The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1915-01-08
Oar State Legislatures.

Whether 1t is TO be the same oiu
crowd OF lawmakers working the State
and the same old crowd Of politicians
working the lawmakers remains to be
seen.
Legislators have been fooling the peo-
pie for long time. They promise re-
form in the summer and forget it IN
the winter.
Preliminary to the Tennessee Legls-
lature the politicians have gathered 10
Nashville. They are not concerned IN
constructive legislation so far as any
one has heard.
Their business is to pull for offices for
friends and to put in lick that will
strengthen their machine.
AS long as we have political govern
ment we must have politicians. Their
degree of usefulness is measured by
their intelligence, capacity, selfishness
or unselfshness.
The Legislatures of most of the South
ern States would have long ago ruined
them except for the increase OF pros
perity that has come to the people from
a fast developing country.
The State Legislatures in this section
are chiefly conspicuous for their inef-
ficiency in managing the business affairs
of their States. They are quick to I'M
dertake debts, but forgetful of the pay
day.
The Governors of Alabama, Arkan-
sas, Mississippi and Tennessee are con-
cerned in securing money to pay iioat-
ing debts. Now and then they are
compelled to go to New York to ar
range for renewal of bonds, which work
the Legislature has neglected.
In Tennessee this year there is splen-
did opportunity for constructive work.
The debt of the State should be adj
iusted and settled
The convict lease system should be
abolished and the convicts should be
utilized for road building.
The fee system should be thoroughly
overhauled.
In the counties of Shelby, Madison,
Montgomery, Davidson, Hamilton and
Knox the enormous amount paid to fee
officers should be turned back to the
taxpayers and the officials should be
placed on salaries.
The excess of fees officials in Shelby
County receive over what they are worth
, is approximately $780, 900 year. This
= amount of money put in schools anc
q buildings would be of some use.
The normal schools of Tennessee re
: ouire larger accommodations.
4. These normal schools are doing
O blessed work. They afford opportunlt!
- at a minimum cost to young men AM
4 women to equip themselves thorough
= for the business of teaching.
If the West Tennessee Normal Schoc
had another large dormitory it coul
accommodate l 900 pupils. Its preser
capacity is about $50.
The University of Tennessee -shoul
be enlarged in all its branches. Give
adequate support, the universlty's tacl
" tiles are such that no young man
80 woman born in Tennessee need go b
vond this State to secure a thoroue
= education in law, medicine, pharmac
" engineering, the humanities or agrlcu
ture.
nd The university's agricultural depal
on ment should be extended so that
ad activities could 90 into the remote
Tod hamIets.
'eu In order to educate the people
'ls. Tennessee into better farming metho
rts we have got to take the education
the door Of the small farmer and
an tenant.
- The State should provide for a Ia
vas oratory where the serums for Gait
rit hogs and horses could be manufactul
led and from where experts could go throu
~ the State and teach the people how
- use them.
Complaint has been made-and JUS
en- so-against some Of the output OF
de- present plant.
ing Passing from agriculture to llvlI
q the State board of health ought to
. re-enforced, and it should be enco
EN- aged to cooperate with the teach
Rid corps of the State in pointing the
BET to better primitive work.
&c The State board of education sho
=: be so regulated that no partisan poll
loi could be considered in its work.
tai Arkansas, Tennessee and Alaoa
lty. learned severe lesson during the
ara 1914.
All of these States have been expl
L " ed by their politicians for many yei
the The real things of Importance
ana neglected.
will Nineteen hundred fourteen eau
tho the greater portion of these States
W. - oro,, boSis Had their IeglSlatI