The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-09-09
bate was then called. IL carried by n vote. the chair voting "aye.
 To Vote Wednesday Week.


 Just as 1t seemed that the much mooted measure was to be voted on without de- bate, the hopes of the friends of the meas ure in that respect were crushed by Sem ator Hipp of Cullman who rose to the point of order that to submit bill with out debate required a suspension of the rules for which. under the rules of the Senate. days notice had to be given the Rules Committee in writing. President pro tenn Goldsby said: T am compelled to rule that the point is well taken. Proceed with the call of districts,
 The Senate was opened with prayer by Dr. George Petrie of Auburn. Twenty six members answered to roll call. On the call for new bills. twenty three measures were introduced and referred to committees.
 A number of bills were reported favor ably by the standing committees.
 Immediately after the call for bills on third reading the Senators evinced de- sire to rid the calendar of local bills and for some time requests for unanimous consent to call up local measures, which were in nearly every instance passed with out debate occupied the Senators time.
 Local Bill Causes Colloquy.
 A local bill, however, caused the first colioquy of heated nature during the adjourned meeting of the Senate. Sena- tor Morrow of Jefferson asked unanimous consent to call up a local bill, providing for transfer of all civil causes on mo- ton of the defendant from the City Court of Bessemer to any court of competent jurisdiction sitting in-<he city of Birming- ham.
 Senator Rogers of Sumter said that he would make statements in regard to this rfa kt> Ax- ~e Il lrr1 nA~xa were correct. Senator Morrow, he said, could inform the Senators whether the statements were facts. He said that Sem ator Morrow is the paid legal representa- tive of the Birmingham Light & Railway Company. a corporation which has no lit- tie civil business in the City Court of Bes- semer. This bill, he said. was to transfer the causes of this company from the City Court of Bessemer to the City Court of Birmingham. where the court docket was in so congested a condition that the hear ings could be postponed indefinitely. In support of his statement he submitted an editorial from a Birmingham newspaper on the congested condition of the City Court of Birmingham and petition from a number of citizens of Bessemer protest ing against the passage of the bill.
 Morrow Answers Rogers. When Senator Morrow arose to answer the Senator from Sumter. he said that he hardly knew what to say in reply to the insinuations against him by Senator Rog- CTS. He admitted he was the legal rep resentative of the Birmingham Light & Railway Co. and other corporations, but he averred that his holding this position did not in the least influence him in in- troducing the bill and urging it's passage. He said that litigants and witnesses are compelled in numbers of cases, when they reside in Birmingham and other towns in Jefferson County, to pay additional rail- road fare in order to attend court at Bes- semer. Additional court costs piled up and to remedy this condition he intro duced the bill. He was responsible to the people of Jefferson County for his actions in the Senate and he was not responsible to the people of Sumter or the Senator from Sumter.
 'I am glad" said Senator Morrow, 'that I am not responsible to the people of Sum- ter for my actions here."
 ''The people of Sumter" retorted Sena- tor Rogers, would not send a man to the Senate who would sacrifice their in-. terests for the interests of a corporation in whose employ their representative was.'
 ''The question is on the passage of the bill," quietly interposed Senator Thomas, who was presiding.
 The bill was passed. 20 ayes. nays.
 After passing more local bills the Sem ate recessed until 3:30 o'clock in the after noon.