The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-20

Rev. pr. Beard ana MrS- BedFu, the 1eN. MT. Hoke of Woodlawn and the Rev MT. Hall of Ensley  ance companies in Mobile, that banks were already enjoying the exemption The matter is pending for the morning hour tomorrow.
 Then the committee of the whole rose and the house took up the railroad bill, the pending question being an amendment by Mir Bankhead providing a commission of five. three elective and two appointive. MT. Bankhead made a brief statement for the amendment, and the majority laid it on the table. It was evident there was to be no delay, and even the oppo- nents of the bill recognized that the house was going on to a vote, and it were bet ter not to bother overmuch.
 On motion of MT. Glover an amendment was added that no two of the eommls- soners shall reside in the same congress sional district which conforms the bill to the general election law. By vote of n to the compromise bill was adopted as a substitute for the original bill and it was opened for amendments. An amend ment by MT Mnge putting off the elec- ton of commissioners to 1906 so as to get them along with the state officers instead of the judiciary was voted down. SeV- eral amendments were put on by lne friends of the bill without including one regulating the interchange of traffic by connecting roads, MT. Foster of Tusca- loosa offered an amendment reducing the penalty for violation of freight rates and orders of the commission from mini mum of 5000 to a minimum of $50 and providing that the penalty cannot be re- covered pending a bona fide contest by the roads in the courts over the reason abeness of the rate, but it was voted down. and he desired his protest spread on the journal.
 MT. Callahan moved an amendment pro- viding for an appointive commission and took the floor to say he did not expect 1t to pass, but it was his way for laying predicate for what he was about to say, His speech was really the feature of the whole debate on the railroad subject. He knew the bill was going to pass. He had no objection to more power for the com mission. He had never been employed by the railroads and spoke from d!sinter- ested standpoint. But he was opposed to an elective commission He described the majority pushing this matter as ruthless and reckless. Let a member of the ma jority offer an amendment and it was passed, right or wrong.
 MT. Starr raised the point of order that this was an impeachment of the integrity of the house. but as he had no motion to make regarding it, nothing was done about it, except for the speaker to pass on it.
 MT. Callahan continued to say that when member of the minority offered an amendment, the most prominent and able men in the house began to whisper and pass the word around to table it before it reached the clerks desk. and before they knew what was in it. Talk about cour- tesyl What was this? He had nothing to say to the gallery. He opposed an elec- tive commission because he believed it the very worst possible thing for the peo- pie. Pulling the gloves off his language, he then proceeded to make the argument that the railroads are a large interest and right or wrong were going to protect themselves when you strike at their purse. They will go into the primaries and elections and through them control the commission if they can. An election fund of s50,000 would be easy TOT them to put up. They have the money, and we will have corruption equal to that of the old days because it is as bad to buy a vote as to steal one The people in the excitement of election time will not We eh the merits of candidates and the best men will not win.
 Then Mir. Callahan got to the most in teresting point of his discourse. Governor Jelks was in the gallery listening to the debate. MT. Callahan said that the man. ner and the nature of this war on the commission as constituted meant that the majority considered that the appoint i've commission belongs to the railroads and this carried with 1t the conclusion that the governor who appoints the com mission is bought. If the roads can buy a governor elected by the people, in the name of common sense why can't they buy three railroad commissioners elected by the people?
 Mir Benners made a brief reply, in which he said the Supreme court has the final power over life and death of men and final power over property In matters of dispute. The judges are elected by the people, and the railroads had not bought them. He moved the previous question and it was ordered, and the Callahan amendment was lost-S1 to 13
 Then MT. Bankhead moved to reconsld- CT the vote ordering the previous ques- tion that he might move an amendment including telegraph and telephone lines with the railroads. MT. Lusk moved to table his motion to reconsider before he had stated what his amendment was. and MT. Bankhead lost his temper and severe ly criticised the tactics of the majority. which proceeded to table amendments
 
 and without regard to their merits. He re- ferred to MT. Lusk as one wno assumed leadership of this majority. He continued to say that he had consulted no one in regard to his amendment but offered if because he thought it good one. He asked for a fair and honest consideration on its merits
 Then MT. Lusk got up and said he was not a leader. He had not made a single speech on this bill. The gentleman's brain had been fertile in Instructions to the will of the majority and to an elective commission from the beginning. and one amendment had followed another from him. He had been guilty of more obstruc ton than he could tell in the time allotted him now H was agitated every time the subject came up, and Mir. Lusk left if to the house and to the gentlemans con