The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-02-19


 best stock law. He favored the amend ment of MT. Thomas of Chambers and said 1t was much the best plan, giving as 1t did all the voters in proposed stock law districts the right to express their preference. He WAS opposed to the sub stitute leaving the question as 1t did to the free holders. In ating stock law districts MT. Lowe argued the best re- suits would be obtained by making the election precinct the unit
 He did not believe that the citizens in- side the stock law district should be forced to build the fence.
 Stock law" Mir. Lowe said, If it means anything 1t means no fence."
 Mir. Curry of Pickens said that while there was a wide diversity of opinion as to stock law. 1t had simmered down to two questions, first. whether there shall be an election for stock law or shall the Commissioners' Court create the districts? l? The second question was whether the in- siders or outsider should build the fence. With view of securing definite results. he moved to table the Thomas amend mcnt. The House refused to table the amendment by a vote of F to 54.
 Bogart of Jackson Speaks.
 MT. Bogart of Jackson opposed the proposition to make the election precinct the unit of the stock law district His county was largely mountainous. He said the people would want to fence in the valleys and leave out the mountains The people inside the stock law district should settle on the line. He said the effort to make the outsiders build the fence was shifting the burden where 1t did not belong. Such a thing. he said, was a departure from the old law and he was opposed to 1t.
 MT, Killen of Lauderdale favored the proposition that the qualified voters with In the district should vote on the stock law district rather than it should be created by the Commissioner Court. He argued, too, that the fence should be built by the people inside the district.
 Who builds the fort" asked MT. Kil- len. ''the invaders or the defenders?"
 Espy Favors Substitute.
 MT. Espy of Henry favored the mode of creating stock law districts as out lined in the substitute, namely that the Commissioners Court should create the district. The substitute, he said, con- tained the machinery for the creation of the stock districts which all members of the House seemed to favor except they differed on the question of the election. Establishing stock laws by petitions, he said, was only another form of elections
 In many districts, he said, the negroes would out vote the whites It had been done, he said, and would be done again.
 The cry had been raised, MT. Espy said. that the law would deprive a poor man of the right to vote That cry came with poor grace from men who vot- ed for the Constitution, which disfran- chised voters for certain reasons.
 Wood Replies to Espy.
 Mir. Wood of Macon, in reply to Mir. Espy. declared that negro domination had gone, never to return again. He fa- vorec the amendment which Fave every qualified voter the right to have his say. He was also in favor of making the men outside the stock law district fence in their stock. One man with ten head of poor cattle. he said. could compel whole beat to be fenced in.
 Mir. London of Jefferson said that at first he was inclined to think lightly of this question, but he was now convinced that the question was one of the most serious matters presented to the Legis- lature.
 He deprecated the attempt in this bill to further restrict the electorate in the State. It was proposed, he said. to allow only freeholders to vote. If the electorate was to be restricted on the stock law question. why not on bond elections and elections of State officers?
 Reynolds's Point of Order.
 MT. Reynolds of Chiffon made a point of order.
 MT. Speaker he exclaimed, If you don't stop these lawyers from talking on the stock law We won't know a thing about 1t in another hour"
 He was ruled out of order.
 The previous question was ordered on the Thomas amendment and 1t was adopt ed. ayes 54 nays F.
 MT. Bankhead of Walker, offered an ameqdment declaring that no stock law district should be created unless an elec- tion should be held.
 The bill, he said, after the adoption of the Thomas amendment created a stock law district in every precinct. in the State. His amendment provided that the district was not to be created unless an election should be held.
 On motion of MT. Davis of Etowah the House went into the Committee of the Whole to quickly dispose of the amend ments which might be offered.
 The Bankhead amendment was adopted.
 MT. Blackburn of Jefferson offered an amendment providing that the insiders should maintain the fence. The amend ment. he said. put the question of who should build the fence the outsiders or insiders, fairly and squarely before the House.
 The amendment was lost ayes 2s. nays S9
 To Relieve the Costs.
 MT. Thompson of Bibb offered an amendment that If stock of one man tres pass upon the land of another and the former extend ample pay for the damage done he shall be relieved of the costs in a law suit If one was brought.
 The amendment was adopted.
 MT. Hammer of Ctowah offered an amendment requiring a lawful fence in small stock law districts as at present constituted,
 Mir. Thomas as author of the original bill asked that the amendment be voted down
 Mir. Scale of Sumter opposed the amend