The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-12-30
POLITICAL GOSSIP HEARD
AT THE ALABAMA CAPITAL
BY HERVEY w. LAIRD.

Montgomery December 29-(special.)-
Jere c. King, representative-elect from
jefferson county, proposes to make his
first and best attack as a law-maker of
the state upon the fee system. as it now
prevails, in the jurisprudence of the COM
monwealth. To the correspondent of this
paper he says:
Il will say that the most far-reaching
bill that | will introduce will be the one
to abolish the fee system in Alabama,
and put every county official on a stated
salary. This will of necessity apply to
every county in the state In order to
meet certain constitutional restrictions it
must apply to all the counties of the
state.
THE plan will be done on sliding
scale; that is to say the several counties
will be put into classes on a population
basis. jefferson will be in the first class,
with Mobile and Montgomery in the sec
ond class, Jefferson coming into the class
above 100000 population, with Mobile and
Montgomery in the class above 10000 and
under 100000 population; the third class
will take all counties from 10000 TO 60. 900;
the fourth class all counties above Is, 600
and under 10000 and the fifth class all the
counties under $4,000.
The Salary List.
"Under the salary law the probate judge
of Jefferson will get S50O0 as will the
sheriff. with the clerks of the several
courts. tax assessor tax collector and
treasurer on II salary of $1,000 The pro-
bate judges of Mobile and Montgomery
will be put on a salary of $1,000. as will
the sheriff of each of these counties. and
so on down the scale until the fifth class.
in which the probate judge will get $500.
The salary in each instance is to be paid
monthly by warrant drawn on the county
treasurer. All office help which Is pro
vided for in the bill is to be paid out of
the county treasury. and all fees received
in each office shall go into the county
treasury at the end of each month"
He modestly concludes by asserting that
he does not presume to say that the bill
will pass, but he does say that he will do
everything III the world he can to bring
about its adoption In his opinion it viii
mean an enormous saving to the state,
especially in big counties like Jefferson,
where exceedingly large fees are paid.
He further relates that he has prepared
a bill TO cover the situation as he sees it.
and will have 1t ready at @ opening of
the session.
Other Propositions.
Touching other legislation which he will
fers to the coal lands Of the university,
and expresses the opinion that they
should be utilized for the production of
coal by the state convicts. He continues.
"I shall introduce four local bills regu-
lating the fine and forfeiture fund In
jefferson county and the payment of state
witnesses in state cases. 1t Is more than
likely that will try to wipe out the hop
jack business, or help to do SO. as 1t is a
blind for selling liquor in violation of the
tnK xrfil1 ole fsaft A.
izing the governor, encouragement and
state auditor to make contract with the
trustees of the State university to work
the state conyicts on the coal lands of
the university. paying the university "A
royalty, with the proceeds Of the coal to
be mined to go into the school fund of
the state. This will help out the univer-
sity by giving Ii n constant source of
revenue from her idle lands. place the
state convicts at work for the school in
terests of the state instead Of public
service corpora tons and also take the
convicts out of competition with free la
bor in n sense. The university lands lie
ON the Warrior river. where transporta-
ton is already solved by an outlet to the
sea. ! regard this important measure.
II will vote with the Conner forces on
the railroad rate question, and favor To-
cal option, as well as the municipal code
law now under discussion by the heads of
the several cities Of the state"
Other Legislative Ideas.
Frank s. Moody. who will come to the
legislature from Tuscaloosa county, will
introduce and undertake to have passed
a local option dspensary bill. During the
interval between now and the time the
body convenes he is perfecting the b.ii
with a view to meeting all Of the condi-
tons that expected to arise Mr..
Moody has been interested in the dispen
sary question for some time. and he will
come to Montgomery as one of the best
posted men In the south the subject.
w. j. Jones. who Will come to the lower
house from Butler county. will support,
he says a local option law. Several 9TH
er gentlemen who will be associate with
Mr.. Jones have expressed their intention
to back up this kind of a measure. The
fact Is there Is going to he a very large
following in favor of this rlan Of hand
ling the whisky traffic.
Mr.. Jones says further that he is in
favor of law whereby the public high
ways will be improved and kept In good
condition. and also one for the protection
of all kinds of game. Il hope to see the
next Legislature put the pistol toater out
of business. I have children. but am
In favor Of better schools and longer
terms. and also stand for the best that
we can do for the old soldiers. l will