The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-08-07
REFUSES
 TO CONCUR House Struggles With
 Pistol Toting. ASKS FOR A CONFERENCE Senate Amendment is Flatly
 Turned Down. vhe Chief Feature of the Amendment Was That the Carrying of
 Pistols sh-uId Be Lice-A-~d.

once again the House struggled w&h the pistol toting' .rob1em last even- ing, when there came back from the Senate the Rushton bill. which had been considered by the lower branch of the Legislature as the strongest measure that could be passed. The Senate had amended the bili so as to change many of its vital provisions, and, In fact, the amendment amounted to a sugstitute for the original bill.
 After a lengthy and somewhat heat ed discussion, the House declined to concur in the action o1 the Senate, but requested that body to appoint a com mittee to meet a like committee from the House to confer over the measure.
 The chief features or the Senate's amendment provided that the carrying of pistols should be licensed, that the license fee should be $1o, ana that ap- plicants for such licenses would be required to secure the signatures of three reputable freeho1ders to the pe- tition for license. and to give bond in the sum of $500.
 The first to gain the noor to speak on the measure, was ndr. Urquart, of Jefferson, who, in one of the most fiery speeches he has made during the en- tire session, declared that the bill. if 1t became a law, would have no more effect in the way of stopping the car rying of pistols than does the present one. He declared thst he was abso- lutely opposed to voting for a measure that would give to anybody, a license to carry pistols either concealed or openly. and that the direct effect of this bill would be that an undesirable class of citizens who now carried guns openly. would put them in a back pock- ct. He urged the House not concur in the Senate amendment, but rather to ask for conference committee.
 Standing on Volcano.
 MT. Pitts, of Dallas, said there had never been a period ih the history of Alabam when her people were stand ing on such a volcano as at pres ent. His people, he said, were mak- ing such a strenuous cry for some law that he was obliged to sink his own opinion for the good of the whole people. Tt is a hard thing for me to agree to it," he continued. that man must be licensed to carry wea0> on in his hip pocket, but it was bess to agree on some good measure. How is this pistol carrying to be stopped when there is no law against it?" he asked, and added that 1t had gotten to such a dreadful pass that people went about open and above board, carrying this weapon to their work and to their  them.
 But when a man Is bonded as this amendment provides" he said, when he Is licensed, 1t will do some good. Let us do something for the good or the people. If a conference commit tee is best then Jet us have 1t, but in Gods name let us do something"
 Bar-room habitutes and gamblers. MT. John said, would not be troubled about getting a bond and license and by this provision the House was doing no good and might better al- low the present law to stand. He hoped the House would not concur but rather that a conference committee might be asked for. It was his belief that such a conference might be able to get out something that would do some good.
 The matter has been discussed fully in both Houses, said MT. Lee, of Hous- ton. and 1t was his belief the substi- tute submitted to the House by the Senate was the best that could be arr rived at during this session.
 Refused to Concur.
 The House refused to concur.
 MT. Rushton of Crenshaw said: "The people of Alabama have asked you for a piece of bread and you are giving them stone" If the bill is not what is wanted, then he submitted 1t should go to a conference commit tte and be talked over so that the people could get the best law possi- ble on the matter.
 The substitute offered, he said, gave to those who could secure a $500 bond a supreme advantage and placed those who could not at their mercy, and he submitted to the House that there were hundreds of good men and true right in Montgomery who could not secure a $500 bond
 When the vote to concur was put the House voted 1t down, yeas, 35; nays, 51.
 MT. Gunter moved the Speaker ap- point a committee on conference which was carried.
 The Senate notified the House that it insisted on Its amendment to the dog tax bill and asked for a commit tee on conference. Representatives Mastin of Montgomery. and Pitts of Dallas, were appointed to meet with the committee from the Senate. Sem ators Spragins and Overton.
 RecOnslders Vote.
 The House reconsidered its vote on the bill to relieve the Abercrombie