The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-02-06
HOT CONTEST OVER MEASURE Close Call for Adminis-
 tration. FIGHT FOR ANII-pAss BILL Goes Through After Amendments
 Are Voted Down. vote on one Alteration Results is Tie --FinaI action os Preposrd Law
 Is UnanImous--Newspapers silent.

control of the House, when the anti pass bill. which came over from the Senate a few days ago. was before that body for final passage. It was only by the most strenuous efforts or Mr. Long of Butler. the chairman ol the Committee on Comfneree ana Common Carriers. and of Speafcr Mar tin. who left the chair to take part in the debate. that the day was saved. and the measure prevented tfron hay. ing number of amendments tackled to It. ~ As it was one amendment was lost on q tie vote, ferty-six to forty.six, barely falling of the required plajor- ity. Roll call after roll call was dc. manded. but those who maintained the bill might be improved by, amend ment. did not seem afraid to put themselves on record.
 Indeed. on one or two occasions. II was the friends of the amendment who demanded the ron call. as though to demonstrate they were not afraid of any charge that they were trying to throttle the measure.
 When 1t came to final vote. the bill was passed unanimously. eighty- three to nothing. but it took time and generaIship to defeat in turn the half dozen amendments proposed. each WtIH a measure dt IcdEt OI iFtilt. 0Ht amendment only was adopted, 1t being to place in the bill provision to per, init free passes to be given or dis counts allowed to travelling secreta- ries of Young Women's Christian As- sociations, as we'll as of Young Mems Christian Associations.
 Newspapers Are Silent No effort was made by the friends of the newspapers of the State to in- corporate in the measure a provision allowing the exchange of transporta- ton For advertising space. similar to that at first recommended by the Sem ate committed. but later eliminated at the behest of the Governor. An at tempt was made, however. to secure the passage of an amendment allowing such exchange during the calendar year 1907. in accordance with exist ing contracts but 1t met with ignorni- nious defeat. to the tune of, ffty-six to thirty-two.
 The bill as finally passed contains just five words that did not appear when 1t reached the House. from tho Senate, and those words are of an im- material character. It makes 1t file. gal for any common carrier to give any free pass or reduced rates to any persons, other than its officers, agents and employees. together with certain exempted classes and makes 1t like wise Illegal for any person to accept l such free or reduced rate transporta- tion. The penalty for violation is fixed at fine of from $100 to se,0O0. or imprisonnlent in the county jail or at hard labor for not over six months, or both. at the discretion of the jury The only adverse vote suffered by the champions of the measure was the initial one. when the House. by a vote of 3s to 49, refused to table an amend ment. the object of which was to per init passes to be given to Confederate veterans. Strong appeals were at once made by Mir. Long and Mir. John for support of the measure. and the amend. .ment was lost by a vote of 4e to 4s.
 ResOlutiOn for Three SessiOnu.
 Rev. Brooks Lawrence, the Anti Saloon League worker, delivered the opening prayer at the House yester. day. The roll call showed seventy seven members present. The journal. as usual, was approved without read ing.
 Mir. King of Jefferson presented a resolution providing for three sessions daily by the House. The morning ses- sion was to be held from 10 to 1 o'clock. the afternoon session from 3 to o'clock. and the evening session from to 10 o'clock. The resolution was referred to the Rules Committee. On motion of Mir. MaIey of Jefferson. the privileges of the floor were extend ed to s. l.. Kelley of Virginia for the day, Mr. Kelley is one of the directors of the Jamestown Exposition.
 Leaves of absence for the day were granted Mir. Lee of Barbour. Mir. Doyle of Marengo. Mir. smith of Etowah and Mir. Glover of Jefferson
 A message was received from the Senate. transmitting the House bill for the creation of the fish and game department. which it had passed with amendments Monday. On motion of MT. SteagaIl of Dale, the author Of the bill, the Senate amendments were fa- vorably concurred in.
 Nearly twenty bills were reported favorably by various committees, Among them the measure to create Committee on Labor and migration. A few bills were introduced, and after the Mardi Gras embroglio had been concluded, the Hause took up the anti pass bill.
 BuIger Has Amendment.
 Mir. Long called up t..e anti-pass bill as unfinished business .rom Monday, and before he had time for his usual explanation of the measure and mo- ton for the previous question. Mir. Bull ger. of Tallepoosa, was on his feet, with an amendment. He proposed to add to Section 1 of the measure, in eon- nection with the enumeration Of the exempted classes a clause to permit carrying at reduced rates or free of charge any Confederate veterans going to or returning from county, State or national reunions.
 Mir Long opened his argument upon the proposed amendment with the statement that the provisions of the bill had been carefully considered by the committee and had been reported unanimously. He understood there were a number of amendments ready which were desired to be put In the bill for the benefit of this person or that but it was not wanted to dis criminate in favor of any Ho did not wish to shut of any meritorious amendment but If the members would consider the measure carefully they would see 1t followed very closely the Hepburn bill, in force in interstate bus iness He understood il was patterned after that law
 He closed by moving to lay the amendment of Mir Bulger on the table. MT. Buiger. unaba shed, promptly called for the ayes and nays on the motion to table, and the House refused to take the desired action by a vote of g to 49
 This result evidently came as a sur prise to the champions of the bill, and they became busy. MT, Long made an-