The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-02-11
MONTGOMERY POLICE BILL
 IS PASSED BY THE HOUSE

m and passed, provided that notice De given at the morning session and that no objection be made to the consideration l of the general bill. The amendment was l referred to the Committee on Rules. The general revenue bill was favorably reported to the House by Cnarmah n. T. Simpson of Lauderdale. On his mo- tion the House ordered 1000 copies Of the bill printed.
 Benners Convict Bill. The important measure of MT. Ben ners of Jefferson forbidding the release | of conyicts in counties of more than | 30 GOO inhabitants. except where the con- : victed person was convicted, came up as the special order at Il o'clock. MT. Benners explained at length nis hill It proyides that all convicts shali he returned to the counties in whlcn they uare convicted within fifteen days or the close of their sentence. The bill, ne saio' affected no existing contracts, put II pro vided that in the future the State ana all private lessees shall return the con yicts to their home counties. Birmingham, he said, had reputauon | of which it's citizens were not proud, but | for which they were partly indignant. he percentage of arrests. he said, was nerhaps higher in Birmingham than Tn | any other city in the United States. This was not, he declared, the fault or the | citizens of Birmingham because birmins- hams citizenship was largely made up or people who came from other clues ana I towns of Alabama.
 The prevalence of crime, MT. Benners declared existed because, the conVicts | from other counties had been brought there and turned loose.
 "The measure" he said, 'is simple fire Jefferson | County"
 Opposed by Goldsmith. | MT. Goldsmith of Lowndes. expianeo | his disapproval of the bill. It would he | said entail a heavy expense on the State when the tax rate was high enough l as it is.
 MT. Benners. interrupted him to cay that not one dollar of the money for the return of the convicts would come from | any other fund but the convict fund Mr. Goldsmith saw no reason why the | convicts should not be released In any county where they were worked ana ne | saw no reason why the extra expense should be put upon the State. MT. London of Jefferson spoke brier- | ly for the bill.
 l Ut is hardly safe now to walk the streets of Birmingham" he declared | | Lowndes and from other counties are | upon the streets"
 MT. Bogart of Jackson gave 1t as his opinion that the bill was a local meas ure. If the bill was general meas | ure, providing for the transporting Of all convicts. no matter where employed he would support 1t.
 | Mir Foster of Tuscaloosa said that he like Mir Bogart. favored bill that would ihave all convicts sent hack to their coun ties, but he favored also the bill undel consideration. Jefferson County. he said was entitled to relief, accorded by the bill. He paid an eloquent tribute to the spirit and energy of the citizens of Jef- ferson. He favored the bill for the good | it would do the convicts.
 Poole Presents Two Reasons.
 MT. Poole of Clarke opposed the meas ure. His opposition, he said, was based on two reasons. First, he said the con- victs had a right to remain in any coun- l ty where their sentences were completed He was also opposed to 1t because il would decrease the revenue of the State | MT Walden of Morgan announced that he favored the bill
 q am opposed" said he, "to making Jefferson County the dumping ground for | the convicts of Alabama" | The discussion of the bill was conclud- l ed by Mir Benners in which he quoted figures from the Auditors report to show | that $9S.000 was paid into the convict fund from the hire of convicts. This money, MT. Benners said, was partly made out of the people of Jefferson County and it would require no large amount yearly from the convict fund to send the convicts | back to their homes.
 The bill was passed by a vote of 80 ayes | and 6 noes.
 Starr to Call for His Bill.
 MT. Starr of Dallas gave notice that he would today, at the proper time. move | that the elective Railroad Commission bill be taken from the adverse calendar and referred to the House Committee of the | Whole
 Similar notice was given by Mir. Poole of Clarke that he wanted today tc move that the bill providing for a dis. 1 pensary for Thomasville be taken from the adverse calendar and referred to the committee Of the whole.
 | The bill of MT. Rushton of Crenshaw prohibiting the sale of liquor on Sunday came up as the special order at 12. The bill makes one important change in the existing laws. It provides that any liquol dealer who is convicted of selling whis key on Sunday twice in one year, shal forfeit his license and be debarred from the engaging in the whiskey business foI a term of two years.
 Pleads for Sunday Laws.
 MT. Rushton explained his bill and made an earnest plea for its adoption. He asked the House to pass the bill in the name of law and order. He pointed out that the present law was practically g | dead letter, inasmuch as saloon keepers had been known to make the boast that they could well afford to pay the fines for Sunday violations out of the profits | on the sale of whiskey on that day. MT Rushton declared that Sunday violations
 of the law in the sale of whiskey were
 responsible for great evil as men were idle on that day and had more time fol 1 visiting saloons.
 The bill was passed by a vote of ayes
 S4, noes 4. Those voting against il
 were Messrs Davis of Etowah. Arlington
 Goodwin of Montgomery.
 MT. Verner's bill to authorize land.
 lords to file a list of their tenants In the
 Probate Court came up as the regular
 order. The committee had reported the
 bill to the House with a substitute.
 To Protect the Farmer.
 Mir. Werner of Tuscaloosa explained
 the bill saying that it was a measure
 more for the protection of the hrmer
 than the lawyer. The bill provides that
 the filing of the list in the office shall be
 notice of the landlords lien. The bill
 provides that the list shall not be filed
 before the 18th of March.