The Grenada Sentinel

The Work Accomplished,

A cursory review of the work that has been accomplished by the legislature shows that very little has been done in the way of enacting new laws, especially when the length of time the body has been in session is considered. The legislature met on the second of January. The usual amount of time has been frittered away, the customary number of junketing trips have been made, and the traditional vacation for the Mardi Gras festivities was indulged in. There have been adjournments from Friday until Monday, brief caucus sessions of both bodies during the first four or five weeks, and the always to be expected waste of time spent in discussing bills that ought to have been tossed in the waste basket immediately after being introduced. But the waste of time has been no greater at this session than any of its predecessors, and the legislature in nearly every respect has been an average one. Perhaps its most conspicuous defect has been the lack of leadership. In neither body are there any members who can lay claim to towering like giants above their associates, or who can command a strong and always faithful following. This is rather surprising in view of the fact that the lower house is composed chiefly of young men who are usually ready to follow a leadership. The senate contains several very able members, but it seems that none of them has aspired to assume command, and both bodies have followed a drifting policy which is the chief cause of the small amount of work accomplished. If the two houses had been under vigorous and energetic leadership it would have greatly enabled the presiding officers to transact business quickly and adjournment could have been reached during the week just passed.

Up to date nearly 1,000 bills have been introduced in the two bodies. The calendars show that 50 per cent of the number are local and private measures, of which 250 have already been passed, and many others are pending. Bills are being introduced at the rate of fifteen or twenty a day, and measures placed on the calendar from now on will have but little prospect of passage. A brief review of the general legislation shows the following important measures enacted:

Common school appropriation, $250,000, an increase of $60,000.

Pension appropriation increased $100,000 per year.

"Jim Crow" bill, providing for separate street car accommodation for the races.

Stringent vagrancy bill enacted.

Amendment for constitutional prohibition defeated.

Resolution instructing United States senators to vote for Panama treaty.

William H. Hearst indorsed, Grover Cleveland turned down and resolution criticising Bryan repudiated.

Constitutional amendments providing for an elective judiciary system passed by both sides, though at variance in terms.

Uniform text book bill passed and now pending in conference committee to agree upon amendments, with no prospect of success.

Several school laws revised, salaries of county superintendents regulated, improvement of rural school courses encouraged, punishment provided for selling of examination questions, better method of extending rural school terms provided.

Privilege tax bill passed, making numerous increases.

Circuit and chancery court districts redistricted by joint committees and the measure reported back to both bodies for adoption. No new districts created.

Bill to make separate court districts in Pike and to abolish Second district in Coahoma pending, with no prospects of passage.

Primary election law revised and amended so as to eliminate plurality and electoral features and regulate assessments on State candidates.

Insurance laws amended. Proposition to exempt insurance companies from the anti-trust law repudiated. Personal property exempted from valued policy law.

Foreign corporations securing domestic charters authorized to form mergers.

Bill requiring all foreign corporations doing business in the State to take out domestic charters defeated.

Two branch agricultural experiment stations authorized, making a total of four in the State.

Two levee boards authorized to issue bonds for improvement purposes aggregating $1,500,000. Office of cotton tax collector of Mississippi levee board abolished.

Appropriation of $21,000 made for the suppression of the boll weevil.

Municipalities authorized to issue bonds aggregating about $1,500,000.

Labor Day made legal holiday. Similar action will be taken regarding the birthday of Jefferson Davis.

Circuit court civil cases made triable when personal notice served thirty days in advance of term.

Increase in number of notaries public authorized.

Permanent capitol commission created.

Comment and Criticism.

Some Opinions on Legislation Past Present and Prospective.

The Pike County Fight

As the fight for the new district in Pike county has been made by Mr. Mixon, a member of the lower house from that county, there is some probability that the senate will suspend its rules and invite Mr. Mixon to appear before that body and champion its measure. Pike has only one member in the senate, the Hon. Clem V. Ratcliff, and he is opposed to the measure.

The World's Fair Bill.

The passage by the senate of the house bill making an additional appropriation of $10,000 for the Mississippi exhibit at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition carries with it the guarantee that Mississippi will have a splendid exhibit at the big show, and it is expected that this State will surpass any other Southern State in variety and arrangement of its products.