The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-12-14
Remi niCcenceC Qf Alabama LegiclatureC sw"n..e
D. w. M Iv e r.

Senator; Henry H. Browne and A. c. Hargroye were from Tuscaloosa and they were among the leaders of the House, the former at the head of the Ways and Means and the latter on the Judiciary Committee.
 Incidents of the Session.
 It has just been recalled to my mind while writing that there was an- occur renee over the bill regulating the work ing and management of contracts that has never been made public Judge A. A. Coleman, now on the Circuit bench in the Birmingham Circuit, was the chairman of the Penitcntiary Committee, and there was much interest taken in the proposed changes to bs made and reforms contem- plated by the committee. and the lobby fsts were making every effort to defeat the bill Its consideration consumed sev- eral days in the House, and when it finally passed there were many amend ments to the original bill and the copy that sent to the engrc ssing clerk was we'll patched up with amendments.
 I put the amendments together with the little brass paper fasteners in order that they could not be so easily removed or lost. After the bill had gone to the engrossing clerk, was informed by Mir Burke, the member from Marshall, that
 
 ment that had been adopted, and that the journal showed was adopted, was not on the bill got the bill and com- pared it with the journal and saw that the amendment in reference to a chap plain was not on the bill. although showed MT. Burke the holes made by the fasteners in the place where it ought to be, and it was plain that it had been removed after it left my hands.
 T Irve Hhok kv,Ie. -ltl idity of the bill, as I had covered all the amendments with one blanket clause. that Amendments were offered and adopted" and knew that if two amend ments were left the bill would stand and l returned 1t to the expressing depart ment with instructions to rush 1t through so that I might send it to the Senate.
 Mir Burke had hoped to stop the prog ress of the bill by .is discovery, as h. was violently opposed to its passaeg, and when he found what I was up to, an hour or two afterwards he came to my cesk during the session of the House and I saw in a moment that he was very angry. Upon his asking me why I had not stopped the bill and reported the last amendment to the House, I replied that knew my duty and was doing it. He flew into rage and looked like he was going to attack me, but Judge Coleman of the committee hearing his last re- marks came to my rescue and told -him that had done the proper thing and that he would assume all responsibility. and that if the member had anything more to say. to say it to him. either in the House or out of 1t.
 There the matter rested and was al- ways very grateful to Judge Coleman for taking the trouble off of my hands, but that was characteristic of him as he has been in all his long and useful life true and steadfast<in his devotion to the right, and he would not let the clerk be assail- ed by one who had a voice in the House | while the clerk did not.
 The bill went on through and stood the test of time. The amendment referred to was found by the Engrossing Clerk where 1t had been dropped on the floor and re- attached to the bill, and since that time the convicts have had the benefit of the religious instruction of a chaplain
 The weather during this session was very severe. it being one of the coldest of winters and the big snow in Febru- ary came near breaking up the House. The snow fell some dozen inches or more and was on the ground for more than week. Many of the members had terrible colds. some were threatened with, and others had, pneumonia and it was with difficulty that a quorum was obtained TOT several 0ayS. The stoves and ire places had to be depended on in the House and it was a cold place at best.
 The session was concluded amidst the usual scenes of pleasure and fun, and those who recall the times know that they were happier than those of later days.
 The pictures of the Speakers of the two sessions of the Legislature to which I refer are presented. That of Colonel Arm strong is a splendid picture, while that of Colonel Foster does not do him justice. It was taken in his last days and his very white hair makes him appear much older than he really was. I have tried faithfully to get a picture of him taken in his days of health and splendid physi- cal manhood, but have failed, and rather than have no picture at all, take this one, of which all due allowances must be made.
 Colonel Foster was an honest and a great man, and hope we may see many of his sort in the Legislatures of the future.