The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1920-01-07
SOME PROBLEMS
FOR OUR SOL0NS
SESSION BEGINNING YES
TERDAY WILL DEAL WITH
THE MOST IMPORTANT
PROBLEMS.
A LARGE DEFICIT
Eight Million Increase in Budget
Bonds for State Roads
And WOman's Suffrage
Amendment.

Amendment.
In some respects the 1920 session
Of the legislature win be one Of the
most notable in many years,
Problems Of much magnitude win
be presented for consideration, not the
least Of which is the question Of meet
ing the earnest and insistalt demands
for increased appropriations.
It is estimated that budgets for the
various educational and elcemosynary
institutions must be increased any
where from 25 to so per cent in order
to meet increased living ccsts, and
unless these larger allowance arc met
all the institutions will be badly Grip
pied
4 Governor Bilbo in his final message
viii say that the budget for the next
biennial period is somewhere in the
vicinity of $2lOOO,0O0. as compared
with Sl3,OO0,OOO at the last session.
In addition the governor shows that
a deficit Of $l9OO,OOO has accumulated
and this must also be taken care Of.
S25,OOO,OOO Bond Issue.
I In the face of these figures, which
are calculated to startle the average
taxpayer, comes a demand--and a very
popular one-for the issuance Of $25,-
100000 in bonds to be used in the con-
struction Of system of public high
ways, touching every coaaty in the
state.
The plan for. this bond issue, how.
ever, seeks to place the burden on the
automobile owners of the state, by es-
tabhshing horsepower tax, and the
automobilists seem to BIZ quite willing
to shoulder 1t.
I. The movement is unquestionably enc
Of the most popular that ras been
launched in the state for maay years,
and it seems to be a foregcne con-
clusion that it will be adopted The
fact that an early additional s25,000,-
600 will be secured from the federal
government makes it very attractive.
Suffrage to the Front.
Next in the Importance and public
interest is the Federal amendment
comforting the ballot to women, The
suffragists are on the scene, head
quarters have been openel, and The ar
irving lawmakers, with few exccp-
tions, are literally falling over them
selves in mad scramble to get aboard
the suffrage bandwaeoa Even mem
bers who have heretofore opposed
votes for women realize that they
may be cutting their political threats
by opposing the measure, ard are
at,eptiur 'g wi-h as much grace rs
'hrv ear muster unde' the crcuc-
staeces
( The sa0ragists have not yet decid-
cd whether they will force the meas-
ure TO a vote prior to or afte- Cow
eruor-elect Russell goes into office.
This will be largely be determined by
developments during the week.
Some Proposed Measures.
Here are a few of til proposed
measures that viii cfcupY large
share Of the attention during the leg
islatiye session,
A bin to abolish the State Tax
Commission.
A bill framed by ex-governor Z. F.
Noel to abolish the Prison Board Of
trustees, State Highway Commission.
State Board of Pardons and about six
other states offices. and to reduce the
number OF circuit Judges and cham
cellors.
A program framed BY the depart
ment Of education, which includes
compulsory education, course of
physical education in the public
schools, increase Of the common school
fund one million dollars per year, ed
ucation Of uawS pertaining to county
superintendent
Demands of state institutions for
new buildings and permanent improv-
ments totalling more than S4,OOO,O00.
This, Of course touches the pro-
gram in high spots cily The IN
coming lawmakers have not yet un-
folded their newborn ideas, but with
in few days, or after they have had
chance to get at the steuographers,
they will hatch out a whole hopper
ful of bills to be placed on the ealcn-