The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-01-27
COMMISSION BILL
 FEATURE OF HOUSE Starr of Dallas Introduces the
 Elective Measure BLACKBURN HAS GUN LAW Proposes to Make the Carrying of Concealed Weapons Legal In Ala
 bama-can Get Licenses on
 Petition of Ten Citizens.
BLACKBURN HAS GUN LAW

Montgomery. January 2s. = (Special.) = The feature of today's session of the legislature was the presentation in the lower house of a bill by MT. Starr of Dallas to make the railroad commission elective and to enlarge its powers. me bill is the one indorsed by that element in the state who have been pushing the matter of an elective commission for some time. f.f
 Copy of Texas Law.
 As forecasted several days ago. the measure is almost an exact copy of the Texas law, the difference being that in Alabama the commission Is made cleo tive while in Texas it Is appointive. It provides that at the regular election to be held in this state on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. 1904 and every four years thereafter, there shall be elected commission, to be known as the railroad commission of Ala bama, to consist of a president and two associates. This Is the date set for the election of the members of the Supreme court and the members of the railroad commission are to be chosen in the same manner as members of the court are elected. The parties so elected are to en- ter. upon the discharge of their duties on the first Monday in January after their election. The term of the president so elected is not to begir until the terms of the present president expires. but shall continue until 1909.
 In case of a vacancy by death or other wise the governor shall fill same by ap- pointment. The bill is before the corpo- Iations committee.
 Appropriation Bill.
 Chairman Handley of the house appro- priations committee presented the gem eral appropriation bill to the house today. There is no new feature in the bill ex- cept that 1t makes appropriation for four years instead of two years, as formerly. All the salaries of the state officers are provided for as at present
 For public printing, building, etc, there is appropriated s10 900 for each year. for arrest of absconding fellons, $2500; for re- moval of prisoners, $6000; for feeding prisoners, $11O,000; governors contingent fund, $10,000; interest on A. and M. col lege bonds, 20000; interest on the six
 
 fund arising from sale of land for Girls Industrial school at Montevallo s10,000; for interest on state bonds, $45O,000 for maintenance of the Girls Industrial school at Montevallo, s15,000.
 It is likely that number of amend ments to the bill will be offered in open session, as a number of changes in sal aries are being proposed.
 MT. Blackburn of Jefferson got In two important bills at the morning session. MT. Blackburn had been absent from the sessions for a week, being detained at home by sickness.
 Concealed Weapons Bill.
 The most important of his bills is one legalizing the carrying of concealed weap- ons. The bill assesses a license of $1 and provides that to secure a license a peti- tion of ten reputable citizens must be presented to the probate judge, setting forth character, etc. The penalty for un- lawfully carrying a pistol is fixed at not more than five or less than one year in the penitentiary.
 The other bill makes the offense of burglarizing a house at night occupied by a person a capital one, and may be pun ishable by death. Mir. Blackburn had third bill to authorize the recodifying of the state laws.