The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-02-14
Packed on Election Bill by Committee of
 Whole. VOTE WAS 7S TO 16 Majority Refused to Surrender
 to Pleading. Debate Was Characterised by Per sonal colloquys and sharp Pas sages-Hill Requiring Raul roads to Build Depot at
 Mobile Passed.
VOTE WAS ss TO ls

By the overwhelming vote of 8 to 1. khe Alabama House of Representatives, yesterday sitting as . Committee of the Whole amendsd the general election biii 90 as to make the members Of the Ala bama Railroad Commission elective by he people at the general election Of 1904 The alert minority which had on Thurs day successfully fiaHbustered against the measure yesterday acknowledged defeat and sued for peace.
 The House leaders and their minority following offered the olive branch and pleaded for terms. but the ultinatum of the victorious majority was No terms. but unconditional surrender" The House leaders begged that the elective Railroad Commission be not put into the general election bill, promising that on Monday either the London or the Starr bill should be put before the House for q direct vote. The majority. serenely con scious of its power, sat patiently by while the opponents of the elective Rail- eoad Commission talked themselves out
 The attitude of the majority was aptly aecribed by Representative J. J. Kelly who said: ''We'll hold what we've got now and we'll take what you give us next week."
 Hot Co1loquys the Rule.
 The debate was heated; at times alarm Engly so. Personalities were by the mer- est chance, 1t seemed, avoided The eltuation in the Committee of the Whole more than once grew tense and more than once the chairman had to interfere. Hot colioquys were the rule rather than the exception. The constant fear that the debate would get beyond parliamen- tary limits was, however. never realised. The House after its organization was not long in getting to the burning ques- ton of the day. As soon as the pre- Iminaries of the organization had been completed the House resolved itself into the, Committee of the Whole to consider the Bankhead general election bill
 Chairman Foster of Tuscaloosa assum- ed the. gavel and announced that the question before the committee was the consideration of the amendment by Mir. Bankhead of Walker to the amendment offered by MT. DuBose of Jefferson. The DuBose amendment sought to alter Sec ton "A of the general election bill so that Railroad Commissioners should be added to the list of elective ofiicars.
 The Bankhead amendment. which was generally recognized as a time killer. provided that the DuBose amendment should not go into force until 1910.
 Bankhead Sues for PeacA
 Mir. Rankhead was accorded the floor and he lost no time in making clear that the minority wanted peace at any price. "I recognize" said Mir. Bankhead. the power of the majority to incorporate into the general election bill the amendment of the gentleman from Jefferson. It ts not my purpose nor the purpose of the minori- 4tA ~~rl1u nRA h. ANx frr f,f this House. In view of the fact that it has been clearly shown that a majority of the members of the House favor an elective Railroad Commission see no reason why that majority should insist on injecting this outside question Into the general election bill.
 .sI can assure the members that a ma 4ority of the members of the Committee on Commerce and Common Carriers stand for an elective Railroad Commission and the committee will favorably report the London bill which makes the Railroad Commission elective by the people. More over a motion is on the calender of the House to take the Starr bill from the adverse calender and when this motion comes up Monday the majority of the House will unquestionably vote to take the bill from the adverse calendar where the committe has placed 1t.
 What then, is the necessity for inject ing this outside matter into the general election bill when the Committee on Commerce and Common Carriers will favorably report the London bil?"
 q desire" said Mir. London ito ask the gentleman where he got his intorma- tion?'
 From the Chairman of the Commit tee" responded MT. Bankhead.
 Rankhaad dAclaFed that tackinR on the elective Railroad Commission amendment would seriously jeopardize the success of his bill. It would. he said, establish a precedent and every member might want to put ca amend ments which would make enemies for the bill.
 London Wants Information. Do you or do you not favor an elec- tive Railroad Commissionr" asked Mir London.
 "Is that question asked to smbarrasa me or is 1t asked with an honest inten- tion of securing information?' asked Mir Bankhead.
 Tt is asked to get information" re. piled MT. London.
 Then the gentleman has a short mem, ory, for I distinctly stated on the foo, yesterday that favored the election oj the Railroad Commissioners by the peo pie, but that objected to the question. being injected into my biII." replied MT Bankhead warmly.
 Mir. DuBose. the proposer of the amend ment, declared that after all had beer said and done the question simply re solved itself into. shall the Railroad Com missioners be elected or appointed.
 "If the gentleman from Walker" sait MT. DuBose, "has no special objection tC ha al m fautn 1ryl&. should he have any objection to it's com ing in now. don't propose to withdraw my amendment for any promise thai may be made"
 'T have been so suddenly injected int thls debate" said Mir. London as Mir DuBose concluded. ''that feel few re marks are necessary. The Houae Is a new Aald for me. but sines have been her,