attempt by senator
Townsend was made TO consider the
bill section by section, but that was de-
feated and the bill passed practically
without change from the way IL passed
in the house
Senator Willacy said that it is not
proposed to pass the other house ap-
preparation bills. but that the senate
will, not later than tomorrow, send in its
bill and have it substituted for the
house bills and passed without any eX-
tended debate, and then send the sub
house will naturally refuse to accept
the measure and then a free conference
Saturday the house will have been to all
committee will be appointed TO dispose
of the measure. Thus by Friday or
intents finished with appropriations.
Direct Vote Bill in senate.
The Kennedy bill, providing for the
election of United StatesgsenatOr by
direct vote of the people, which was
passed finally in the house, was sent
over to the senate for consideration
The indications are the senate will &C
cept this bill, as it is in great meas
ure like the Hudspeth Dill passed by
the senate, but in the event the senate
rejects the bill, a free conference COM
mittee Will be asked to settle the diff
ferences between the two branches The
Kennedy bill, as finally passed, pro-
vides for the election of United States
senators by a majority vote, and a sec
Ond primary of the two highest candi-
dates, if none of the candidates receive
a majority at the first primary. Cam
| paign expenses are limited to $4,000, and
$4,000 additional is allowed for those
{ two candidates who may have to IN
Z dergO a second primary.
Witness Fee BIZ in House.
! After considerable debate, the house
/ has passed to engrossment the house
bill providing for the repeal of the act
Of the SD legislature, which allowed
witness fees to witnesses in felony
[ cases when the witness resides in the
( county of the prosecution, the fees be-
I ing $3.50 per day. This was recon-
mendatiOn of the governor.
Claims Date Was Changed.
/ Another phase of the penltentiary
/ commission muddle has just come to
/ light on the question of the appoint
/ ment and confirmation of the com
! mission. It developed that governor
/ Colquitt had sent the names of COM
| Inissioners Title and Brahan for
/ confirmation to the senate on Friday,
] January II, 1913, during the past reg
/ ular session, three days before the
! new penitentiary law went into eff
! feet, but that the message was not
/ read or taken up in the senate until
/ Monday, January 90 1913 and thereby
/ hangs a tale. 1t was found that the
| date of the message was changed
/ from January II to January 20, by
! whom has not been disclosed. The
! governor in contending that the ap-
! pOintment of Title and Brahan were
vacation appointments based his action
/ on the fact that the appointments were
! sent up three days before the new
/ law went into effect, and the records
/ in the executive department sustain
! this point, while the senate record
shows the message was sent up on
| January 20.
Politics ,t barbecue
The barbecue given by state SEN
atOr 7. H. McGregor to the members
/ of the legislature, at his country
| home four miles northwest of the city,
| proved an event of considerable po-
! liticai Importance, although it was not
. contemplated that politics would be
4 discussed. Many speeches were made
| during the afternoon, including one by
! governor COlquitt- The governor in
! the outset told his auditors that the
affair was a social one and the gov
! ernOr should not have been called
! upon, but when he got started he
I told some plain truths to the legisla-
] tors. He had been requested to say
something about the penitentiary af-
| fairs of the state, but the governor
| declared emphatically that the peni-
I Tertiary was one of the smallest prob
| lens he had to deal with.
-On an occasion like this" said the
| governor cit is not a good time for
| the governor to talk, but rather for
( the candidates to talk You NAV have
! expected me to cuss the Legislatures
but am going to reserve this right
| for a later date"
Willing to Go Half Way.
The governor declared emphaticaIly
| that he was willing to meet the leg