The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-01-26
Takes Bill from Adverse Calendar. UPPER HOUSE STOPS THE AGITATION ON TAG TAX
 e- Refuses to Consider Law Proposed by Gardner.
 < History Repeats Itself, The Discussion Following Lines of Previous Day. Go Lons Way Toward Two Year Meetings of
 Body.

The Senate yesterday went iohs way towards endorsing biennial elec- tions and biennial sessions of the Leg islature If the vote of the senate Thursday on the same proposition meant anything, the Senate yesterday reversed itself, for 1t took the biennial election bill from the adverse caien- dar by a large majority.
 All in all. the history of yesterdays session was practically the same as the history of Thursdays session, With the difference that the Senate settled the two questions which had been up on both days. Yesterday, as on Thursday, all the talking time was occupied with the proposition to re-establish biennial elections and biennial sessions of the Legislature. But yesterday, the Sem ate took the biennial session from the adverse calendar and put into the way of final passage.
 The Senate, moreover, stopped the tag tax agitation by refusing to take the Gardner bill from the adverse cai- endar. But 1t was done by the narrow est margin which has been shown by any vote this session. The vote was seventeen to fifteen, and by such a margin as that the majority declared that the proper place for the tag tax bill was on the adverse calendar.
 The tag tax controversy bobbed up bright and early. It was unfinished business from Wednesday, and 1t had the right of way. The opponents of the measure had their say yesterday, and. they claimed everything that was coming to them. Senator Hammer, of Etowah, said the House had been threatened with the wrath of the farmer, if the tag tax were not taken off. and he declared he. did fear the wrath of any class.
 Fears Not The Farmer.
 They say we will antagonize the wrath of the farmer, if we fail to abolish this tax, and they talk of the petitions thak will be brought into the Senate to Influence our vote" said Sem ator Hammer, .-bat want to say to you that the fear of that antagonism will not influence my decision and my action. The supporters of this motion are saying that money should be taken put of the general fund to replace the educational fund which would be lost by the abolition of the tax. That Is only splitting hairs in accounts, and taking money from one pocket and placing 1t in another, a thing for which I have no use.
 .srhe opponents of the tax have failed to prove the formers alone pay that tax. and there has been no answer to the statement that in Mississippi, where no tax Is paid. guano Is sold at the same price at which 1t is sold in Alabama. Until the opponents of this measure can show the farmers Of the state will get their guano cheaper by inc abolition of this tax. I will not vote to deprive the educational Inter- ests of Alabama of the money 1t brings in"
 Senator Reese, of Dallas. was op- posed to any legislation which would cripple any educational interests of the State If any one thing had been de- monstrated that the farmer could not get any advantage from such action. Mir Reese eomplimented the excellent work that had been done at Auburn, and he had good word to say Tor the agricultural schools of the State. They were a part of the educational system, and a wrong would be done if any sort of an attack. no matter how disguised, were made upon those schools The price of guano was uni form throughout the three States of Mississippi. Alabama and Georgia, and there was no reason to believe the Alabama farmer could get his guano at lower figure if the tax were re- moved.
 Reese UphOlda Agricultural Schools.
 He was asked by Senator Doster:
 Has your county of Dallas. sim gle student at the Fourth District School of SylacaugaT"
 Senator Reese replied: T do not know, and I do not think 1t of any i'm portance whether my county has a student at the school or not. I rep- resent the people of Dallas County, a people who want education to spread in every section of the State, and who are unwilling to tear down any insti- tuition that is engaged in the great work"
 Senator Gum, of Clarke intimated that the Senate had gone off on a tangent in devoting so much time to the tag tax.
 Ave are hunting rabbits, when we ought to be hunting bear" said Sem ator Gum. We started out after big game, and we have gotten down to chasing rabbits. Let's do the work we were sent here to do. We were sent here to relieve the people from oppres- sive railroad domination We were sent here to secure to the people their rights, and to destroy abuses to which they have been subjected"
 Senator Gardner closed the debate on the adverse motion. He contended the tax was a piece of class Legislation. that the assertion could not be suc- cessfully denied; and that the class which suffered under 1t was crying for relief.
 "The Senator from Clarke minimIzes this great evil and talks. of our efforts to reform 1t as chasing rabbits" said Senator Gardner. If he were to 20 down before an audience of East Ala bama farmers and say that efforts to get this tax removed were nothing more than rabbit chasing, they would chase him out of the country"
 Tag flax Bill SIdetracked
 Senator Forester appeared on the floor long enough to say the tax was A great evil from which the bearers of the burden were praying to be re- lieved
 The Senate then refused to take the hill from the adverse calendar by a nar-- row majority of two votes.
 In accordance with his notice given