The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1916-04-14
THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION OF 1916.

history of the state. The session opened January 4th, and ended
April 9Th. the longest, perhaps, in the history of the state.
Upon the whole, the legislative session is more remarkable fol
what it failed to do, for the bills killed, than for what it did, vet
there wa some good legislation enacted. The body was not unde,
any mans control and showed an independence of thought and ac.
tion that several of its immediate predecessors failed to exercise
Gov. Bibo could not swing either branch of the Legislature Al his
will and it was generally known that the Senate especially was not
in harmony with the Chief Executive. Several measures were en-.
acted that the Governor recommended, but some of these have been
matters of public discussion for several years, notably a tax-equaliza.
f'on board, state highway commission, a juvenile reformatory and
the placing of county officers on a salary basis. the latter was nroed
upon public attention for the first time by Ex-Governor Brewer in
his inaugural address of 1919.
Gov. Bilbo was interested more in the CALLING of 2 institution,
convention than any other one thing, but the law-making body Sc. its
head against this proposition at the outset and in doing 50 they but
acted in accordance with the wish of a vast majority of the people
OF Mississippi There are great risks to be Il in the making of a
new constitution at any time, it is a sail between Scylla and
Nharybdis' but at this period in the politics of The state it would
be dangerous to undertake to supplant the immortal work of T. Z.
Neorge wlth that OF any other set of men. The constitution of the
United States is a century and a quarter old, yet the man who would
lend himself to a movement intended to abolish lit and make a new
one would be regarded as ready for the bug house,
We shall be surprised if the disqualification is not one of the
most unpopular statutes ever written into the laws of Mississippi
All recognize that something is needed to bring about a lore uni
orm assessment thruout tn state, but there is such a great opportu-
nifty for oppression in the law, Fl amounts to anything at all, that
we are inclined to bear the ills that are, rather than to Av to the ills
we know not Of Iii il claimed that the statute does NOT give the
commission power to do anything, if this be correct it would annear
10 be a rather useless expenditure of money and that three fat Jobs
are made from which little can be reaped. But it is a law and LET nc
hope that at least something good may be developed out of it.
There were seven new official berths made by the Legislature,
three members OF a pardoning board, a game and fish commissioner
and three members of the equalization board.
The people of Jackson have every right to be pleased over the
fact that SI25ooooo was provided for by the Legislature for the ere.
storation' of the old capitol. Iii a good thing for Jackson prop.
ery owners but in our judgment a foolish expenditure of money
When the SI25,ooooo is spent the work will not be half COMPLETED
and then the next session, o a succeeding Legislature, will feel honor
oo"nd TO appropriate additional money to finish the job. On ac-
count of our Jackson friends we RI glad that they have succeeded
IN securing that tor which they have striven for a number of years
They have been "everlastingly at it" but we are also clad that the
responsibility for giving them what they have SO lono ono s 80,
on shoulders other than ours.
The total approDuations nv the 7 o;sI,t,r. u...
or S2ooo73 80 more than the Legislature of 1914 appropriated The
appropriations will exceed the anticipated revenue and in ;ssuing
bonds to meet current expenses this Legislature but follows in The
footsteps Of several OF Its predecessors. The tax levy should have
been increased. A bill raising the levy from 6 to 7 mills was passed
IN the senate and would have passed. no doubt, the lower house but
o 1oV. Bibos threat OF a veto, yet the Governor stated that he
would veto any increase in the public school appropriations and
that unless the bills for the University, the Industrial Institute and
College and the Normal College were cut certain amount ~. :.
would veto them but he evidently changed his mind: the hills wer.
uot drawn according to his specifications yet he signed them
The Governor vetoed the Farm Loan Bank bill. 1t was passed
III m lower mouse over us veto by a vote of nearly a to /, but the
necessary two-thrds vote was not secured in the senate, however
there was nearly 2 to in its favor, the vote being 81 o . Rv
many this bill was regarded as the most important one co,s;d.uJ
by the Legislature. Its purpose was to give the arms. y
money on long time loans. | It's well understood that hanks co,
not now make loans on real estate for a term longer than n ve,r
IL appeared &c US to be Just IN line with what the farmers have been
discussing and saying they wanted for years. We confess that we
are by no means an authority on such matters, but if there had bee
any doubt in our mind about the worth of the measure and ns value
10 the farmer 1T would have been removed by the strong endorse 1
ment of the bill by Mr.. J. T. Thomas of our own city, who is q
only a banker OF far more than statewide reputation but a patriotic
broad-gauged citizen.
Somebody was at fault in holding back the bills for tbe ma :
and maintenance of the University and the Stale COLLEGES tbershv !
forcing these institutions to run for three months without n mon =
pay ofhcers and instructors and never before in the history of 4
the state were these institutions made the foot ball of politics =
The Initiative and Referendum amendments to tbe co,st;.,+;o \
ABOUT winch there was some serious question of having been favor. Il
aoy passed upon by the voters, were incorporated into the consti- d
but the courts may be called upon to determine re ,,,t.auo ~ "A
heir being now properly a part of our organic law. n
There were 1851 bills introduced of which ST are now laws, 3