The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-01-26
SENATE DOUBLES TRACKS ON
 BIENNIAL SESSIONS MEASURE

Wednesday, Senator Jones or WilcoA' made his formal motion to take from the calendar his bill, giving the peo- pie of the State an opportunity to vote on the question of biennial electiopr and biennial sessions of the LegisS ture He was firmly conynced the xTo- pie were not satisfied with qua2sen- nial sessions. The system had been tried long enough to establish e fact that it was great failure.
 He denied the people had<sver ex- pressed themselves as in favsr of bien- nial sessions. Biennial sessions were not an issue in the campaign for the adoption of the Constitution, argued Senator Jones. The only issue in that campaign was the qualification of the ballot. The people had never had a chance to express their views on the question of a biennial or a quadrennfa1 session of the Legislature. The bill which he asked the Senate to take from the adverse calendar was noth- ing more than bill which provided that the people should have the chance to say whether they wanted biennial or duadrennial sessions of the Legisla- ture.
 This much was at least due them. Senator Jones argued. He alluded to the great surplus that had piled up fin the treasury without benefiting any BRECKENRIDGE Vt ehy PVAitSf VI thC 0tdtCf when matters in which the people ure vitally interested suffered for lack of attention.
 Senator Doster, like the distinguish ed Senator from Barbour, as he ex- pressed 1t. had never beard any cry from the people that the Legislature pc permitted to meet every two years. II he understood the attitude of the people, they did not care whether the I,erfsIafllre met auarv fotIr taar or not. He was inclined to believe the people thought that four years was often enough for the Legislature to meet. He thought the new Constitu- fion ought to be given fair trial and If 1t did not seem to him that the varI ious attempts to trim and amend that instrument were designed to give that instrument fair trial.
 Four Years Not Often Enough.
 Senator Moody thought the people of Alabama should have the chance every two years to get the laws they. want ed. Alabama was the only State in the Union which provided that its Legisla- ture should not meet except every four years. Bad laws might be pass ed. Laws might be passed whlcn, for one reason or another, could be declar- ed unconstitutional. There certainly ought to be some way in which the mistakes of a Legislature could be rec tiled. and which would avoid the nec- essity of the State suffering four years under those mistakes. MT. Moody made an interesting and instructive speech, and his fellow senators gave him close attention.
 Senator Gardner, of Pike, was quite convinced his people did not want a session of the Legislature every two years. He saw no reason why the Constitution should be tempered with this early.
 Senator Spragins closed the discus- sion with brief address, in which he reviewed the discussion and empha- sized the arguments that were made against any change which would result in a session of the Legislature every two years.
 The vote was taken, and only half a dozen Senators expressed themselves as opposed to taking the bill off the adverse calendar. Several senators, however, insisted on explaining their votes by saying they merely voted 10 give the bill place on tffe regular calendar. and they reserved the right to vote against the bill on its final passage.
 Favor Anti "BucI<et-sho BiII.
 The Senate began it's days work with . K. were thirty-three Senators present.
 The anti ti-"bucket-shop' bill of Sena- tor Reese was sent into the Senate un- der favorable report.
 The Educational Committee endorsed the school book bill of Senator Rev holds. The bill is an effort to provide school books for the poorest children of the State. It provided a system of furnishing school books to the children who are unable to secure them
 Perhaps the final chapter of the long contest between the President pro tenn of the Senate, was written in resolu- tion offered by Senator Gardner, Chair man of the Rules Committee. The res- olution provided that the President of the Senate. meaning the Lieutenant Governor. should be authorized to sign all certificates for the pay of the mem- bers of the Senate ,and the Senate em- ployes Under the old regulations of the Senate, the pay certificates were signed by the President pro tenn. The Senate passed the joint resolution.
 Senator Lowe, of Morgan County, of- fered resolution calling upon the Cap itol Building Commission to submit detailed report of its receipts and it's expenditures. together with an account of the operations of the Commission. MT. Lowe explained the cause for the resolution, by saying that the Sem ate Committee on Finance and Taxa ton had before 1t bill making an ap- priation for the continuation of the Capitol Improvements. The resolution was then adopted.
 The resolution os Senator Doster pro- viding for a joint committee to visit the Boys School at East Lake was also passed The resolution provides for a committee of five, two from the Senate and three from the House.
 Senator Reynolds proposed a resolu- tion petitioning Congress on behalf of the Legislature of Alabama. to pass a law so amending the Interstate Con- merce Commission that wniskey could not be shipped Into prohibition districts of another State. The resolution was referred to the Committee on Rules.
 For Good Road Building.
 Senator >overton, under unanimous consent, presented the proposed bill of the Alabama Good Roads Association. of road building between the State and the county. The bill carries an annual appropriation of S1O,O00 and provides for three State Commissioners of High way, who are to be appointed by the Governor.
 The Senate, having talked all the morning, got suddenly busy and in half an hour cleared the calendar of all To- cal bills None of the general meas ures on the calendar were touched, but every Senator who had a local bill on the calendar. had the chance to call it up and have 1t passed.
 The local bills passed yesterday by tba Capofa included the .CSaorpfano