The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-14

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 | elective commission. MT. Bankhead had | so stated several times yesterday, and | he was Tiled by the question. He wanted | to know If MT. London heard his speech yesterday, and MT. London said he had. l Then MT Bankhead wanted to know, and ' was very serious about 1t, whether the l gentleman meant to cast any instnuation ' or imputation on his good faith, and some other questions to like effect. MT. London 1 blandly assured him that he asked purely l for information.
 London Replies.
 When MT. London came to speak he said he was glad the gentleman from l Walker was for an elective commission. l The only difference between himself and | the gentlemen was that he wanted It the most. The gentlemen wanted it in | 1910 and he wanted it right now. Qaugh- ter)
 There was another exciting passage be- tween MT. Wood and Mir Simpson MT. l Simpson was making an argument purely legal, against the constitutionality of putting this legislation into the election | bill, being new subject matter and for | eign to the purpose of the bill as express | ed in the title. MT. Wood asked him If l he was in favor of an elective commits l sion or not
 MT Simpson became excited and said | he was making purely legal argument | and would not have matter of this sort | infected into it. Too many gentlemen | have been disposed to make inslnuations against others who may nos agree with | them on this measure. If the gentleman | from Macon desired to insinuate anything as to his motives or purposes in his argu- ment, this was not the place to do 1t.
 This was getting pointed. MT. Wood 1 said he desired information. MT. Simpson said he was not committed to the meas ure one way or the other. He had had offers of preferment and favors from this side or that If he would only commit him self before he came here, but he had de- | clined and he was here to act as he | thought best
 After his speech MT Wood, on a ques- tion of personal privilege, said he had asked the gentleman a perfectly proper I and parliamentary question. The gentle, | man had answered it at last and gave him the information he sought.
 Woods Speech Energetic.
 MT. Woods speech for the DuBose amendment was the most energetic of them all. He characterized the commis- sion as a farce of twenty years, and said that no commissioner had ever thought of wanting more power till the people had spoken. The clock had struck and just before the legislature met MT. Smith, I president of the commission, had asked for more power. But he had also discov- cred that to elect the commissioners. by the people was unconstitutional. He read from MT. Smiths speech before the com mittee, criticizing it as he went. The op- ponents of the measure had at first ral- lied around the Smith theory of uneonsti- nationality, but now they rally on the un- constitutionality of this amenGment to this bill.
 In his speech MT. London brought down the house and struck the keynote of the feelings that were surging among the members, when he said he had a measure for an elective commission be- fore the committee on commerce and common carriers and couldn't get it out 'I can't even get an adverse report on it." (Great laughter).
 MT. Parker Explains.
 Mr.' Parker. chairman, of the commit tee, on a question of personal privilege. said MT. London had asked him not to take final action on his bill Wednesday night, as he could not be there, and de- sired to be heard. He had so stated to the committee. MT. Waddell, a member of the committee, also made the same state ment on question of personal privilege. MT. London explained by saying he un- derstood MT. Knox and MT. Humes were to speak against it, and that under standing he had asked delay. But they had not appeared.
 An exceedingly interesting passage was when MT. Starr asked MT. Callahan, who was speaking against the amendment, if he was not goldbug candidate for congress in 1896, and If he did not vote for Mckinley MT. Callahan said he was a goldbug candidate for congress and voted for Palmer and Buckner, and had nothing to take back. He was gold bug then and he was a goldbug now His people knew where e-stood and had sent him here without instructions He had heard the racket of populists and ma iorities before, and was not afraid of them and he was not afraid now. The house relished his declarations immense Iv and applauded him. and his speech went far to rest bring good humor
 Mir. Kelley answered the plea for time He said we have got this much now ana we'll clnch it. Then if we can get more newt Monday we'll take that. Great laughter).
 DuBose Greatly Pleased.
 Mir. Werner spoke for the amendment as did MT. DuBose, its author, who IS en- toying beyond measure the success or his entirely unexpected parliamentary play. Mr. Hoffman made the only other speech against the amendment, explain ing the action of the committee and de- lending 1t.
 MT. Foster of Tuscaloosa explained ms vote when the time came by saying that while he had ruled the amendment not germane, he was for an elective commls- sion and voted aye. Mir. Glover explained that while he was for an elective com mission and would vote for the bill when 1t got there, he did not believe the code could be altered by this amendment to an election bill and he voted no.
 After the vote MT. Bankhead said he accepted the situation in perfect good humor and good grace. He had opposed putting this amendment here as a mat ter of policy being for an elective com mission. He hoped the difference over the matter would not prevent all hands from going on enthusiastically to make the very best possible election law.
 At the opening of the session MT. Lon- don introduced a joint resolution re- questing the governor to withhold for a few days the appointment of railroad commissioners pending the passage of the . bill making them elective, and asking that he signify to the legislature whether the request was agreeable to his views The resolution went to the committee on com merce and common carriers.
 Mir. Blackburn introduced a resolution (Contlnued on Second Paue1