The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-09-03
COMMITTEES ARE AT WORK Legislature Meets This
 Morning at 10 O'clock. WILL RECEIVE REPORTS Two Bills Prohibiting Bribery to Be Submitted.
 General and Primary Election Plans
 are Receiving Much Attention. Many New Bills Are Ex- pected Today.
WILL RECEIVE REPORTS

The House Of Representatives VIII nave no lack of work before it to-day when the calendar is taken up for the first time. In addition to the 160 bills which are on the calendar for final passage three House committees met yesterday to prepare reports for to-day. At least one committee and perhaps others will meet this morning before the
 Legislature assemblies.
 The House committees. which met yes terday were the Committees on Local Legislation, Privileges and Elections and
 Judiciary. It was intended to have other committee meetings but 1t was found that many of the members of the other committees were also members of the three committees.
 Bribery Bills Favored. It was found on the committees that the Senate Recess Committees bills
 would usually require consideration at two or three meetings. Perhaps only
 two of these bills will be reported back
 at to-day's sessions. The two bribery bills will be submitted to-day by the Ju- diciary Committee with a favorable re- port. The House will meet this morning at 10 o'clock. The gates will again be open cd for the introduction of bills. Another large number of introduced bills is ex- pected. The report of the standing com
 mittees will be an important feature of the days work. Following this the calen- dar will be taken up and the first bills of the September session will be passed.
 The House will in all probability hold
 at least two sessions to-day. Primary Election Bill. The primary election bill prepared by the Recess Committee of the Senate was
 the important matter considered by the House Committee on Privileges and Elections at a meeting last night. The
 meeting of the committee was held in the Supreme Court room at the Capitol and it was presided over by Chairman J. H. Bankhead, Jr.
 The primary election bill makes no radical departure from the present meth- 1 od of conducting primaries in Alabama. Its principal provision is that 1t makes the honest conduct of primaries obliga- tory by law. It provides the same gen. | era methods in the workings of the party machinery. 1t provides for a legal ballot and declares that the regular authorized committees nay prescribe the qualifica- | tion of voters.
 Watcher at Polls. The House Committee last night de- cided to report an important amendment l The amendment gives each candidate in I the primary the right to have a watcher
 at every polling place. As it will be re- ported to the House. the managers and clerks must be selected from the lists furnished by the candidates. Action upon the entire bill was de- ferred by the committee until the Sen l ate should dispose of the general election bill as both are closely related to each other.
 The committee considered a number of other bills, but no report will be made to-day.
 House Judiciary Committee. The Judiciary Committee of the House l held an important meeting yesterday in | the Supreme Court chamber. Chairman J. c. Rich presided at the meeting and there was a full attendance of members. The Committee had hefore it a number | of bills which were left over from the winter session. On several of these the Committee decided to report. They were 1 of minor importance, however, and of a | local nature
 A favorable report was decided upon | two general bills of importance. two of ] the bills prepared by the Recess Com mittee. Both of the bills related to ! bribery. The Senate Recess Committee ! in the House by Representative J. c. | Rich. Upon their introduction, the two
 bribery bills were referred to the Judicla- ry Committee.
 l One of the bills was to define and punish the offense of corrupt solicitation of members of the Legislature or of any