El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-05-08
HOUSE PASSES
SOLDIER BILL
Measure on Voting Now
Goes Back to the Sen
ate for an Agreement.

Austin, Tex, May S.-The house late
yesterday passed the McNealus (sen-
ate) soldier voting bill by vote Of
: us TO o, after lacking on severa
amendmen The bill today went
I back TO the senate for concurrence on
I the amendments.
An agreement was reached today by
the conference committee on the Nc
Nealus bill As agreed 10. the house
receded from its amendment giving
exclusive jurisdiction 10 the supreme
court in the Institution Of mandamus
proceedings which may be instituted
. TO compel election officers 10 permit
soldiers to vote.
The bill was so amended as to give
this Jurisdiction TO district courts OF
civil appeals and also to the supreme
court The report Of the committee
is yet to be adopted. This viii be
done this afternoon.
An effort by Pope to substitute his
bill for the McNealus bill failed by
a vote Of 106 to s. An amendment Of
fered by Brown, of Tarrant, to permit
members Of the Red Cross. secretaries
Of the Y. n c A and Knights OF Co
lumDus who saw service in France TO
vote without payment Of the poll tax,
as discharged soldiers, was voted
down by a vote Of so 10 sc.
An amendment providing that the
bonus Of $50 was held TO be out Of
order by speaker Thomson on the
ground that the governor had not
submitted the general appropriation
bills.
Blue Ridge Farm Probe.
Investigation Of the Blue Ridge
farm transaction by joint committees
Of three members Of the house and
two senators is provided for in a con-
current resolution introduced in the
house today and passed, after cOnsid-
cradle debate.
The resolution provides for an in
vestigation Of the ACCESSIBILITY of the
prison commission. for and on behalf
OF the state exercising its option for
the purchase Of the Blue Ridge farm
and report TO the legislature that in
creased value of the land. II any, is
resulting by reason Of the discovery
Of oil on the Blue Ridge farm Also
to investigate the manner, circum-
stances and all other matters con-
nected with and relating TO the exc
cution OF the original option TO pur-
chase the lands by the prison commits
sion from Bassetr Blakesley, and any
and all other agreements. contracts
or communications by and between
Of the state and
relating to the same. and
the attempted cancellation and re-
lease Of the option.
Substance Of Resolution.
The resolution also provides that
the committee shall be required 10
report TO the legislature now in ses-
sion. or if its labors are not finished, 3
and upon its adjournment. TO the first
succeeding session thereafter, as fol- ]
lows: A complete copy OF all testi-
mOny taken before the committee. the I
conclusion and findings Of the com T.
mittee OF the facts developed by the
Investigation. a recommendation as 10 I
whether or not the state. through its
prison commission. shall proceed byI
such steps as are found 20 be neces- ]
sary in the exercise Of the option 10 4
purchase the land. and the amendment I
Or passage Of a law which win per
nit the state TO effectively exercise ]
its option to purchase the land If i'll
should be recommended that the state
should exercise its option