The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-09-15
HOUSE MORNING SESSION.
But Few New Bills Presented by
 Members.

But Few New Bills Presented by Members. . The morning session began with sixty eight members present. Prayer was of l fered by Rev. J. A. Rice of the Court | Street Methodist Church. l Only a few bills were introduced and | these were of a local nature. MT. Blackburn of Jefferson. secured unanimous consent to call up House bill l 900, regulating the manufacture of stock food in Alabama. The bill was passed without discussion and sent to the Senate l without engrossment. | The Hoffman bill regulating the lend l ing of money was taken up as unfinished business. The bill is intended as protection of the poor and ignorant from the overreaching of the men who lend small amounts. taking household goods and effects as security. Under the terms of the original bill the stringent regula- tions thrown around the bill applied to | loans of not more than $100. | Amended by Hammer.
 An amendment was offered by MT. Ham, | ner of Etowah, making the maximum | loan S10.
 | second amendment offered by MT. | Blackburn increased the amount to $20. The $2O amendment was adopted. MT. Goodwin of Montgomery offered an | amendment striking out the provision re- | quiring the loans. small or large. to be recorded in the probate office He was satisfied. he said, that the author want ed his measure to be fair and equable. l The bill. in the opinion of MT. Good wyn. fell unevenly upon different classes of the State. It made. he said. the lender. with every small loan, go to the pro- bate office and record it. The amend | ment he said, was against the money | lenders and in the interest of the people | who sold furniture on the installment plan.
 Mir Hoffman of Mobile opposed the amendment. He hoped the House would not adopt it as it would destroy one of the principal features of the bill. Mir Blackburn also contended that the aaae ndrnent was -unwfse. Frequently, he said, the money lenders would deny the, borrower the right to look at their books. With this provision for recording. the in- terest of the borrower would be secured. Changed by Goodwin.
 The Goodwin amendment was adopted. MT. Goodwin also presented an amend ment changing the penalty clause of the bill so that a prisoner convicted of vio- lating the provisions could be fined and also imprisoned in the discretion of the judge. instead of making the fining and the imprisonment of the defendant com pulsory.
 MT. Blackburn asked that the amend ment be not adopted It would destroy. he said, the good effects of the bill. It needed stringent punishment, he said, to deter money lenders the evils of their bus mess.
 The amendment of MT. Goodwin was adopted.
 MT. Werner of Tuscaloosa moved that the bill and pending amendment be in- definitely postponed. Mir. Lyons of Mobile raised the point of order that there was a special order for the hour of Il o'clock. which had just struck. The point was held to be we'll taken.
 MT. Almon of Marion secured unani- nous consent to make a motion relative to House bill 432, authorizing County Com mlssioners to levy a special tax for cer- tain purposes. He said that it had been ascertained that the bill did not comply with the provisions of the new Constitu- ton.
 The vote having been reconsidered MT. Almon suggested that the bill lay over without action and nothing further was done with the measure.
 Good Roads Bill.
 The special order was the considera- ton of the blll to provide for the con-
 
 roads.
 MT. Glover of Greene. offered as an amendment to substitute, House bill 739 Tor the bill under consideration. This bill authorized the Court of County Commis- sioners to have the public roads of the counties worked.
 MT. Glover explained that the bill was simpler than the original measure. It re- ferred the whole matter to the County Commissioners
 MT. Benners of Jefferson favored the Glover bill. It was briefer and simpler than the other
 MT. Goldsmith of Lowndes defended his bill. The old road law, providing for road work Tor the citizens of Alabama netween Ie ana 45 years old, he said, had proved failure. Some effective road legislation was necessary. The biu under consideration, he said, provided for the labor or Its equivalent of the residents and also for special property tax.
 The Glover substitute was lost for want of a quorum.
 Convicts on Roads.
 MT. Werner of Tuscaloosa. offered an amendment providing that no contract should be made under the provisions os the bill for the working of the public roads with any County official. The amendment was adopted.
 Mir. Benners of Jefferson prepared an amendment authorizing the working of County convicts on the public roads
 Mir. Goldsmith approved the amendment Nothing coutd be saved by the working of corvicts, he said. If they were put on the public roads the Solicitors fees and other costs would have to come out of the public treasury.
 MT. Glover pointed out that the bill did not compel the County Commissioners to work the convicts on the roads. They were only given the privilege of doing so if they saw fit. County Commissioner, he said, were usually good business men and they would not put the convicts on the road if 1t meant a loss of money to the County.
 The amendment was adopted.
 The bill as amended was passed.
 Money-Lending Again.
 The special order having been disposed of the Hoffman money lending bill was