The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-12-20
MEMBERS CANNOT
 REACH AGREEMENT Some Want Another Federal
 Court in Alabama WILL GET TOGETHER SOON Mr. Clayton Favors an Entire Redls. tricting of the State, Dividing It
 Into Eastern and West
 ern Districts.
WILL GET TOGETHER SOON

Washington, December 19-(Special.)- Northern district of Alabama, recom- mended some time ago by the members of the Birmingham bar, and introduced by Mir Underwood, has stirred things up considerably in the Alabama delega- tion. There seems to be a great deal of diversity of opinion as to what should be done in the matter. Most of the del- egation are of the opnion that some re- lief should be given to the present con- gested condition of the dockets in the United States courts in the Northern and Middle districts of Alabama, but each member seems to have his own particular plan and there seems to be no two members that desire the same thing
 Divided in Their Opinions.
 MT. Bankhead. the dean of the delega- tion. has sought to relieve his corstitu- ents by introducing bill establishing a court at Tuscaloosa, as the northern di- vision of the Southern district, to ens- brace the counties of Pickens, Sumter Greene, Hale and Tuscaloosa. It is un- derstood that MT. Bowie desires to es- tablish a court at Selma, to have juris- diction over the surrounding counties, and also to be called the northern di- vision of the Southern district. It is ex- pected that Judge Toulman would pre- side over these courts if established. MT. Burnett is in favor of a new judge if he can get a suitable one. Judge Richard son thinks it best to leave present con dltlons alone. MT. Underwood and MT Wiley think that the relief for the courts is badly needed and that it will be nec- essary to provide for a new judge in order to secure the relief. MT. Clayton who is the member of the judiciary com mittee from Alabama, and for that reason his opinion is more likely to be adopted by the committee in the end, thinks that some relief should be grant ed, but does not think it necessary to provide for another judge In Alabama. He thinks that Judge Jones and Judge Toulman can attend to all the business of the United States courts in the state ie the work is properly distributed be- tween them. He favors an entire redis- tricting of the state, giving the western counties, with courts at Mobile and Bir- mingham. to Judge Toulman, and the eastern counties of the state, with courts at Montgomery Huntsville and Annis- ton, to Judge Jones.
 Make State One District.
 It has also been suggested by some of the members of the delegation that the entire state of Alabama be made one dis trict, with Judge Jones and Judge Toul- man to preside over it. and have the courts go to the people as nearly as pos sible, instead of the people coming to the courts, and to accomplish this to provide for the holding of court at Shelf field, in Colbert county; Huntsville, in Madison county; Gadsden, in Etowah county; Anniston. in Calhoun county; Opelika, in Lee county; Eufaula, in Bar Der county; Montgomery, Tn Montgom- cry county; Mobile, in Mobile county; Selma in Dallas county; Tuscaloosa, in Tuscaloosa county, and Birmingham, in Jefferson county giving each one of these courts Jurisdiction over the sur rounding and contiguous counties. and allowing the two judges to apportion the work of holding these courts between themselves as they determine best. It is argued that this plan would materially cut down the expense of witnesses att tending the United States courts and of the marshars office that would more than make up for the additional cost of providing for the holding of that many more courts.
 Nothing has been agreed on by the del- egation up to this time. but they have all agreed to hold a joint meeting imme- diately after the Christmas holidays and try and come to some united action in the matter.