The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-02-22
HOUSE PASSES REVENUE BILL
 AFTER AN ALL-DAY SESSION

Ing us outy Dy any threats. The Tunstall amendment was adopted | by a vote of 37 to 30. The committee of the whole during Its ] consideration of the revenue bill decided l to rise and report the measure in the hope of bastening its passage. The mo- l ton to rise was made by MT. Benners, l of Jefferson, who at the time stated that | if any other members wanted to offer amendments they would have a chance l of doing so when the bill came before the | House.
 There was opposition to this as 1t was known that MT. London was only waiting chance to attack the State Back Tax l Commission.
 ] "Gag Rule" is Charged. 1 The motion carried, however, and MT. l Lyons, of Mobile, reported to the House | the action of the committee of the whole. He moved immediately that the previous question be ordered on the engrossment and third reading of the bill. 1 Mir Lusk, of Marshall, sprang to his feet and declared that he was opposed to any such action, which would shut on debate | and savor of "gag rule" "To open debate on this question and to prevent gag rule,' said MT. Lusk, T move the indefinite postponement of the bill and the pending amendments" The motion apparently nettled Speaker Tunstall and he put the question in this shape.
 | All who favor the defeat of the reve- nue bill will say aye and all who favor the passage of revenue bill will say mo-"
 Mr. Lusk protested against this method of putting his question, declaring that he was not opposed to the passage of the 1 pill but that he wanted an open discus sion of it.
 Lusk Makes Speech. l He then made an earnest and fmpas- stoned speech against what he termed | the effort to railroad the bill through the House without discussion. The bil he declared had only been partly considered in the Committee and it had been put be- 1 fore the House with the understanding that other amendments could be offered He declared that the attempt to shut off 1 both debates and amendments was un- fair and unjust
 T am willing to withdraw my motion | to indefinitely postpone" said MT. Lusk. | If no attempt is made to enforce gag rule"
 This matter" cried Mir. Lusk lis of vital importance to the State. It Is of vital importance to the Democratic party. It would be far better that no revenue 1 bill should he passed than this House | SnOuld he put Gnder gag rule. | Speaker Tunstall took the floor. l The question before the House, he said, was the indefinite postponement of the bill What did that mean, he asked, but the defeat of the bill?' It was not right, | he said that the bill should be postponed.
 No Gag Rule, Says Tunstau. | There has been no effort on the part Of the Speaker to enforce gag ruie.' 7" said MT. Tunstall, ''and I call the mem | bers of the House to witness the truth oC that statement. Every member of this House with an amendment who has asked for recognition has secured It."
 MT. Lusk asked the House not to in- | dehnitely postpone the bill but to vote l down the motion for the previous aues- | ton.
 MT. Blackburn of Jefferson pointed out that there had been clear understand | ing under MT. Benners motion that the House was to have a chance to further | amend and discuss.
 MT. Benners rose to say that his col league had correctly stated his motion and his position.
 MT. Blackburn said that the first thing that was done when the bill got before the House was the submission of a mo- ton to shut off debate. He submitted l that the members of the House had not | been treated fairly.
 MT. Siglin of Cherokee, appealed to the House to allow the members to sub | init amendment as had been fairly and squarely promised them. London Enters Protest. MT. London of Jefferson also entered his protest to the proposed action. IIe appealed to the House not to permit any | such unfair action. l MT. Lyons of Mobile arose to a ques- | A; nal rf,-S1a said. been partly the caTse of the heated dotate. No man, he said desired fuller | and fIeer discussion of questions before | the House. This had been. he said, prov ed by his course while presiding over the | committee of the wh )e. He dlsclaimed any intention to shut off debate CT apply the gag rule"
 When the whole matter is sifted down." said MT. Lyons, it will be found that the trouble arises from the fact that one member from Jefferson wants to offer an amendment to abolish the State | Back Tax Commission" He warned the House that any attempt on the part of the House to abolish the | Commission would be futile. Nothing. he said, would be accomplished for a State | official down stairs had made uu his mind that the department should not be abol- l ished.
 
 tion of MT. Benners, and in view of that he would withdraw his motion for the | previous question.
 The House again went into the commit tee of the whole
 To Abolish Tax Commission.
 MT. London proposed his amendment abolishing the Back Tax Commission, and addressed the House in favor of it. He 1 vas subjected to rapid fire battery of i questions, ard finally sat down before his remarks had been completed He de- cared that the Commission was founded on an erroneous idea, in that it provided for the payment of the officers by fees He criticised the law, and said that he favored the operation of the Indiana sys- tenn, which placed the assessment and collection of back taxes under a State Board.
 Speaker Tunstai on the floor, declared that from his knowledge of the law. 1t l had done no injury to any man who had made a fair assessment of his property.
 The London amendment was tabled by an overwhelming vote.
 Maner's Mortgage Tax.
 MT Maner of Montg omary finally got in his stamp tax proposition after tryng ever since the bill had been rep )rted to | the House from the joint committee It provided that tax of 15 cents on the hundred dollars should ne charged on ! mortgages. This he explained, was in lieu of every other tax Under the pres cnt law he declared the foreign money lenders escaped the plyment of the tax,