The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-01-17
MAJORITY Y
 WILL RULE The House Adopted Rules Without Dissent. REPORT OF COMMITTEE Speaker Tunstall Carefully
 explained rrOviSiOns. Body May Require Committee to Re- turn Favorable Rsu6rt on Ad- versed Measure and Refer
 to Committee ef whole.

A majority of the members of the Ala bama taonss ot Representatives present and voting, can. under the rules adopted yesterday. control legislation in that Dl anch of the Legislature. The new rules, according to several members means a rule of the majority from start to finish.
 The rules provide that majority of the members present-a quorum of the members Of course being D. esent-can call a bill from the adverse calendar. Inc bill. under the rules. will then be refer red to the Committee of the whole by the
 majority. After being considered. the Committee of the whole can refer the bill back to the committee which orig inally reported 1t adversely with instruc- tions to report 1t fayorably.
 The new rules provide that majority of the House members can serve notice on committee at one session and force it to make report on any bill, before 1t at the next session of the House.
 Majority May Change Rules,
 The rules conhain the further change that majority can change any rule of the House.
 These are the important changes from the old rules of the House. The change lies in the fact that majority vote can l do what required a three-dfths vote to accomplish under the rules of the last General Assembly.
 The rules which were adopted ysstsr- | day were prepared Thursday by the Com mittee on Rules consisting of the Speak CT. Messra. Rich, Foster, Benners. Lyons, | Arnold and Goodwin. They were pre- | scented to the House by Speaker Tunstall on the floor with Mfr. Banixhead of walk CT temporarily occupying the chair.
 Their consideration was attended by but little debate. The members eyineed de- sire to clearly understand them before l voting for their adoption. Hon. Alex T. 1 London, the aggressive member from 1 Jefferson, in particular wanted to have Q clear understanding of theig contents. 1 The rules were explained by Speaker | Tunstall and MT. Benners. They would have conducted Aght for the new Tulas if any contest had been Drecipltated but l the information given in reply to anes- 1 tens was evidently aatlefActoFy for no 1 fight was made. The rules were what the House members wanted.
 Free and Fair Discussion. Tn presenting the rules for the Commit tee Speaker Tunstall said that it was the desire of the Committee to have free and 1 fair discussion of all matters before the | House. He explained the provisions of l tuo FuAee swung AVtNH eA-~ - H+eSotetS could cali . bill from the adverse calen- dar or force a committee to make q re- port on any bill
 MT. London asked about the provisions | of Rule % which referred Co the Com
 mittae of the Whole.
 "I would like" he sald. ''to have that rule made clear"
 Mr. TunstaI said that if the majority called . bill from the adverse calendar, it
 would go to the Committee Of the Whole, He said that this was decided by tha Rules Committee to expedite business. The Constitution provided, he said, that there must be an aye and nay vote on i every amendment offered to . bill. which, | during the consideration of any import ant measure. would consume much val uabIe time. This business. he satd, could be as effectively transacted by the Com mittee of thu Whole without the roll calls. When the bill had been made satisfactory l to the Committee of the Whole. the Hna- jorIty could, MT, Tunstall sGid. refer the bill back to the original C0namittea with instructions to report 1t favOFably. MP. London said that the explanation was satisfactory.
 | tMr. Benners also spoke in favor of the rules and explained the working of the House under the majority provision.
 "The new rules" he said, means that the majority will rule the House"
 The rules were adopted without any dissenting vote. On motion of Mr. Me- Donald of Barbour. 100 copies were or dered printed.