The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-01-28
THE HOUSE.

The house was busy today for two and a half hours with the consideration of routine matters. There were again num- Der of bills of general importance intro- duced, one of the most interesting be- ing that of MT. Espy of Henry to create a new county-the county of Liberty.
 MT. Espy's bill provides for the creation of this new county out of portions of Henry, Dale and Geneva counties, the larger part coming from Henry, and in- cluding the thriving town of Dothan. This town is to be made the capital of Lib- erty county. The measure will probably pass the house without much effort. as 1t is approved by the two members from Henry and the member from Dale. The member from Geneva is understood to op- pose. But when the measure reaches the senate there Is more doubt about it's fate. Senator Acres, who is from Dale, and who is chairman of the committee on counties and county boundaries, Is op- posed to the proposed county, but rather desires a branch court at Newton in Dale county.
 The most important bill passed today was one offered by MT. Walden of Nor gan, which seeks to prohibit state and county officials from lobbying.
 important Bills.
 Among the important bills introduced LOQdY was one Dy MT. .oCUeuSSlcT Ol Chambers to raise the age for the pay ment of poll taxes from 45 to 5os years.
 Mr. Blackburn. of Jefferson had four bills of more or less importance: The first provides for the satisfaction of liens, pre- scribing penalties; another prescribes a new prohibition law for North eBirming- ham; another to prohibit any person from changing or altering name except by the method prescribed by law, while a fourth bill seeks to provide relief of needy Con- federate soldiers, who could not make their proof in time to share in the pension funds of 1900 and 1901. but who have since established such proof.
 MT. Strother of Tallapoosa wants sec tion 346o of the code amended. This sec >tion refers to extortions by railroads and the member from Tallapoosa desires it so amended that freight rates in the state be made uniform according to the mileage. It also provides that rates in this state cannot be made higher than in any other state.
 Committee Busy.
 The standing committee was apparent ly very active yesterday, the second read ings being about double today of those of former days
 A report of the rules committee, pro- viding that In future bills called up for passage shall be briefly explained by the author or the chairman of the commit tee, was adopted.
 The calendar was taken up and num- Der of bills were passed
 The bills to amend sections 5446. 5447 and 544S of the code, to. amend section 465 of the code and to amend section 4207 of the code, were passed without debate.
 The first debate arose over the bill of MT. Walden of Morgan, which, seeks to prevent state or county officials lobby ing for or against any measure pending before the legislature. A penalty of not less than s10O or more than s2oo is inn posed upon conviction, one half of which shall go to the informer. The bill was discussed by Representatives Rich of Mo- bile, Callahan of Morgan. Walden of Nor gan, Simpson. Dubose of Jefferson. Maner of Montgomery. Foster of Tuscaloosa. Bogart of Jackson, and London of Jef- ferson. The discussion was largely in the