The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1914-06-20
GRIsT OF THE LEGISLATIVE
MILL

tho average number of new laws oi
VARYING Importance added to the
states already voluminous coilectlo1
of statutes. A few CONSTITUTIONAL
amendments are to be thrown IN TOT
good measure, thus affordlng the peo-
ME another chance to vote Tor OF
AGAINST further patching-up OF the or
ganic law of the commonwealth, put
it is not probable election comhls-
sioners will have the privilege OF re.
heating the convenient practice OF
making up returns without the trou-
blesome Formally of counting these
votes. since the general assembly is
likely to enact a law that will make
il as much of an offense to falsify re-
turns on a constitutional amendment
as il is to count out candidate for
constable.
The general appropriation bill, pro-
viding for the expenditure of some
thing more than the states estimated
revenues of $11, 100000 for the next
two years, was introduced in the
house of representatives this week.
The great majority of the numerous
items making up this important mea-
sure are alike in character ana
| amounts to those in the approprla-
ton bill passed in 1912; in some IN
stances there have been increases
and in more cases reductions as COM
! pared with the previous allotments'
The leading educational institutions
| under state control, the charity hos
pitaIs at New Orleans and Shreve-
| port, and the insane asylums at Pine
vile and Jackson, ere booked for in
creased appropriations, but OF course
! the committee found it an lmpossl-
| BILE task, as always, to grant all that
was asked in behalf of these worthy
institutions or to provide anything
at all for a good many other merit
! orious objects.
The house has passed the Manion
bill proposing a constitutional amend
ment to exempt money On deposit
from taxation, and the senate ap-
proved by a tWo-thirds vote Senator
Clinton's proposed constitutional
amendment to increase the salary Of
the governor to $500 a year, taking
effect after the expiration OF the
present governors term.
| Among the measures that have
been ''relegated to the junk pile" by
indefinite postponement is Mr.. Tete's
proposition for the holding of a con-
stitutional convention, Mr.. Schwing' 8
bill to merge the various levee
boards, and two bills to increase the
powers of the Louisiana State
Board of Health,
| Several salary-increasing bills have
been defeated, among them one to
raise the yearly stipends of the
members of the conservation COM
mission $1,000 each.
A bill to abolish restricted dis
tricts in towns and cities was de-
| feated in the house, but has been
reconsidered and returned to the cal
endar for further consideration. The
vote on reconsideration was tie,
which Speaker Thomas decided in the
affirmative.
Representative Buie's resolution for
a probe of the Tensas levee board s
land sales, which had passed the
house without .apposition, was de-
feated in the ssnate by 2g to IS
votes.
The bill amending the general
drainage act passed the senate unan-
imously.
Mr.. Harper's bill to prohibit gam
bling in cotton futures was reported
| unfayorably in the senate.
| Mr.. SchWing's bill to require
sheriffs, tax collectors, assessors and
clerks of court to keep record Of
an11nofn1 q h1yy cd
to the house, and SO was Mr.. Man
ions bill proposing constitutional
amendment granting suffrage to Wo-
men. The latter measure was made
the special order in the house for
next Tuesday.
A pending bill proposes to prohibit
divorced persons from remarrying
while the other spouse is living,
Much interest and no little opposi
ton have been aroused by Represent
alive Johnson's bill to put the seven
state educational institutions under
the control of a board of three mem
bers to be appointed by the COVER
nor, replacing the present state
board of education and several boards
of trustees. At a hearing this week
Representatives Johnson and Locke
and State Superintendent Harris ap-
peared as advocates of the bill, while
Presidents Boyd of the Louisiana
State University, Stephens of the
Lafayette industrial institute and
Huckaby of the blind institute at
Baton Rouge argued against the mea-
sure. Further hearings are to be
held.
According to the New Orleans
Times-Picayune's count, $50 bills and
rs resolutions had been introduced
in the general assembly up to the
close of last weeks business. OF
this number five had been promulgat-
ed, fifteen more had passed both
houses and awaited the governors
approval thirty-three senate bills
had gone over to the house for con-
currence and about 100 house bills
had been sent to the senate, leaving
approximately 497 measures in the
legislative hopper, less a small num-
her killed off by defeat or indefi-
mite postponement
The five measures finally passed
and promulgated are as follows:
{ Act No. Making an appropria-
tion to defray the expenses of the
general assembly.
Act No. 2-Concurrent resolution
commencing President Wilson for
landing troops at Vera Cruz.
Act No. 3-Authorizing the New
Orleans dock board to cede to the
navy department landing at the
head OF Esplanade street.
Act No. 4-Concurrent resolution
memorializing congress to open the