The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-02-13


 but a single dissenting vote. MT. Thach, of Limestone, in voting against the meas ure, declared his opposition to any meas ure that interfered with the domestic re- lations of the citizen.
 The gallery at the morning session was we'll filled with ladies who came to witt ness the passage of the Child Labor bill
 During the afternoon session the Gov ernors message urging the Legislature to pass a uniform text book bill and to give the Railroad Commission power to enforce it's decrees was read. The mes sage was not presented in the morning as the House was in committee Of the whole during nearly all of the session.
 The Greater Montgomery bill was put upon the calendar at the afternoon ses- sion without recommendation. It will be called up at some afternoon session of the House, during the consideration of local bills.
 Morning Session Begins.
 The session of the House began at 10:So o'clock with prayer by Rev. Charles A. Stakely, of the First Baptist Church.
 At the roll call 99 members answered to their names.
 The House immediately resolved itself into a committee of the whole for the consideration of the general election bill prepared by Representative John H. Bankhead, of Walker, and favorably re- ported by the committee on privileges and elections.
 Hon. J. Manly Foster. of Tuscaloosa. was made chairman.
 The bill, a lengthy one, was read sec- ton by section and in that way adopted | by the committee on the whole, prelimi- l na fo {ta Y1a asa hV the HOuSp At Il o'clock after two sections of the | bill had been adopted MT Rich moved that the committee rise and report prog ress on the election bill in order that the special order for Il o'clock, which was the Child Labor bill, should be consid- cred. The motion prevailed and Chair man Foster formally reported to the House what progress had been made on the election bill.
 Benners Out of Order.
 Mir Benners, of Jefferson, offered a written motion to make the motion of Mir Starr. of Dallas, to take the cleo tive Railroad Commission bill from the adverse calendar. the special order for 12 o'clock to-day.
 The point of order was made by Mir. Bankhead. of Walker. that the motion was out of order at that time.
 The Speaker ruled that the point of order was well taken and that the mo- ton was out of order until the special order for the House had been disposed of.
 The Child Labor bill was then read by the clerk. At the conclusion of its read ing Mir Rich, of Mobile sent up to the l clerks desk the agreement entered into by the cotton mill men, the Alabama Child Labor committee and the Alabama Federation of Women's Clubs with the request that it be read. All parties to the agreement sgnifed their acceptance of the pending bill. The agreement was signed by J. B. Gaston, F.. G. Murphy, Alex T. London B. B. Conner, John w. Tulis, Mrs. A. T. Goodwyn and Mrs. c. P. Orr, by her representative.
 The bill was put upon its passage with out discussion.
 Hall Explains Vote.
 MT. Hall. of Montgomery. in explain ing his vote said that while he would not vote against the bill it did not meet his views on the Child Labor question. He was. he said, elected to the Legislature on a Child Labor platform. This bill did not go far enough, he said but he would not oppose it as he realized that in doing so he would. if it was defeated, contribute to the defeat of his own meas ure. which he thought fully covered the situation.
 MT. Killen of Lauderda1e was at his request, excused from voting.
 MT. Thach of Limestone having obtain ed leave to explain his vote said: q am unalterably opposed to any such legislation as this. l believe that the legislation which least interferes with the l domestic relations of the citizen Is the best democratic policy of government. I therefore vote mo-"
 Mir. Thach's vote was the only one ca st against the bill Eighty-nine members voted aye.
 Resumed Election Bill.
 The House again resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole for the con- sideratfon of the general election bill. l Mir. Espy, of Henry. offered an amend ment to Section of the bill which rela ted to the appointment of registrars Mir i Espy's amendment changed the mode of appointing registrars. It provided that the registrars instead of being appointed | by the Governor. the Auditor and the | Commissioner of Agriculture and Indus | tries should he appointed in each of the counties by the Judge of Probate, the sheriff and the clerk of the Circuit Court | This amendment was opposed by Mir | Bankhead. He deprecated any attempt to change the present system of appoint | ing registrars which had worked so satis- | factoriiy It would be- MT. Bankhead | claimed. unwise to leave the appointment to county officers who might be influence ed by local conditions. In hot county fights. Mir. Bankhead said, the registrars might be tempted to depart from the l spirit of the constitution and register negroes and men not entitled to registra- | tion.
 Mir Espy withdrew his amendment. Lusk Amendment Adopted. An amendment by MT. Lusk of Mar shall providing that persons who from any cause were unable to attend the regular sittings of the Board of Registrars might be registered on Friday and Satur- day preceding the general election.