The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-09-10
The Afternoon Session.

|
 at 3:3o o'clock with Lieutenant Governor
 Cunningham fin the chair and twenty-two
 members present.
 After passing a local bill, the Senators
 took up the general bills on the calendar
 submitted by the Recess Committee. | The first bill, ito punish bribery on the
 part of members of the Legislature was
 passed without opposition. On the second bill there was consider
 able debate. The bill was ito define and punish the offense of corrupt solicitation of members of the Legislature or any public officers of this State or of any
 municipal division thereof" The>blll pro-
 vides that any person. firm sr corporation | convicted of bribing or attempting to
 bribe any member of the Legislature shall | be fined not less than $500 and be impris- oned for not more than two years. Senator Spragins of Madison raised the point that a corporation could not be inn | prisoned and suggested that the bill be so amended that the agent of the corpo- ration attempting bribery be prosecuted. Senator Harrison of Lee said that the words of the amendment were superfiu- ous on account of the word persons. hay ing the codical meaning of corporations, firms and other organizations. He moved | to amend by striking out the words firm | or corporation"
 Senator Spragins moved to lay the mo- tion of Senator Harrison on the table, which carried.
 The question then reverted to the | amendment of Senator Spragins. Senator Rogers of Sumter, however. raised the point that 1t was possible for | & corporation to write letter attempting | to bribe a legislator and sign nothing
 more than the name of the corporation
 and giving no clue as to the identity of
 the agent doing the work. Senator Spragins suggested that the diff
 ficulty be avoided by striking out the
 word Imprisonment so far as 1t applied
 to corporations and making their fine double that of the individual. Senator Harrison said that this would
 be discriminating in penalties and accord ingly would be unconstitutional. Senator Spragins admitted the correct
 ness of this opinion. To avoid further
 delay, 1t was moved and carried that the
 amendment of Senator Harrison be taken
 from the table and adopted. | But the bill was not destined to go | through without further discussion. Senator Smith of Clay moved to amend
 the bill, so that the fine should be i'm
 posed by jury and the imprisonment by
 the court. In the original bill both fine and the Imprisonment were fixed by the court.
 The young Senator from Clay thought that this was placing too much authority in the hands of the court. After consid- erable discussion, the amendment of Sem ator Smith wah adopted, 19 ayes. s nays. The bill was then read the third time and passed.
 Special Tax for Schools. When the Senators struck the next bill of the Recess Committee the wheels clog ged again and until nearly o'clock they struggled with a flood of amendments, ,bcf9 hut a bill was to provide for an election to levy and collect a special tax for the support of public schools in the various counties of the State.
 The bill provides that upon a petition to the court of country commissioners or court of like jurisdiction of any county. the court may order an election to deter mine whether special tax shall be levied for the support of the public schools in that County.
 Senator Smith was the first to move to amend. He thought that the duty of the County Commissioners should be made mandatory and not discretionary to order an election on petition. The amendment was lost.
 senator Harrison raised the point that under the bill as 1t stood petition signed by one man could be sufficient to warrant the holding of an election. He said that a provision should be put in the bill to prevent elections from being held oftener than once every two years. The amend ment met with the approval of the Sem ate.
 Senator Johnston of Tuscaloosa said that he was in favor of the bill but had several amendments which he wanted added.
 The first amendment of Senator John ston was to provide that 200 qualified elec- tors on petition was sufficient If 1t met with the approval of the court of county commissioners to order an election. This amendment passed.
 He then moved that 1t be made the man. datory duty of the court of county com missioners to order an election on petition of 20 or more qualified electors. This amendment was lost. Senator Johnston's next amendment was to provide that the Superintendent of Ed ucation of each County turn over to the court of county commissioners a state ment of the school funds and the court direct the Superintendent in what manner the funds should be distributed. This amendment was lost.
 Senator Spragins was about to offer an amendment when Senator Bostick arose and said MT. President. I move we ad- iourn." The motion carried.
 The Senate meets at 1O:SO o'clock this morning.