The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-02-19

| shall be eligible to election to member ship on the Commission.
 Under the substitute bill the Commis- sion shall meet the first Monday in every month and remain in session until all business before 1t is transacted. It also provides for the close inspection and ex- animation of all railroads and their con- duct It is made mandatory upon the Commission to examine and inquire into |! every complaint filed before it. It pro- | vides that the Commission shall have the power to compel the railroads to make Improvements even to fencing the lines. | All accidents on railroads of a serious nature. the management of the railroad | on which the accident occurred must re- | port to the Commission within twenty four hours. It is also made the duty of the Commission to investigate the acci- dent and embody the result of the inves- tigation into its reports. The substitute provides that the Com mission may summon witnesses before 1t and pay them out of the State treasury. | It gives the Commission power to go into the courts to enforce its orders. The substitute embodies the provisions | of the bills introduced by MT. Waddel of Russell.
 For Nine Commissioners. When the bill had been read at length MT. Hoffman of Mobile, offered an amendment increasing the Commission to nine members, one being elected from each Congressional District in the State MT. Hoffman made a clear and lucid argument in support of his amendment
 This was. the Mobile Representative | said. the first time the question had come fairly and squarely before the House. He said that for many years Alabama has had an elective Railroad Commission. Although the elective Railroad Commis- sion was an issue in the election the | change should be made slowly and the best interests of the State should be cared i for.
 The Commission should be a tribunal 1 of the people" he declared. Tt can be made so more by my amendment than by the substitute"
 He was not. he said. to be deterred from doing his duty.
 Interrupted by London. Does the gentleman believe" asked Mir. London of Jefferson. that an ap- pointive commission Is better than an | elective commission?" "I do." quickly responded Mir. Hoffman, Then you believe that elecung nine members is better tAan electing three members?" queried MT. London> 'I do," replied Mir. Hoffman. and if the gentleman will bear with me I will give him my reasons for so believing" He contendtd that if the commission was to consist of nrne members every section of the State should be represented in the making of rates. In an election for Railroad Commission CTS. MT. Hoffman said. the railroads 1 would absolutely dominate the State. If the election was held next fall, he said, he would undertake to name two of the successful candidates. There cannot be-" said Hoffman, ca worse condition for any State than to have their Railroad Commissioners abso- lutely dominated by the railroads" Hoffman Answers Walker.
 Mir. Hoffman was interrupted by Mir. Walker of Madison.
 twill the gentleman from Mobile tell me-" asked MT. Walker, If there is single State in the Union having nine Railroad Commissioners?
 "I do not know of one," retorted Mir. Hoffman, but I will say to the distin- guished gentleman that l do not borrow my ideas from the customs of other States. It is proposed here to provide for an elective Railroad Commission and I am seeking to safeguard the interest
 
 the honor to represent"
 MT. Starr of Dallas moved to lay the amendment of MT. Hoffman on the table. The House tabled the>Amendment Ayes 74. nays A.
 MT. Bankhead of Walker offered an amendment making a commission of five three to be elected by the people and two to be appointed by the Governor.
 Elective and Appointive. This amendment, Mir. Bankhead said. was introduced to met the views of the | two widely diverging factions in the House. All great questions, which had confronted statesmen. he said. had been settled by compromise.
 Did you not say asked MT. Walker of Madison, that you favored an elect i've Railroad Commission
 'I do favor an elective Commission 2, responded MT. Ban11head. "but I think my elective maoJfity Commission tha better plan. If 1t is defeated I will vote | for the bill.
 "The gentleman has changed his views" said Mir. Walker, taking his seat.
 Mir. Benners of Jefferson interrupted Mir. Bankhead to move that the House l instead of adjourning at o'clock should remain in session until o'clock, but MT. Banl1head declined to yield the floor.
 Mir. Benners contended that the motion to prolong the session until o'clock was in order, but Speaker Tunstall invited the Birmingham Representative to pro- duee a rule of the House that would take any member off his feet. Mobile Men Were Restless.
 Mir. B9nkhead resumed his argument. and at dne minute of o'clock Mir Rich of Mobile made the point of order that it was o'clock and the House stood ad- journed.
 "The clock has not struck five" said the Speaker quietly and Mir. Rich sat down.
 Mir. Bankhead resumed his remarks lust