The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-09-16

few ificonsruities, expresses q far better plan of municipal government than either Of the pending measures as applicable to cities of the size of Montgomery, The saving clause in both the Senate
 bil and Judge Walkers bill is the right of cities and towns to accept. This leaves
 1t entirely with the people of Montgomery whether they will continue under the present charter or be subject to such ren-
 eral municipal law as may be enacted by
 the Legislature.
 There is. however, another bill which has been reported by the Recess Com
 mittee. which win largely affect 'tbe rsu- enues of Montgomery; this is the bill inn iting the license taxes that municipalities may impose. The new Constitution pro- hibits the Legislature from e1empting any corporation, person or occupation from municipal license. This matter was fully discussed in the Constitutional Con- vention and the spirit of it was that municipal corporations could collect a reasonable license tax In my opinion the spirit as we'll as the letter of ihe new Constitution in this respect should be ob- served by the Legislature. The courts will protect any corporation, person or ocupation against an unreasonable it. cense,"
 "A bill to be entitled an act to prevent kissing or oscuiation within three miles of any depot or railway station in Ala bama."
 If Mir, Hoffman of Mobile, should fol- | low the urgent request of drummer friend of his he would introduce bill bearing ssuch title. MT. Hoffman has
 received an eloquent and appealing let ter for relief from this great eyil. "Thia rtfro v io oil l., 1~s ter, 'causes delayed trains, a rapid in-
 crease of profanity. transmission of mil
 crobes and early and untimelY deaths from worry" In spite of the fact that his constituent | writes that he voted for MT. Hoffman
 once and would vote for him again if something was done, the bill will not be introduced.
 Senator Oliver of Chiffon yesterday in- troduced a bill providing for grant of
 $40 acres of public lands to the estate | of Emma Johnson, nee Emma Sanson1, the girl heroine of Alabama. It will be remembered that a similar grant was made by a Legislature some time ago with provision that the lands | should be selected by the beneficiary. Before Mrs. Johnson could select the lands, death occurred. Her heirs claim | ed title to the lands. but the Supreme Court held the title invalid unless by | special act of the Legislature. as it was | . personal privilege for Mrs. Johnson to select the lands.
 The Oliver bill simply does away with
 this legal objection.
 A resolution was introduced in the Senate yesterday by Senator Rogers of 1 Sumter to encourage the cement indus. | try in Alabama. The resolution calls at. 1 tention to the resources of Alabama for | raw cement as discovered through the l investigations of State Geologist Eugene A. Smith, and the government geological survey. the fine geographical situation
 of Alabama for the pushing of this in. | duetry.
 A companion bill accompanied the res, | olution designating. the geological la
 boratory of the. University of Alabama | as the official test station for all Ala bama cement.
 A similar measure was introduced fl the House.
 A favorable report has been returned | by the Senate Committee on the HipI | rural school bill.
 This bill provides that if any rura | district raise $200 or more for the pur chase of school lot and building thu | amount shall be supplemented by hal | as much by the State. The State vii
 retain the title to the buildings and lands.
 By this method 1t is hoped that 6
 number of rural school houses may b. erected, enabling the country ckildreI to attend school without being compelled
 to travel many miles daily to the schoo houses.
 The House Committee on Banking ant Insurance will hold an important meet ing this afternoon at 2:30 o'clock in thu ofioe of the Commissioner of Agricul
 ture and Industries. This meeting ha: been called to consider a bill introduced by Representative Bankhead of Walker which seeks to regulate licenses to b,
 collected by municipalities from insur ance companies.
 Deputy Insurance Commissioner N. R McDavid and others interested in inSur ance matters will appear before the com
 mittee.