The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-18

IN '
 M J. Bryan will go from here to Bal timore today. In an interview printed this morning, he Is quoted as an- swering the question:
 What attitude will you take in the event of candidate of the old school of democracy being named for Presi- dent?" by saying:
 T will not assume that there can be such a revolution in the party as could place the men who have been against it in control next year.
 ''rhe next platform, in my opinion, will o->- the adverse calendar and it was lost by vote of 45 to 34. The other member from Clarke, MT. Pugh opposed it.
 Then MT. Starr called for his bill and MT Simpson, chairman of the ways and means committed, antagonized it with the revenue bill, which had been made a continuing special order for that hour. It was ruled, however, that the Starr bill had the right of way, and tNe revenue bill was made the order for noon.
 The house resolved itself into commit tee of the whole on the Starr bill and to the surprise of everybody not on the in- side, MT. Benners rose, and said an agree ment had been reached wnerepy a sub stitute he held in his hand would be
 
 and be made a special order for tomor- row afternoon. He went on to explain that the substitute was the railroad com mission law as 1t appears now in the code, with only three sections amended and the Waddell bill added at the end. The first section was the same section of the Starr bill providing for an elective commission, and there was also another amendment making 1t manGatory on the commission to consider a complaint when made to them. The WaddelI addendum gives the commission power 70 go into the courts to enforce it's orders as to rates, just as it can do now on orders to build passenger depots. In accordance with the agreement the substitute was adopted and the bill made the special order Tor to- morrow afternoon
 Substitute Compromise.
 This substitute is compromise be- tween the friends of the Starr and Wad- dell bills. As is well known the Starr bill is the Texas commission law com plete The Waddell bill was drawn by President Smith of the Commission, and endorsed by Governor Jelks in a special message. The Starr bill furnishes the elective feature and the Waddel bill the more power feature to the compromise.
 The advocates of the Starr bill claimed that they had a small but safe majority in the house, but could not see their way to get through the senate against the governors stand for the milder Wad- dell bill. and so compromised as the safest plan to get something. It has never ap- peared really probable, however, that the Starr bill unamended could travel very far.
 The railroad people and other oppon- ents of the Starr bill desire 1t distinctly understood that they were not parties to the agreement further than to interpose no objection to the adoption of the sub stitute and allowing it to go on the calen- dar as a special order. Their assent was to the parliamentary position desired by it's friends, and their purpose is to fight to a finish on the merits of the ques tion.
 Stock Law Measure.
 The general bill for regulating, estab- fishing and abolishing stock law districts with substitute by the committee, came on as the special order, MT. Blackburn, chairman of the committee on local legis- lation, being in charge of the bill and substitute It seems that the substitute agreed on by the committee provides that ten freeholders can petition the Commis- sioners' court to establish or abolish stock law districts, and the courts must set a hearing. The petition must then be backed up by majority of the qualified electors of the district proposed or af- fected, who are also householders or free holders On the hearing the court can either deny or grant the petition. It also provides that the district established must fence itself in from the surrounding country without a stock law. These were the points of contention on which the long debate hinged.
 Mir. Thomas of Chambers offered a sub stitute as an amendment to the substi- tute. He proposes to leave all existing districts beyond any power to disturb from any source, not to require a fence around the district and that districts shall be by precincts and not by arbitra. ry lines. It seemed that nobody agreed on the bill or the substitute or the amend ment as the exact thing he wanted. but in general way MT. Thomas, MT. Lusk and MT Davis supported the Thomas amendment, while MT. Blackburn. MT. Kelley, Mr. Thompson and Mr Curry favored the substitute as the best com promise that could be reached Mr Scale was for the substitute if the fencing in 1t could be eliminated. The hour of ad- journment arrived with at least twenty men waiting and anxious to speak
 Many Members Yet to Talk.
 It is by odds the most controversial measure yet reached, members who have not said word on any other subject be- ing determined to have a say. It is re- garded as of prime importance by every