Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-08-04
VOTE ON BILLS
KEENLY FELT
Apparent Defeat of Two
Amendments Disappoint-
ing At Capitol

A&&AA0A -
basis of meager unofficial returns.
to have carried, brought keen dis
appointment to tire state capitol.
Governor Dan Moody, whose ad-
ministration had urged court re-
form. among the proposed changes
being q nine-member supreme
court to be accessible every day In
the year by abolition of the constl-
tutional three-months' annual va
cation. was plainly chagrined b.
the results. as indicated by later UNI
official and still incomplete tabula-
tons Of the vote.
Seemingly the governors disap-
pointment was shared by Chief
Justice c. NJ. Cureton, who had his
heart set on the proposed enlarged
court. He had lent his recommen-
dalton to the amendment, having
foregone a vacation to stay here
and aid the proposal at the polls.
When first partial unofficial e
turns indicated the amendment
might possibly have been adopted
he turned his interest to r~earrange-
ment Of the court room, where the
nine justices would meet every weei
and construe the law and consti-
tuition. Like a gardener tending his
roses and shrubs, he had court at
tacheS bring in six additional chairs
and place them on the platform.
Out in front he sat for hours work
ing out in his minds eye the per-
manent Encouragement of the
bench. Doubtless lie saw in those
six extra chairs the forms Of we'll
known Texas lawyers Governor
Moody would likely place there.
Besieged for Jobs
Governor Moody was besieged
with petitions for barristers who
were commended for places on the
enlarged court. He had made I'D
his mind who to Put in the extra
chairs.
Then came reports that privats
sources had gathered information
that the amendments had been de-
feated. A seri-official investiea-
ton apparently confirmed these re-
POI. *.
Those who urged the constitu-
tlonal amendments pointed out that
the expense OF the enlarged court
had probably prompted many per-
sons to oppose the change. How
ever, the two commissions of D
peals which consider cases referred
TO them by the supreme court will
continue to observation-disclosures
without authority to act finally
with the cost as great as that which
would have been incurred had the
amendment carried.
There is another amendment
coming up for q vote in the gem
eral election OF 1890 proposing a
continuous session o. the supreme
court. II carried. 1t would likely
work an addition~l hardship on the
present over-worked three member
court, it is said.
1t Is recalled that Chief Justice
OuIeton SAID IN q speech recently
before The exas Bar association that
unuer present arrangements LAWYERS
VINO served on the high court were
apt TO work out their lives sooner
than u vas intended.
An I'D man who works ovcr
there nine months out Of the yea-
Is apt TO contract anything the
chlet justice commented this weel.
pointing 10 the supreme court
JUDGES studies after he had been
informed Judge Thomas 3. Green
WOOD associate justice. had been
SICK while on a vacation in Seattle.
WASH n had been threatened
with pneumonia.
salary Defeat Disappointment
Inc same disappointment was
lett over the seeming failure OF tha
amendment to increase the COVER
o salary from $4,000 TO $40 O0o
annually. Everybody realizes thai
one who serves as governor leave
the Office much poorer than when
ne went IN, unless, of course. he has
incomes from outside ana indie
pendent sources.
Reported defeat of the salary in
crease amendment has put a dam
per on the movement that friends
OF Governor Moody had started IN
induce him to stand for g third
term. Their argument was thai
the young Williamson county at
torney who had spent four \ in
the governors office at a financial
sacrifice during a period Of his LIE
When ne could of all time least af-
lord IT, should be given two more
years at $4,000 a year TO afford
him opportunity to recoup his ii.
nances.
However. 1t was believed by other
friends OF Mr.. Moody that the CHIEF
executive would have refused 10 BE-
drafted under a plan of that kind
Still others are of the opinion he
may decide to come out for a third
term anyway, believing that he
should take to the people some cf
his ideas Of government-such as
substituting an income tax for the
ad valorem levy, and the regulation
OF public utilities-which we're turn
ed down by the legislature.
One thing is positive: Governor
Moody does not believe in raising
the salary of an official while that
official is serving a term. He has
always insisted, when salary in-
creases were proposed. that they be
made effective at expiration Of the
term ne is serving.
AtchiSOn, Kas., was rs a nld