The bill was read second time, and to the Legislature, to make them a was ordered engrossed. special order for March 3, at 10 o'clock The Speaker laid before the House, a. m. on its second reading, House bill No. 346, a bill to be entitled "An act to transfer Red River county from the district school system to the community school system, and to authorize and empower the said county to organize and conduct all of its public free schools under the community system, as provided by the laws now in force." The bill was read second time, and On motion of Mr. Rhea, further consideration was postponed until Saturday, February 27. Tabled, on motion of Mr. Peery. Mr. Bertram moved to adjourn until 9 o'clock a. m. next Monday, and Mr. Ward until 10 o'clock a. m. next Monday. Question recurred on the longest time first, upon which yeas and nays were demanded by Mr. Wolters, Mr. Freeman and Mr. Bertram. The motion was lost by the following vote: Ayers. The Speaker laid before the House, Barrett. on its second reading, House bill No. 370, a bill to be entitled "An act to restore and confer upthe county court of Titus county the civil jurisdiction heretofore belonging to said court under the Constitution and general laws of this State, and to conform the jurisdiction of the district court of said county to said change." The bill was read second time, and was ordered engrossed. Mr. Wolters moved to suspend the regular order to take up House bill No. 70, relating to the establishment of a branch of the University of Texas for colored youth, and make it a special order for March 1 at 10 o'clock a. m. The motion prevailed, and the bill was made a special order for that hour. Mr. Martin moved to suspend the regular order to take up House bill No. 96, relating to asylum supplies, to make it a special order for Tuesday, February 23, at 10 o'clock a. m. The motion prevailed, and the bill was made a special order for that hour. Beaird. Yeas--40. Manson. Martin. McFarland. McGaughey. McKamy. McKellar. Moore of Lamar. Pitts. Randolph. Shelburne. Smith. Vaughan, Gua'lupe Bean. Nays-49. Lillard. Lotto. Bertram. Brewster. Mercer. Bumpass. Morris. Burns. Curry. Morton. Patterson. Peery. Porter. Rhea. Mr. Williams moved to suspend the regular order to take up House bill No. 85, relating to relief of Greer county teachers, to make it a special order for next Tuesday, February 16, at 10 o'clock a. m. The motion prevailed, and the bill Evans of Grayson, Sluder. was made a special order for that hour. Mr. Shelburne moved to suspend the regular order to take up House bill No. 317, relating to a lawful fence, to make it a special order for Wednesday, February 24, at 10 o'clock a. m. The motion prevailed, and the bill was made a special order for that hour. Good. Henderson. Mundine. Neighbors. Patterson. Skillern. Thomas. A quorum was announced present. Prayer by Dr. J. A. Jackson, chaplain. Pending reading of the Journal of Saturday, On motion of Mr. Cureton, further reading was dispensed with. GRANTED LEAVE OF ABSENCE. On account of important business: Mr. Williams until Wednesday, on motion of Mr. Carpenter. Mr. Kirk for to-day, on motion of Mr. Freeman. Mr. Browne for to-day, on motion of Mr. Holland. Mr. Blair and Mr. Gilbough for today, on motion of Mr. Wolters. Mr. Ayers for to-day, on motion of Mr. Wallace. Mr. Melton for to-day, on motion of Mr. Burns. Mr. Neighbors for to-day, on motion of Mr. Seabury. Mr. Edwards until Wednesday, on motion of Mr. Rhea. Mr. Patterson until Wednesday, on motion of Mr. Benson. BILLS SIGNED BY SPEAKER. The Speaker signed in the presence of the House, after giving due notice thereof, and their captions had been read severally, the following bills: House bill No. 10, "An act to amend chapter 1, of title 29, of the Revised Civil Statutes, and to add to said chapter two articles, numbered 1132b and 1132c, providing for the election of special county judges." House bill No. 62, "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." UNFINISHED BUSINESS. When the House adjourned last Friday, it had under consideration House bill No. 47, Ward's general election bill, with majority favorable report recommending that the bill do pass, and minority adverse report recommending that the bill do not pass. Pending question, motion Ward to adopt the majority report of Mr. and substitute therefor by Mr. Wolters to adopt the minority report in lieu of the majority report. By unanimous consent, pending business was temporarily postponed to take up the morning call. PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS. A petition from 35 employes of the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway, living in Milam county, asking for the passage of House bill No. 119, by Mr. Lotto, providing for a board of examiners of railroad telegraphers. Referred to the Committee on Labor. BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS. House bill No. 434, a bill to be entitled "An act to validate and confirm an ordinance passed by the city council of the city of Galveston, ceding to the United States of America certain streets intersecting land purchased and to be purchased by the United States of America for the purpose of erecting fortifications thereon, and to authorize the commissioners' court of Galveston county to cede to the United States of America such portions of public highways in Galveston county for the purpose of establishing fortifications situated outside the limits of the city of Galveston." Read first time and referred to Committee on Towns and City Corporations. By Mr. Moore of Lamar: tled "An House bill No. 435, a bill to be entiact to amend chapter 1, title 12, of the Penal Code article 425, of the State of Texas, relating to carall laws and parts of laws in conflict casses of dead animals, and to repeal with this act." from leaving such carcasses within 100 (Amends so as to prevent persons yards of a private residence.) Read first time and referred to Judi ciary Committee No. 2. By Mr. Drew: House bill No. 436, a bill to be entitled "An act to amend article 5060a, chapter 1a, of title 104, of the Revised 1895, relating to the regulation of the Civil Statutes of the State of Texas, sale of liquor by taxation." (Provides a tax of $300 on the sale in quantities of one gallon or less, to of spirituous, vinous or malt liquors be drank on the premises; and a tax of $600 for the sale of such liquor in quantities of one gallon or more.) Read first time and referred to Committee on Revenue and Taxation. By Mr. Barrett: House bill No. 437, a bill to be entitled "An act to provide for the improvement of the public school system by creating county boards of educa tion, and prescribing their duties.." Read first time and referred to Committee on Education. By Mr. Hill of Gonzales: tled "An act to prescribe the time of holding the terms of the District Court in the Twenty-fifth Judicial District House bill No. 438, a bill to be enti of Texas." Read first time and referred to Committee on Judicial Districts. By Mr. Curry: House bill No. 439, a bill to be entitled "An act to establish and provide for the maintenance of a normal department in the University of Texas." (Provides an appropriation of $7500 the words "or grand jury before the for primary establishment and equip- said complaint is made." ment of said department.) Read first time and referred to Committee on Education. By Mr. Wolters: Resolved, that after the pending business is disposed of, the Speaker is hereby authorized and instructed to take up out of their regular order and present to the House for consideration all bills on his table that are based on the specific platform pledges made by the Democracy at the last Democratic State convention held at Fort Worth. Read second time and adopted by the requisite two-thirds majority. Further time was granted for consideration of Senate bill No. 10, on motion of Mr. Reiger, chairman. COMMITTEE REPORTS. By Mr. Bailey, chairman: MAJORITY REPORT. Committee Room. Austin, Texas, Feb. 12, 1897. Hon. L. T. Dashiell, Speaker of the House. Your Judiciary Committee No. 2, to whom was referred BAILEY, Chairman. MINORITY REPORT. Committee Room, Austin, Texas, Feb. 12, 1897. Hon. L. T. Dashiell, Speaker of the House. We, a minority of your Judiciary Committee No. 2, to whom was referred House bill No. 273, being a bill to be entitled "An act to prevent and suppress gaming houses, and to define the duties and enlarge the powers of courts and officers in relation thereto; to provide penalties for owning, operating or having any interest in gaming houses; to empower officers to search premises and seize any property therein, kept or used for gaming, and to provide for proceedings to condemn and destroy such gaming appliances; and prohibiting persons from resorting to and being present during the progress of unlawful gaming in such gaming houses," Beg leave to differ from the majority of your said committee and report the same back to the House with the rec House bill No. 273, a bill to be enti-ommendation that it do not pass. tled "An act to prevent and suppress gaming houses, and to define the duties and enlarge the powers of the courts and officers in relation thereto, to provide penalties for owning, operating or having any interest in gaming houses, to empower officers to search premises and seize any property therein kept or used for gaming, and to provide for proceedings to condemn and destroy such gaming appliances, and prohibiting persons from resorting to and being present during the progress of unlawful gaming in such gaming houses." Have had the same under consideration. and we beg to report the same back to the House with the recomommendation that it do pass with the following amendments: (1) Amend caption by striking out all after the word "appliances," to-wit: "and prohibiting persons from resorting to and being present during the progress of unlawful gaming in such gaming houses." WILCOX, ROGERS, By Mr. Reiger, chairman: Committee Room, Austin, Texas, Feb. 15, 1897. Hon. L. T. Dashiell, Speaker of the House. Your Committee on Towns and City Corporations, to whom was referred House bill No. 434, a bill to be entitled "An act to validate and confirm an ordinance passed by the city counIcil of the city of Galveston, ceding to the United States of America certain streets intersecting land purchased and to be purchased by the United States of America for the purpose of erecting fortifications thereon, and to authorize the commissioners' court of Galveston county to cede to the United States of America such portions of public highways in Galveston county for the purpose of establishing fortifications situated outside the limits of (2) That section 2 of the bill be the city of Galveston." Have had the same under considera stricken out entirely and the numberston, and I am instructed to report the of subsequent sections be changed so as to make them of successive num- same back to the House with the recbers. ommendation that it do pass, and that (3) That section 3 be amended by it be not printed. striking out after the word "peace" REIGER, Chairman. Sir: I am directed by the Senate to inform the House that the Senate has passed the following bills: Senate bill No. 101, a bill to be entitled "An act to amend article 879, title 17, chapter 2, of the Penal Code of the State of Texas, in regard to theft from the person." Senate bill No. 127, a bill to be entitled "An act to provide for the prosecution and punishment of a person found guilty of inducing, or attempting to induce, a witness not to appear or testify in any case in any of the courts of this State, or before any grand jury." Senate bill No. 115, a bill to be entitled "An act to amend article 616, chapter 11, title 18, of the Revised Civil Statutes of the State of Texas, relating to abolished town and city corporations," By the following nays, none. vote: Ayes 21, I am also instructed by the Senate to request the return of House bill No. 62, relating to the franchise of belt suburban railways for the purpose of correcting calendar on the part of the Senate. Respectfully, WILL LAMBERT, SENATE BILLS ON FIRST READ for holding courts in the Eighteenth judicial district." On motion of Mr. Fields, House Rule No. 31, requiring that all bills reported favorably be printed and laid on the desk of each member before acted on by the House, was suspended. Mr. Fields then moved to suspend the constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several days in its third reading and final passage. each house, and that the bill be put on The motion prevailed by the following vote: Bailey. Barbee. Benson. Bertram. Yeas-96. Lillard. Logan. Lotto. Love. Manson. Maxwell. McKamy. Moore, Lamar. Callan. O'Connor. Oliver. Peery. Childs. Secretary Senate. Crowley. Cureton. Curry. ING. The following bills, received from the Senate, were read first time and referred as follows: Senate bills Nos. 101 and 127, to Ju- Doyle. diciary Committee No. 2. Senate bill No. 115, to the Committee on Towns and City Corporations. The request of the Senate was granted for return of House bill No. 62. SPEAKER'S TABLE. The House resumed consideration of pending business, same being House bill No. 47, the general election bill, with motion pending to adopt the minority adverse report in lieu of the majority favorable report. On motion of Mr. Fields, the regular order of business was suspended, to take up and place on its second reading. Drew. Feild. Fields. Fisher. Smyth. Stamper. Staples. Stokes. Strother. Thompson. Tracy. Tucker. Turner. Vaughan, Gua'lupe Wall. Hill of Gonzales. House bill No. 103, a bill to be entitled "An act to amend subdivision 18 of article 22 of the Revised Civil Stat- Jones. utes of Texas, and to fix the times' Kimbell. Wolters. |