The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-28
Put on Calendar With FaVOf- able Report from COm-
 mittee of Whole
AMENDMENTS ADDED FOR
 LARGE CITIES OF STATE
One of These By Mr. London Excludes All Cities Making Appropriation for
 Schools Which Keep ..3 Six Months.

Montgomery February 27 = (Special)- The house spent the morning on the text book bill, with the result that the John ston state uniformity bill is on the calen- dar with a favorable report from the com mittee of the whole for passage tomor- row, and with a safe majority of more than two-thirds, as indicated by every vote taken today. The committees were called this morning and among other bills reported favorably was the pro rata bill which passed the senate yesterday and the DuBose county uniformity bill. The The house went into committee of the whole on the state text booK bill and MT. Arnold got the floor to speak against il. He made lengthy speech. covering all the ground and well calculated to make an impression on men whose minds were not made up. MT. Callahan followed on the same side. and MT. DuBose closed for the opposition.
 puBose's Speech the Feature.
 His speech was the feature of the day, for he Is teacher and spoae for the teachers. He denounced the bill; said It filled him with horror; that 1t shackied thought, and concluded by hoping that no member whose mind was so closed as to vote for the bill would be sent back here by the people. He said all the lead- ing educators of the state opposed it, ana being asked by MT. London If Presid snr Abercrombie of the university did not fa- vor it, he regretted the questi oD had been asked, but he would not evade It, ana said Mir Abercrombie had nor had the .f@. k-,t ,f.,rr sefa tact with the best thought of universities. MT Goldsmith spoke briefly for the bill, saving the people wanted it whether the teachers did or not. Two amendments were adopted, one offered by MT. Rich providing that the state board may se- feet different books for cities of over 5OOO people if the conditions require, and one by Mr. London excluding all cities ano towns which make appropriations for the schools and keep them open for six months MT. Hoffman sought to exclude all cities of 5000 from the bill absolutely, but his amendment was lost.
 The bill was reported favorably with the two amendments.
 There was no attempt at f1lbustering or delay by the minority, and while they consumed the morning, they evidently desired merely to get straight on the rec ord as opposed to the bill, with their rea- sons therefor.
 THE HOUSE.
 The house was opened with prayer by the Rev. MT. Gray of Birmingham. Sev- enty-eight members were present.
 On call of the committees the rules committee reported favorably the senate pro rata bill providing for sealing the appropriations in event of a deficit and it went on the calendar.
 The committee on education reported ttxr text book bill.
 MT. Lusk, in accordance with notice given, moved to take the Johnston state uniform text book bill from the adverse calendar and refer it to the committee of the whole and this was carried by a viva voce vote.
 The house went into committee of the whole, MT. Simpson of Lauderdale in the chair, and the bill was read.
 At Its conclusion MT. Blackburn moved that the bill be reported favorably from the committee of the whole and placed on the calendar.
 Mr. Arnold, chairman of the commit tee on education, spoke in opposition to state uniformity and advocating county uniformity. He sent to the clerks desk and had read as part of his remarks. the DuBose county uniformity bill. h. quiry was made of the chair as to WDetHeT lHe TedulnB or the Dlll was lO count as part of MT. Arnolds time. The chair voted that there was no limit of time on speeches In committee of the whole.
 MT. Lusk read from the rules that all the rules of the house, as far as possi- ble, shall apply except there Is no limit to the number of speeches and no previous question. The chair overruled the point and under the ruling Mr. Arnold l,x5 fl.A of the session if he chose to keep it.
 MT. Blackburn, at the conclusion of the reading raised the point that Mr. ArlIold's time was up but the chair again ruled that speeches are unlimited in com- mttee of the whole.
 Mir Arnold continued his address, and especially disclaimed any purpose to con- sume unnecessary time. He said all the states of the east, the great advanced states in educational matters, have coun- ty uniformity. Only few states of the south and far west have state uniformity It would be impossible to find five promi- nent educators in Alabama who favor state uniformity. Dr. Massey and Dr. O. D. Smith are against 1t and National Commissioner Harris is agains 1t. and Dr. Curry was against 1t.
 Would Cost $2o0,ooo.
 MT. Arnold estimated that to inaugurate the new system every one of 100000 chill dren who go to school will have to spend at least dollar each for the books selected. That is s7O0.o00 at one swoop in next October. The actual attendance, he said Is about 100000. That would make s4O0,000.
 MT. Arnold said among other things that no such thing as a trust in books is pos sible. It is impossible to impose a monop- oly on intelligence. Various book com panies are, it is said advocating this bill in the hopes of getting a sale for their books because they cannot now compete with better books now in use.
 MT. Arnold spoke at great length and covered the whole ground of the contro- versy, putting the argument for county uniformity In a very able and forcible way. He exhibited books showing the comparative bindings and quality of some books under state adoption and on \. private sale.
 / MT. Callahan followed and began bs ex- p essing his disappointment over his first