The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-02-18
STARR BILL ABANDONED
Lively Debate Over a General
 Stock Law.
Proposition to Increase appropriation for Normal Schools Brings Forth Remarks from Friends of
 Common Schools-1n-
 vitation to Mobile.

The Bankhead general election bill end cd it's checkered career in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon In a triumphant passage including provisions making Railroad Commissioners and County Solicitors elective by the people The bill had been amended. delayed and hindered by men who favored 1t and who had no interest whatever in its defeat.
 For awhile it appeared that it would be ground to pieces between the contsnding forces in the fight for an elective Rail- road Commission. But the measure safe ly weathered every gale and yesterday afternoon in its final passage 1t had easy sailing. Not a word was said in opposi- tion to 1t and only one vote. that of Speaker Tunstall. was registered against it. The bill was hurried over to the Sem ate without engrossment.
 The bill is intended to complete the work of the new Constitution in estab- fishing fair elections in Alabama. It completes the provisions of the Consti- tuition relative to registration of voters, the length of terms of State and County officers and the method of conducting elections It harmonizes the statutes with the Constitution and its principal object throughout is to have honest elections in the State.
 MT. Bankhead of Walker, the author and sponsor for the bill. is the Chairman of the Committee on Privileges and Elections. He has labored first and last for the measure and has more than once steered 1t past dangerous looking break ers.
 Substitute for Starr Bill.
 The constantly changing fight over an elective Railroad Commission Hssufned yesterday still another phase. The friends of the original Starr bill volun- tarily receded from their position and pledged themselves to support much nilder measure. It was contended by some of the strongest supporters of an elective Commission that the Starr bill was too drastic. It was held that 1t bore too heavily upon the railroads and that the members of the House did not intend to wage war upon the railroad interests of Alabama
 A compromise measure was agreed up- on by members of the House who fa- vored an elective Railroad Commission, with members who stood only for giving the Railroad Commission increased power to enforce its decrees. A substitute em- bodyinR the elective feature of the Starr bill and the increased power section of the WaddeIl bill was agreed upon by the friends of the two measures. The agreed substitute contains also a provision that it shall be mandatory upon the Commis- sion to hear all complaints brought be- fore 1t. It gives the Commission the mower to go into the courts and enforce it's decrees.
 This substitute was formally adopted yesterday by the Committee of the Whole 1t was immediately afterwards reported to the House. and then it's consideration 1xas made the special order for this af- ternoon.
 The outspoken opponents of an elective Railroad Commission have not accepted the bill What Is called "ths railroad interests'' are still opposed to the bill and it will be fought on its final passage
 Stock Law Discussion.
 The general stock laW bill favorably reported by the Local Legislation Com Tnittee. proved to be one of the live wires of the session. The bill came up at the morning session and 1t quickly devel- oped that there was wide diversity of oninion among tho members on the sub feet of stock laws and the best way of making them. One member staid on the floor during the debate on the bill that he was prepared to hear 1o5 different opinions on stock laws. The members differed on how stock law districts should be created, by the people or by courts of County Commissioners and they differed on who should build the fence. the men inside the district or the men outside the district They divided on who should vote in a stock law election, all qualified voters or only men who owned property
 The debate on the bill was lively but nothing was accomplished. The House adjourned with the bill still pending.
 The feature of the afternoon session was the lively fight started by the bill to increase the appropriations for the Troy and the Florence Normal Schools. The present annual appropriation to the two schools is $7.EOO each and 1t was pro posed under a bill called up by MT. simpson of Lauderdale, to increase the appropriations to each of the schools SO.oOo.
 Normal Versus Common Schools.
 It quickly developed that there were several members who entertained a greater love for the common schools than the Normal schools. They drew their knives on the Normal school bill, con tending that 1t was a piece of favoritisn to the few at the expense of the many.
 Before the fight on the bill ended the Normal school advocates were on the de- fensive fighting to keep what they had. It was proposed in an amendment to cut down the appropriations for all Normal Schools in the State to 5000 each but the House voted down the proposition al- though it had many supporters.
 MT. Thompson. the propoEer of the first amendment thereupon offered another amendment siicing the appropriation to each Normal school to $500 but the House adjourned before the amendment was disposed of. The fight ended with the Normal school advocates uneasy and on the defensive.
 The Arlington pool bill achieved yester- day its first legislative victory. It was reported from the Committee on Com merce and Common Carriers with fa- favorable report from the majority of the gcemmittsA but attached ko t &ag 2 mi.