S. B. No. 320.]

BONDS

COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL.
CHAPTER CXLIX.

An Act requiring the county commissioners' court of any county, or city council of any incorporated city or town in the State, to submit propositions for the issuance of bonds to a vote of the qualified tax-payers of such county, or incorporated city or town, and to repeal the provisions of all city and town charters in conflict herewith.

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

SECTION 1. Hereafter it shall be unlawful for the commissioners' court of any county, or the city council of any incorporated town or city in this State, to issue the bonds of said county, or town or city, for any purpose authorized by law, unless a proposition for the issuance of such bonds shall have been first submitted to a vote of the qualified voters, who are property tax-payers of said county, town or city, and unless a majority of the said qualified property tax-payers, voting at said election, is in favor of the proposition for the issuance of bonds, then the said bonds shall not be issued. If the proposition for the issuance of bonds be sustained by a majority of the said property tax-payers, voting at said election, then the said bonds shall be authorized and shall be issued by the said commissioners' court, or said town or city council; provided, that this act shall not be construed to authorize and render valid bonds without being first submitted to the Attorney-General, and certified to by him, as now required by law.

SEC. 2. The proposition to be submitted for the issuance of bonds shall distinctly specify the purpose for which the bonds are to be issued, the amount thereof, the time in which they are payable, and the rate of interest; and all voters desiring to support the proposition to issue bonds shall have printed upon their ballots the words "For issuance of bonds," and those opposed shall have printed upon their ballots the words "Against the issuance of bonds."

SEC. 3. The commissioners' court, or city council of said incorporated town or city, shall determine the time and place or places of holding said election, and the manner of holding the same shall be governed by the laws of the State regulating general elections.

SEC. 4. This act shall not apply to funding bonds issued or to be issued of any valid outstanding bonds of said county, town or city; provided, that this act shall not apply to any bond issue when for a sum less than $2000, when issued for the purpose of repairing buildings or structures for the building of which bonds are allowed to be issued.

SEC. 5. All sections of any special charter for any city or town in conflict with the terms of this bill are hereby expressly repealed.

SEC. 6. All laws and parts of laws in conflict with the provisions of this act be and the same are hereby repealed.

SEC. 7. The near approach of the close of the present session of the Legislature and the large number of bills now on the calendar of each house, and the importance of submitting propositions for the issuance of bonds to a vote of the tax-payers, create an emergency and an imperative public necessity exists that the constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended, and that this act take effect from and after its passage, and it is so enacted.

[NOTE. The enrolled bill shows that the foregoing act passed the Senate by a two-thirds vote, yeas 22, nays 0; and passed the House of Representatives, no vote given.]

Approved May 26, 1899.

UNIVERSITY AND ASYLUM LANDS-QUIETING TITLES.

H. B. No. 495.]

CHAPTER CL.

An Act to validate and quiet titles to public free school, university and asylum lands sold prior to January 1, 1899; to provide for patents, and to prescribe limitation for bringing suits for the recovery of such land.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas: That any applicant who has, prior to the first day of January, 1899, made application to purchase public free school, University or asylum lands, and within six months after the date of such application to purchase made actual settlement and first payment thereon and executed his obligation for the balance of the purchase money, and the said land has been awarded to such applicant by the Commissioner of the General Land Office, under the several acts of the Legislature relating to the sale of such lands, and the said award and the account as to interest payments on such land is in good standing, such award and sale is hereby validated, and the Commissioner of the General Land Office shall issue to such purchaser, his heirs and assigns, patent thereto, upon the payment of the purchase money, both principal and interest, together with patent fees, and upon satisfactory proof that all taxes have been paid upon such land, and that such land has been occupied for three years by said applicant or his vendee, after the date of his application; provided, that the provisions of this act shall not in any manner disturb the vested rights of those claiming an adverse claim or title by reason of settlement and application to purchase as against the purchaser to whom the same was awarded by the Commissioner of the General Land Office; and provided further, that all persons claiming, by reason of settlement and application, to purchase an adverse title or rights to such land as against the purchaser to whom the same is awarded by the Commissioner of the General Land Office shall begin his suit to recover such land within six months after this act takes effect and not thereafter.

SEC. 2. The fact that there are now many settlers upon and owners of school lands who were not actual settlers thereon, as the term is construed by the courts, before making their application to purchase, and who have been forced to leave their lands by circumstances beyond their control, and that such condition is promotive of claim jumping, strife and feuds, creates an emergency and an imperative public necessity that the constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended, and that this act go into effect from and after its passage, and it is so enacted.

[NOTE. The enrolled bill shows that the foregoing act passed the House of Representatives, no vote given; and passed the Senate, no vote given.]

Approved May 27, 1899.

CARSON COUNTY-JURISDICTION OF COUNTY COURT.

H. B. No. 829.]

CHAPTER CLI.

An Act to diminish the jurisdiction of the County Court of Carson county, and to conform the jurisdiction of the district court of said county to said change. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas: That the county court of the county of Carson shall only have and exercise the general jurisdiction of a probate court, shall probate wills, appoint guardians of minors, idiots and lunatics, persons non compos mentis and common drunkards, grant letters testamentary and of administration, settle accounts of executors, administrators and guardians, transact all business pertaining to estates of deceased persons, minors, idiots, lunatics, persons non compos mentis and common drunkards, including the partition, settlement and distribution of estates of deceased persons, and apprentice minors, as prescribed by law, and to issue all writs necessary to the enforcement of their jurisdiction, and to punish contempt under such provisions as or may be provided by general law governing county courts throughout this State, but said county court shall have no other jurisdiction, either civil or criminal.

SEC. 2. That the district court of said county shall have and exercise jurisdiction over all matters and causes, civil and criminal, over which by General Laws of this State the said county court of said county now has jurisdiction, except as provided in Section 1 of this act; and that all cases, other than probate matters and such as are provided in Section 1 of this act, be and the same are hereby transferred to the district court of said Carson county, and all writs and process, civil and criminal, heretofore prior to the taking effect of this act issued by or out of said county court, other than those pertaining to matters over which by Section 1 of this act jurisdiction is given to the county court of said county, be and the same are hereby made returnable to the next term of the district court in said county after this act shall take effect.

SEC. 3. That the clerk of said county court be and he is hereby required, within twenty days after the taking effect of this act, to make a complete transcript of all the entries on his docket of criminal and civil cases theretofore made in causes which by Section 2 of this act are transferred to the district court of said county, and file the same, together with the original papers and proceedings, with the clerk of the district court of said county, and all such causes shall immediately be docketed by the clerk of the district court of such county, and shall stand on the docket of said district court as appearance cases for the next term of said district court, and for each of said transcripts the county clerk aforesaid shall receive twenty cents per hundred words, and fifty cents for each certificate thereto, to be taxed as costs in said case.

SEC. 4. The near approach of the end of the session and the crowded condition of the calendar, create an emergency and an imperative public necessity that the constitutional rule requiring all bills to be read on three several days be suspended, and that this act become a law from and after its passage, and it is so enacted.

SEC. 5. That all laws and parts of laws in conflict with this act are hereby repealed.

[NOTE. The enrolled bill shows that the foregoing act passed the House of Representatives, no vote given; and passed the Senate, no vote given.]

[NOTE. The foregoing act was presented to the Governor of Texas for his approval on the twenty-seventh day of May, A. D. 1899, 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 the Legislature having adjourned before the expiration of ten days after it was presented to him, and he not having filed objections thereto with the Secretary of State within the time prescribed by the Constitution it thereupon became a law without his signature.-D. H. HARDY, Secretary of State.]

H. B. No. 847.]

STOCK LAWS-AMENDMENT.

CHAPTER CLII.

An Act to amend Article 5001, Chapter 5, Title 102, of the Revised Civil Statutes of the State of Texas, of 1895, relating to stock laws.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas: That Article 5001, Chapter 102, of the Revised Civil Statutes of the State of Texas of 1895, be and the same is hereby amended so as to read hereafter as follows:

Article 5001. The counties of Cooke, Refugio, Aransas and Bee are exempted from the provisions of this chapter.

SEC. 2. The fact that there is now no law in San Patricio county to determine whether hogs, sheep or goats shall be permitted to run at large in such county or subdivision, creates an emergency and an imperative public necessity that the constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended, and that this act take effect and be in force from and after its passage, and it is so enacted.

[NOTE. The enrolled bill shows that the foregoing act passed the House by a two-thirds vote, yeas 94, nays 0; and passed the Senate, no vote given.]

[NOTE. The foregoing act was presented to the Governor of Texas for his approval on the twenty-seventh day of May, A. D. 1899, 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 the Legislature having adjourned before the expiration of ten days after it was presented to him and he not having filed objections thereto with the Secretary of State within the time prescribed by the Constitution, it thereupon became a law without his signature.-D. H. HARDY, Secretary of State.]

LABOR ORGANIZATIONS-RIGHT TO ORGANIZE.

H. B. No. 97.]

CHAPTER CLIII.

An Act to protect workingmen in the right of organization, and the purposes thereof.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas: That from and after the passage of this act it shall be lawful for any and all persons engaged in any kind of work or labor, manual or mental. or both, to associate themselves together and form trades unions and other organizations for the purpose of protecting themselves in their personal work, personal labor, and personal service, in their respective pursuits and employments.

SEC. 2. And it shall not be held unlawful for any member or members of such trades union or other organization or association, or any other person, to induce or attempt to induce by peaceable and lawful means, any person to accept any particular employment, or quit or relinquish any particular employment in which such person may then be engaged, or to enter any pursuit, or refuse to enter any pursuit, or quit or relinquish any pursuit in which such person may then be engaged; provided, that such member or members shall not have the right to invade or trespass upon the premises of another without the consent of the owner thereof.

SEC. 3. But the foregoing sections shall not be held to apply to any combination or combinations, association or associations of capital, or capital and persons, natural or artificial, formed for the purpose of limiting the production or consumption of labor's products, or for any other purpose in restraint of trade; provided, that nothing herein contained shall be held to interfere with the terms and conditions of private contract with regard to the time of service, or other stipulations between employers and employes; provided further, that nothing herein contained shall be construed to repeal, affect or diminish the force and effect of any statute now existing on the subject of trusts, conspiracies against trade, pools and monopolies.

SEC. 4. Whereas, it is essential and desirable that this bill should go into effect at the earliest practicable moment, therefore an emergency and an imperative public necessity exists, requiring the suspension of the constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several days, and said rule is so suspended, and this act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage, and it is so enacted.

[NOTE. The enrolled bill shows that the foregoing act passed the House of Representatives, no vote given; House concurred in Senate amendments; passed the Senate, no vote given.]

Approved May 27, 1899.