Committee Room, Austin, Texas, Jan. 26, 1897. Hon. L. T. Dashiell, Speaker of the Your Committee on Constitutional Amendments, to whom was referred House joint resolution No. 8, to amend section 1, article 6, of the Constitution of the State of Texas, relating to suftrage. Have had the same under considera tion, and I am instructed to report the same back to the House with the recommendation that it do pass, with the following amendments: Amend section 6, by striking out all words from "Texas" to figure 9, and inserting in lieu thereof the words "at the next general election." ROGERS, Chairman. Committee Room, Austin, Texas, Jan. 26, 1897. tion, and I am instructed to report the Hon. I. T. Dashiell, Speaker of the same back to the House with the recommendation that it do not pass. ROGERS, Chairman. Committee Room, Austin, Texas, Jan. 26, 1897. Hon. L. T. Dashiell, Speaker of the House. Your Committee on Constitutional Amendments, to whom was referred House joint resolution No. 9, to amend section 13, article 5, of the Constitution of the State of Texas, relating to grand and petit juries in district courts. Have had the same under consideration, and I am instructed to report the same back to the House with the recommendation that it do not pass. ROGERS, Chairman. Committee Room, Austin, Texas, Jan. 26, 1897. Hon. L. T. Dashiell, Speaker of the House. Your Committee on Constitutional Amendments, to whom was referred House joint resolution No. 3, amending article 6, section 2, of the Constitution of the State of Texas, requiring persons of foreign birth to become citizens of the United States before they are allowed to exercise the right of suffrage. Have had the same under consideration, and I am instructed to report the same back to the House with the recommendation that it do not pass. ROGERS, Chairman. Committee Room, Austin, Texas, an. 26, 1897. Hon. L. T. Dashiell, Speaker of the House. Your Committee on Constitutional Amendments, to whom was referred House joint resolution No. 14, to amend sec. 5, art. 7, of the Constitution of the State of Texas, so as to repeal the provision which authorizes the Legislature to add to the available school fund not exceeding 1 per cent annually of the total value of the permanent school fund." House. Your Committee on Constitutional Amendments, to whom was referred House joint resolution No. 12, to amend the Constitution of the State of Texas, so that hereafter all qualified electors shall be eligible to vote upon local elections that may hereafter be submitted to the people for approval. Have had the same under consideration, and I am instructed to report the same back to the House with the recommendation that it do not pass. ROGERS, Chairman. Committee Room, Austin, Texas, Jan. 26, 1897. Hon. L. T. Dashiell, Speaker of the House. Your Committee on Constitutional Amendments, to whom was referred House joint resolution No. 15, to amend section 9, article 8, of the Constitution of the State of Texas, relating to taxation. Have had the same under consideration, and I am instructed to report the same back to the House with the recommendation that it do not pass. ROGERS, Chairman. Committee Room, Austin, Texas, Jan. 26, 1897. Hon. L. T. Dashiell, Speaker of the House. Your Committee on Constitutional Amendments, to whom was referred House joint resolution No. 13, to amend section 16, article 16, of the Constitution of the State, relating to incorporating banks. Have had the same under consideration, and I am intructed to report the same back to the House with the recommendation that it do not pass. ROGERS, Chairman. By Mr. Curry, chairman. Committee Room, Austin, Texas, Jan. 27, 1897. Hon. L. T. Dashiell, Speaker of the House. Your Committee on Revenue and Have had the same under considera- Taxation, to whom was referred Austin, Texas, Jan. 28, 1897. Hon. L. T. Dashiell, Speaker of the House. Your Committee on Internal Improvements, to whom was referred House bill No. 159, a bill to be entitled "An act to prevent railroad companies from engaging in any business other than that provided for in their charters, and to prevent their officers, agents or employes from competing with other citizens in the carriage of commodities or merchandise over the railroads with which they are connected." Have had the same under consideration, and I am instructed to report the same back to the House with the recommendation that it do not pass, because the committee considers that it should be referred to Judiciary Committee No. 2. WILLIAMS, Chairman. Committee Room, Austin, Texas, Jan. 28, 1897. Hon. L. T. Dashiell, Speaker of the House. Your Committee on Internal Improvements, to whom was referred House bill No. 62, a bill to be entitled "An act for the relief of railway corporations and belt and suburban railway companies having charters granted or amended since the first day of January, 1887, and which have failed or are about to fail to construct their roads and branches, or any part thereof, within the time required by law." Have had the same under consideration, and I am instructed to report the same back to the House with the recommendation that it do pass. WILLIAMS, Chairman. Committee Room, Austin, Texas, Jan. 28, 1897. Hon. L. T. Dashiell, Speaker of the House. Your Committee on Internal Improvements, to whom was referred House bill No. 84, a bill to be entitled "An acto amend an act entitled an act to extend the time for beginning work on railways heretofore chartered in this State, and to provide against the forfeiture of charters heretofore granted to railways within this State." Have had the same under consideration, and I am instructed to report the same back to the House with the recommendation that it do not pass, for the reason that House bill No. 62, which had been reported favorably, contains in substance the same provisions. WILLIAMS, Chairman. By Mr. Rogan, Chairman: Committee Room, Austin, Texas, Jan. 27, 1897. Hon. L. T. Dashiell, Speaker of the House: Your Committee on Roads, Bridges and Ferries, to whom was referred House bill No. 208, a bill to be entitled "An act to amend chapter 4 of the Revised Statutes of Texas, concerning the power and duties of road overseers, by amending article 4753, fixing the compensation of overseers, and by adding thereto arucle 4756a, requiring the subdivision of roads and hands, and the working of subdivisions upon separate days." Have had the same under consideration, and I am instructed to report the same back to the House with the recommendation that it do not pass. ROGAN, Chairman. By Mr. Kirk, chairman: Committee Room, Austin, Texas, Jan. 28, 1897. Hon. L. T. Dashiell, Speaker of the House. Your Committee on Stock and Stockraising, to whom was referred House bill No. 228, a bill to be enti- confirm certain rights heretofore tled "An act to prevent the introduc- granted by the city council of the city tion of scab disease among sheep in of Galveston to the Gulf, Colorado the State of Texas, and to prevent the and Santa Fe Railway Company to spread of and secure the eradication erect and maintain tracks on portions of same, and providing a manner of of said street and to occupy a portion examining such animals, together with of Twenty-sixth street for depot purthe manner of taxing and collecting poses," cost therefor, and making it a misdemeanor to violate the provisions of this act and prescribing penalties for such violations." Your Committee on Stock and Stockraising, to whom was referred Have had the same under consideration, and I am instructed to report the same back to the House with the recommendation that it do pass. SLUDER, Acting Chairman. Committee Room, Austin, Texas, Jan. 27, 1897. Hon. L. T. Dashiell, Speaker of the House: Your Committee on Towns and City Corporations, to whom was referred "An act to enable cities, towns and villages of this State to pay, provide for the payment of, or revive, indebtedness barred by the statute of limit House bill No. 24, a bill to be entitled tions." Have had the same under considera SLUDER, Acting Chairman. Committee Room, Austin, Texas, Jan. 27, 1897. Hon. L. T. Dashiell, Speaker of the House: House bill No. 219, a bill to be entitled "An act to provide for the registration of all illegally branded cattle in a book to be kept by the clerks of tion, and I am intructed to report the the county courts in their offices for same back to the House with the recthat purpose; to provide for the seiz-ommendation that it do pass. ure and sale of such cattle by the sheriffs for non-compliance with this act; and to provide for the disposition of the proceeds of such sale; to provide for the examination and inspection of such cattle when about to be slaughtered or shipped; to provide for the payment of the fees of sheriffs and county clerks for the performance of their duties under this act; to define illegally branded cattle, and to make it a misdemeanor to fail to comply with the provisions of this act, and to prescribe the punishment therefor." Your Committee on Towns and City Corporations, to whom was referred House bill No. 254, a bill to be entitled "An act to amend sections 4 and 18 and 19, of an act entitled 'An act to incorporate the city of Waco, and to define its boundaries,' approved on the 19th day of February, 1889," Have had the same under consideraHave had the same under considera- tion, and I am instructed to report the tion, and I am instructed to report the same back to the House with the recsame back to the House with the recommendation that it do pass. ommendation that it do pass. KIRK, Chairman. By Mr. Sluder, acting chairman: Committee Room, Austin, Texas, Jan. 27, 1897. Hon. L. T. Dashiell, Speaker of the House. Your Committee on Towns and City Corporations, to whom was referred SLUDER, Acting Chairman. Committee Room, Austin, Texas, Jan. 2., 1897. Hon. L. T. Dashiell, Speaker of the House: Your Committee on Towns and City Corporations, to whom was referred House bill No. 272, a bill to be entitled "An act to amend an act entitled 'An act to incorporate the city of House bill No. 242, a bil to be enti- Austin, to grant it a new charter and tled "An act to amend the charter of to extend its boundaries,' passed by the city of Galveston by adding there- the Twenty-second Legislature, April, to section 73c in order to empower the 1891, and presented to the Governor said city of Galveston to grant rights on the 3d day of April, 1891, by addof way to railroads and depot compa- ing thereto sections 99a, 99n, nies for tracks on Strand street or inclusive, said sections providing Avenue B. or any portion thereof, for the creation of a board west of Twenty-fifth street, and to to be known as 'the water, light and power commission of the city of Austin,' for the election of said commission by the people of Austin, defining the powers and duties of said board, including the right of eminent domain, and providing for the protection of the water and other property and apparatus of the water, light and power system of the said city of Austin, and prescribing penalties to better secure such protection, and repeal all laws and parts of laws in conflict with the provisions of this amendment." Have had the same under consideration, and I am instructed to report the same back to the House with the recommendation that it do pass. SLUDER, Acting Chairman. SPEAKER'S TABLE. The Speaker laid before the House Senate concurrent resolution No. 5, providing for joint committee of the two houses on judicial districts. The resolution was read second time and adopted. The Speaker laid before the House, on its third reading and final passage House bill No. 10, a bill to be entitled "An act to amend chapter 1, title 29, of the Revised Civil Statutes of the State of Texas, and to add to said chapter two articles numbered 1132b and 1132c." The bill was read third time and was passed by the following vote: The Speaker nen laid before the House, on its third reading and final passage, Substitute House bill No. 17, a bill to be entitled "An act to amend title XCVI, chapter 3, of the Revised Civil Statutes (1895) of the State of Texas, by adding thereto, after article 4640, an article to be known as article 4640a, prohibiting the admission to record of instruments in any other than the English language, except instruments executed prior to the taking effect of this act, which may be recorded if accompanied by sworn translations thereof." The bill was read third time, and was passed. The Speaker laid before the House, on its second reading and passage to a third reading, Senate bill No. 8, a bill to be entitled "An act to amend article 2526 of the Revised Civil Statutes of Texas, relating to juries in cases of forcible entry and detainer." The bill was read second time, and On motion of Mr. Ward, further consideration was postponed until the House shall have under consideration House bill No. 110, on the same subject. The Speaker laid before the House House concurrent resolution No. 7, empowering the Governor of Texas to call a cotton growers' convention, and inviting delegates from all cotton growing States. Which was read second time on January 25th, and on motion referred to the Committee on Agricultural Affairs. The committee report was adopted, and The resolution as reported was adopted. The Speaker laid before the House, on its second reading, House bill No. 40, a bill to be entitled "An act to repeal article 1277 and to amend article 1278 of the Revised Statutes of Texas, relating to continuance." The bill was read second time. On motion of Mr. Henderson, the regular order of business was suspended to take up and place on its second reading, House bill No. 61, a bill to be enti |