CONFEDERATE HOME-AUTHORIZING APPOINTMENT OF COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE.

H. C. R. No. 25.] HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION.

Whereas, much dissatisfaction is expressed, and great complaint has been heard in various sections of Texas respecting the present management of the Confederate Home, and

Whereas, it has been charged and is being charged, that many of the inmates of said Home have during the present management, been unjustly and dishonorably discharged from said Home for alleged violations of certain unreasonable and unjust rules heretofore adopted by the Board of Managers of said Home; and

Whereas, said Confederate Home of Texas was established by the people of Texas, and is being supported and maintained by the people of this State as a home for disabled and indigent ex-Confederate Soldiers and Sailors: Therefore be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of Texas, the Senate concurring:

That a committee of five be appointed, three by the Speaker of the House and two by the President of the Senate, whose duty it shall be:

1. To fully inquire into the methods pursued and the plans in force regulating the government of said Home, and to the alleged unjust, dishonorable discharges and the present incompetent management of said Home, and

2. To report to this Legislature the findings of said Committee to the end:

First. That the people of Texas may know the truth of the charges heretofore made, and

Second. That this Legislature may be fully informed as to the advisability of passing some additional law for better government of said Home, and more fully defining the authority of the Superintendent and Board of Managers of said Home. Be it further

Resolved, that said committee be and is hereby authorized and empowered to summon and cause to be summoned before it any and all persons who in the judgment of said committee may be able to give any testimony relative to the matters to be inquired into, and it is hereby authorized to issue process to compel the attendance of said witnesses before said committee and to administer oaths to all persons whose testimony is taken before said committee.

2. To reduce to writing and cause to be reduced to writing, the testimony of all witnesses whose testimmony may be obtained by said committee, relative to the matters inquired into, and

3. That said committee proceed at once to make said investigation, and at the earliest time possible make its report to the Legislature.

[NOTE. The foregoing H. C. R., was presented to the Governor of Texas for his approval on the 10th day of April, A. D. 1905, but was not signed by him nor returned to the house in which it originated, with his objections thereto, within the time prescribed by the Constitution, and thereupon became a law without his signature.-O. K. SHANNON, Secretary of State.]

CONFEDERATE HOME-RELATING TO USE OF GAS BY.

H. C. R. No. 21.]

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION.

Authorizing the Board of Managers of the Confederate Home to permit the Austin Gas Company to extend its main to said Home, and to use the unused water main.

Whereas, the Confederate Home has always been without gas connections, and

Whereas the electric lights at said Home often go out, leaving the hospital and other buildings in total darkness; and

Whereas, the Austin Gas Company has agreed to extend its gas main to said Home, without cost to the State, provided it can get the use of the unused water main upon the grounds of said Home for that purpose; therefore be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

That the Board of Managers of the Confederate Home be and they are hereby authorized to permit the Austin Gas Company to extend its gas main to said Home, and to use the unused water main upon said grounds for gas or fuel, as the Board of Managers may deem necessary and proper.

[NOTE. The foregoing H. C. R. was presented to the Governor of Texas for his approval on the 14th day of April, A. D. 1905, but was not signed by him nor returned to the house in which it originated with his objections thereto, within the time prescribed by the Constitution, and thereupon became a law without his signature.-O. K. SHANNON, Sec-. retary of State.]

TAXATION-SUBMITTING AMENDMENTS TO CONSTITU

S. J. R. No. 4.]

TION.

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION.

Joint Resolution to amend Section 2 of Article VIII of the Constitution of the State of Texas, relating to certain exemptions from taxation.

Be it resolved by the Legislature of the State of Texas:

SECTION 1. That Section 2, of Article VIII, of the Constitution of the State of Texas, be so amended that the same shall read as follows, towit:

"All occupation taxes shall be equal and uniform upon the same class of subjects within the limits of the authority levying the tax; but the Legislature may, by general laws, exempt from taxation public property used for public purposes; actual places of religious worship; places of burial not held for private or corporate profit; all buildings used exclusively and owned by persons or associations of persons for school purposes and the necessary furniture of all schools, also the endowment funds of such institutions of learning and religion not used with a view to profit and when the same are invested in bonds or mortgages, or in land or other property which has been and shall hereafter be brought in by such institutions under foreclosure sales made to satisfy or protect such bonds or mortgages; that such exemption of such land and property shall con

tinue only for two years after the purchase of the same at such sale by such institutions and no longer) and institutions of purely public charity; and all laws exempting property from taxation other that the property above mentioned shall be null and void.

SECTION 2. The Governor of the State shall and he is hereby directed to issue the necessary proclamation for the submission of this amendment to the qualified voters of the State of Texas at the next general election for State and county officers.

SECTION 3. The qualified electors for members of the Legislature of the State of Texas shall vote upon this amendment on the day of at which election all persons favoring said amendment shall have written or printed on the ballot as follows: "For amendment to section 2, Article 8 of the Constitution exempting from taxation endowment funds. used exclusively for school purposes." And those opposed to said amendment shall have written or printed on the ballot as follows: "Against amendment to Section 2, Article 8, of the Constitution exempting from taxation endowment funds used exclusively for school purposes. .

SECTION 4. The sum of $5000 or so much thereof as may be necessary is hereby appropriated out of any funds in the treasury of the State of Texas, not otherwise appropriated to pay the expenses of such publication, proclamation, and election.

[NOTE. The foregoing S. J. R. was presented to the Governor of Texas for his approval on the 15th day of April, A. D. 1905, but was not signed by him nor returned to the house in which it originated with his objections thereto, within the time prescribed by the Constitution, and thereupon became a law without his signature.-O. K. SHANNON, Secretary of State.]

JURY TAX-SUBMITTING AMENDMENT TO CONSTITUTION, PROVIDING FOR.

H. J. R. No. 2.]

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION.

Joint Resolution amending Section 9, of Article 8, of the Constitution of the State of Texas, providing for the levying of a tax of not exceeding fifteen cents on the one hundred dollars valuation, to pay jurors.

SECTION 1. Be it resolved by the Legislature of the State of Texas: That Section 9, of Article 8, of the Constitution of the State of Texas, be so amended as to hereafter read as follows:

Section 9. The State tax on property, exclusive of the tax necessary to pay the public debt, and of the taxes provided for the benefit of the public free schools, shall never exceed thirty-five cents on the one hundred dollars valuation; and no county, city or town shall levy more than twenty-five cents for city or county purposes, and not exceeding fifteen cents for road and bridges, and not exceeding fifteen cents to pay jurors, on the one hundred dollars valuation, except for the payment of debts incurred prior to the adoption of the amendment September 25th, 1883, and for the erection of public buildings, streets, sewers, water works and other permanent improvements, not to exceed twenty-five cents on the one hundred dollars valuation, in any one year, and except as is in this Constitution otherwise provided; and the Legisla

ture may also authorize an additional annual ad valorem tax to be levied and collected for the further maintenance of the public roads; provided, that a majority of the qualified property tax-paying voters of the county voting at an election to be held for that purpose shall vote such tax, not to exceed fifteen cents on the one hundred dollars valuation of the property Subject to taxation in such county. And the Legislature may pass local laws for the maintenance of the public roads and highways, without the local notice required for special or local laws.

SEC. 2. The Governor is hereby directed to issue the necessary proc lamation for submitting this amendment to the Constitution to the qualified voters of the State of Texas, on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, 1906, at which election all voters favoring this amendment shall have written or printed on their ballots, "For the amendment to authorize the levy of a tax to pay jurors." The voters opposed to this amendment shall have written or printed on their ballots, "Against the amendment to authorize the levy of a tax to pay jurors."

[NOTE. The foregoing H. J. R. was presented to the Governor of Texas for his approval on the 15th day of April, A. D. 1905, but was not signed by him nor returned to the house in which it originated with his objections thereto, within the time prescribed by the Constitution, and thereupon became a law without his signature.-O. K. SHANNON, Secretary of State.]

LEGISLATORS-SUBMITTING AMENDMENT TO CONSTITUTION, RELATING TO SALARIES AND PER DIEM OF.

H. J. R. No. 8.] HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION.

Authorizing the submission to a vote of the people of the State of Texas of a proposed amendment of Section 24, Article 3, of the Constitution of the State of Texas, fixing the salaries and mileage of members of the Legislature, and preventing the acceptance, for themselves or for others, by members of the Legislature of free passes, franks, rebates, privileges or advantages from certain persons and corporations.

SECTION 1. Be it resolved by the Legislature of the State of Texas: That at the next general election of the State of Texas, or at any previous election, in case an election for the State shall be had, or ordered by the Governor for other purposes, there shall be submitted to the electors of the State of Texas, for their approval or disapproval, the following amendment to the Constitution of the State of Texas, as provided for in Section 1, Article 17 of said Constitution, relating to proposed amendments thereto, it being intended to to amend Section 24, Article 3, of said Constitution, relating to the pay of members of the Legislature, so that the said Section shall read as follows:

Sec 24. The members of the Legislature shall receive from the public treasury such compensation for their services as may from time. to time be provided by law, not exceeding one thousand dollars for the year succeeding their election, payable in equal installments, on the first days of January, February, March and April of the year succeeding their election, and five dollars per day for each day of every special session held during the second year of the term for which said members shall be

elected. In addition to said compensation the members of each house shall be entitled to mileage going to and returning from the seat of government, which mileage shall not exceed three cents per mile, the distance to be computed by the nearest and most direct route of travel by land, regardless of railways or water routes; and the Comptroller of the State shall prepare and preserve a table of distances to each county seat, now or hereafter to be established, and by said table the mileage of each member shall be paid; but no member shall be entitled to mileage for any extra session that may be called within one day after the adjournment of any regular or called session. It shall be unlawful for any member of the Legislature during his term of office to accept any free transportation over any railway line or lines in this State, and any member of the Legislature violating the provisions of this Act prohibiting the acceptance of free transportation shall forfeit the office to which he has been elected. And it shall be unlawful for any of such members to accept, receive, have, use or enjoy, directly or indirectly, for themselves or any other person, any free pass, frank, rebate, privilege or advantage not accorded to the general public from any railroad company, telegraph company, telephone company, sleeping car company, or other corporation, or any persons, firm or corporation acting as a common carrier in this State. Any member of the Legislature violating this provision shall forfeit his office. And the necessary laws shall be enacted to carry out the provisions of this Article.

[NOTE. The foregoing H. J. R. was presented to the Governor of Texas for his approval on the 15th day of April, A. D. 1995, but was not signed by him nor returned to the house in which it originated, with his objections thereto, within the time prescribed by the Constitution, and thereupon became a law without his signature.--O. K. SHANNON, Secretary of State.]