Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1897-02-11
THE OUTLOOK DR|GHTENS
Governor Johnston and General
Shelley Take a Hand,
AIDED BY HON. JNO. B. KNOX,
And viii Endeavor to Secure the Consttu-
tlonal Convention.
THE POLICE COMMISSION BILL
Not Yet Dead-A Minority Report Being
Prepared Revenue Bill Discussed in
the House-An Exciting Tilt
by Two Representatives.
AIDED BY HON. JNO. B. KNOX,
THE POLICE COMMISSION BILL

- III ~
Montgomery Feb (Speciat)-New
energy was infused into the constitution
al convention question today when it was
learned that Gov. Johnston, GEM Shelley
and Hon. John Knox had gotten- behind
the movement and were showing II along
with all their combined might and main.
1t is stated tonight that a showdown on
the question will be demanded in the
house tomorrow. The friends Of the
measure insist that it will result in their
favor by ten or twelve majority. If the
bill passes the house, little doubt is felt
that it will pass the senate.
GOV. JOHNSTON'S VETO SUSTAINED
The house today, by vote of II to 2,
sustained the governors veto of the bill
proposing an appropriation of $4,000 for
the relief of Judge A. A. Coleman. GOV
Johnston says it was very disagreeable
duty to be compelled to veto the bill, but
with the facts before him. he could not do
otherwise. Judge Coleman's friends are
sorely disappointed at the result, but are
not disposed TO find fault with the gov
ernor for doing what he conceived to be
his duty in the matter.
THE POLICE COMMISSION.
The bill proposing new police COM
mission for Birmin CHAM was reported ad-
versely to the house this morning by the
committee on judiciary Members OF the
committee, however, made minority re-
port, and fight over the proposition Will
De continued in the house.
Montgomery, Ala. Feb. 1O.-(Speeial)-
The house has spent practically the en-
tire day in consideration of the general
revenue bill, and it still remains unfinish-
ed business at IL o'clock tonight AT TINS
hour the 2Sth section, the last in the Dill,
has been reached, and, as 1t relates TO
corporations, a long struggle over II is
The bill, as printed in the State Herald
this morning, has been amended as fol-
lows today:
s',rhis section shall not apply to cases in
which the owner of the real estate sold
has paid the taxes, for the non-payment
of which such real estate was sold prior
to such sale: nor shall they apply to cases
in which the real estate sold was not, at
the time of the assessment or of the sale,
subject to taxation
The attorneys fee in section 80 was al
so stricken out.
Many changes were made in section 49,
which is perhaps the most important sec
ton of the bill in that it prescribes code
of new state licenses.
Subdivision IA was made to apply to
legitimate banking institutions. Amend
ments to the section were adopted I'M
posing a tax of SIS per annum on each
pistol and 81 on each bicycle not kept for
sale.
Subdivision 5, which applies to a
special license on dealers in coal was
stricken out.
section Is. which imposed a license of
$50 on persons operating pig iron stor-
age yard was amended by the dlligent
endeavors of the Jefferson delegation so
ri Inv the Alabama,
manufacturers should be exempt.
Subdivision 16 was amended so as to
add the words paid up in front of CAPT
tai stock. wherever it appears N the
section.
Section 81 was stricken out entirely.
Mr. Kyle secured unanimous consent
this morning TO call up bill for passage,
empowering the governor to patrol con-
victs and suspend the sentence Wlthout
hardening Mr.. Kyle stated that the
governor was very anxious about having
this bill passed. The bill passed.
One of the saltiest colloquies OF the ses-
sion occurred in the house this afternoon
over the passage of a bill to provide for
the creation of a county court for Gle
burne It appears that most of the dem
ocrats of Cleburne were behind the bill,
while the populists were opposed to It.
Nr Golfer, of Cullman, after repeated eff
forts contrived to get the revenue Dill
sidetra cked for awhile in order that the
Cleburne bill might be considered. He
then proceeded to assail the measure in
ssting that it sought to impose an I'M
necessary expense on the people OF the
county, which all OF the populists and
many democrats demurred to- He said
he was informed that Senator Abercrom-
bic, who introduced the bill into the sen
ate, was urging its passage with the
hope that his father-in-law, Col. Merrill,
would be appointed judge
When he took his seat, Mr.. Davis, OF
Marion, took the floor and gave Mr.. Cofer
severe roasting, impugning his democ-
racy and charging him with being entire
" too close to the populists. He posi-
lively denied, on good information, that
Col Merrill was candidate for the place.
Mr.. Coleman and other members indig-
nantly denied Mr.. Cofer's charge that
Col. Merrill aspired to the judgeship
Mr.. Coleman asserting that he was coun-
sci in 200 of the 800 cases on the docket of
his county, which which was a vastly
more desirable berth than a county
judgeship.
Mr.. Cofer secured the floor after a
while and proceeded to assail Mr.. Davis
position, charging him with being a self
constituted leader of democracy. Golfer
insisted that Davis and no other democrat
or populist had yoke around his neck
and never would have.
Mr.. Davis rose to a question of per-
sonal privilege, and so also did Mr. Golfer.
and for while the debate between the
two was exceedingly squally. Both final
~ apologized to the house, but avoided
any apology to each other.
The bill was finally passed on party
vote. Messrs Cofer and Brothers voting
with the populists.
Twenty-Five or thirty local bills were
passed by the senate this afternoon.
THE REVENUE BILL.
The house tonight struck out sections
81 and 3S of the general revenue bill and
substituted three amendments which
were in line with those stricken out, but
which were fully SET out in the provs-
ions sought to be enacted. The bill, as
amended, passed by a two-thirds vote,
but notice was given that motion to