The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-09-26
HOUSE AFTERNOON SESSION.
Body Resumed Consideration of In-
 surance Bill.


 The House, upon converting for the af- ternoon session, resumed consideration of the bill regulating the taxation of insur- ance companies
 Mir Werner of Tuscaloosa conutinped his remarks against the bill. The advo- cates of the bill, he said, had come before the House with unique argument. For the country members 1t was argued that the bill would increa@ the revenue of the State and to stave off the arguments of the city members that the bill was un- constitutional, they contended that it was not a revenue bill. He would be willing, he said, to vote for the bill if they would lop off all references to municipalities The bill ought not to pass, he said, as It would seriously affect the efficiency of the fire department of every city.
 MT. Bankhead submitted that the argu- ments had been predicated upon the orig inal bill and not upon the substitute. which was under consideration. There was in the substitute. he said. no lmi- tation on the part of the cities to collect less than they were collecting at pres ent.
 He contented that the bill was not a revenue bill. It's primary purpose, he said, was not to raise revenue. The bill was for the purpose of regulating a busi- ness and the revenue came to the State as an indirect result or the Dlll.
 Opposed by Hoffman.
 MT. Hoffman of Mobile said the bill should be entitled an act to give fire in surance companies $40.0O0 a year. It had been rumored he said. that the South eastern Tariff Association was back of the bill. The measure he declared, took money away from the cities and gave 1t to the State. It would he said, greatly impair all the fire departments of the State.
 MT. Benners of Jefferson explained the practical workings of the bill. It would. he said, decrease the revenues of the mu- inequalities and increase the insurance rates paid by citizens. He drew atten- ton to the fact that when the House had under consideration an insurance bill last winter a copy of a contract from the Southeastern Tariff Association was dis played, at the bottom of which was a provision that the rate could be increased if the rate of taxation was increased He thought 1t significant but he had not re- ceived a single letter from any fire insur- ance agent in the State in regard to the bill.
 The bill was indefinitely postponed by a vote of 67 to 16.
 The resolution of MT Davis providing that general bills could be called up at the night session provided written mo- tice was served during the day session. was favorable reported from the Commit tee on Rules. The resolution was adopted.
 An attempt was made to secure the sus- pension of the rules for the passage of a resolution declaring for an adjournment of the House for today and Monday The effort, however. was unsuccessful.
 Primary Election Bill.
 The general primary election bill came up as the special order for the House. The House went into the Committee of the Whole to consider the bil.
 MT. Goldsmith of Lowndes offered an amendment to the bill. making 1t a mis- demeanor for man to bribe a voter.
 The amendment was tabled.
 The Committee of the Whole rose and reported the bill to the House.
 The bill went over however. until to- day immediately after the approval of the journal. on motion of MT Bankhead.
 he bill amending the Code in reference to the salaries of country treasurers was called uD by MT Wood of Macon.
 The bin provides that county treasu- rers shall be paid 1-2 per cent on the money they had or hand when the bill in reference to their pay was passed by the Legislature last winter. The bill was DaSSed.