Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1897-02-09
The answer is with you.
ALABAMA LEGISLATURE.

montgomery, Ald., req. o.-NIul-
torial Correspondence 1.-The Alabama
legislature has eight more working days.
Being SO near the end of the session the
important measures, rather general bills,
are fewer than ever before In the history
of the state so near the final adjourn
ment. The only bills of general interest
now pending is the bill for constitutional
convention, convict bill, mining bill, re-
formatory bill and the bill exempting cot
ton factories and cotton factory plants
from taxation.
CONVICT LEGISLATION.
Senate bill No. 104 commonly known
as the Cunningham bill. passed the SEN
ate lost Saturday was week ago by
vote of 10 to 6. 1t was sent to the house
on Tuesday morning following after be-
ing engrossed. The bill h o. not been act
ed upon by the committee, and, therefore,
not reported to the house. either favor
ably or unfavorably. This bill is of great
interest to this particular section, as it
reduces the humber of convicts to be
worked in mines to 40 per cent. of state
convicts, or so per cent. of the entire con-
Wet population. The effect of the bill If
1t became a law, would be to remove over
one-half the convicts from coal mines,
therefore, from Jefferson county. The
bill grants practically all powers now
possessed by the state with many. others
besides. 1t is believed that it would re-
duce the mortality to a minimum and
would distribute the burdens of convict
competition, and would also protect the
revenue by transferring to the state the
profits now enjoyed by the contractors.
The joint committee appointed to sit dur
ing the recess unanimously recommended
the passage of the bill as amended.
The house bill, known as the Wylie
bill, recently passed the house and is now
in the hands of the committee in the SEN
ate This bill is practically the present
law No change of Importance and no
feature of reform except the inspection
of jails. What will be the fate of+he two
bills cannot be definitely said.
DIR. Cunningham said: 1.-THE senate
bill, as it found the senate, is nearly what
it was when reported by the committee.
1t would, in my judgment, pre-eminently
settle the convict problem forever, hu-
mainly, reformation, distribution of
competitor of convicts with free labor,
pay all costs, protect the fine and for
fixture fund of the counties, and would,
&.
house will do l cannot say"
The mining bill passed the house
today with some amendments. 1t
is understood that this bill is
not satisfactory to the miners but
is compromise measure, which, 1t is
hoped. in it's practical operations, will
be satisfactory to both miners and OPP
orators. 1t is not radical measure.
4 CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
1t is understood that the democrats are
divided and the populists about solidly
opposed to the convention. Little was ac-
complished one way or the other by the
caucus Friday night. There will be an
other caucus of the democrats tonight,
LOCAL BILLS.
The house bills for the assessment of
a special school tax and for the Hillman
hospital charter are on the senate calen-
dar. DIR. Cunningham called up the Hill
man hospital bill this morning, but there
was objection, and the regular order
was called for. The bill to allow the
school board to charge tuition supple
mentary to the public funds, If there
should prove deficit, is in the hands of
the judiciary committee. and will proba-
bly, be reported today. Several local
bills of less Importance are on the house
and senate calendars, among them a
number of bills chartering various kinds
of corporations.
- LEGISLATIVE NOTES.
1t is plainly noticeable that a factional
feeling has been terminated in both
houses. and the question now is will any
measures be enacted into law of state
Importance between now and the adj
journment. Why this faction. time alone
can disclose. but that 1t exists is heard
on every hand.
Gov. Johnston is one of the hardest
worked men in Alabama. When an office
hunter Is not present In person he sends
in a representative. and between these
two he only has time to occasionally enter
his veto to show the boys that ne is gov