The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-10
LEGISLATORS RUSH
BUSINESS NEAR CLOSE
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Vided for in order to correct anything
that may go wrong.
Unfortunate Incident.
The little ripple which arose in the
legislature this week with regard to the
changing of a bill is greatly regretted
by everybody who knows of the cir
eumstances and surroundings. That there
was no intention of wrong and no spe-
cial carelessness on anybody's part is con-
coded by the most critical. However, the
incident calls attention to peculiar con-
ditions that prevail at this time. The
election of Governor Conner was predi-
Gated ON the adoption of number of
railroad measures, which he had con-
tended for for many years. Having taken
up this legislation, Governor Conner has
felt 1t his duty to see that the bills go
through without error and in such way
as to make them as nearly constitutional
as 1t is possible to discover. To this end
he has had the very best advice pos
sible to secure and in addition to this
has utilized the services of officers in
departments affected by the measures go
ing through
This accounts for President Henderson
of the railroad commission having had
the bill for examination. 1t was the
measure which changed all the rates and
adopted a maximum rate for a long list
of products ami commodities. In other
words it was the bill in the which Ala
bama is committed to the principle or law
made rates, stumbling block over which
several legislators have come 70 grief
in the past few years. To avoid this Mr.
Henderson went carefully over the bill,
checking here and there, with rate sched-
ules and the original draft in order that
there should not be word or sentence
misplaced or misused.
Having discovered that q slight dis
crepency existed between the original and
the engrossed copy, Mr.. Henderson in tho
regular way called attention to it to have
1t corrected Unfortunately he had not
kept up with the bill, and brought about
the correction after it had left the sem
ate engrossing clerk and had been re-
ferred to a committee in the house. Hence
the situation arose out of nothing more
than carefulness with a view to prevent
Ing any mistakes out of which confusion
might arise in the future.
Probable Appropriations.
From source that seems fully reliable
it is understood that the appropriations
committee of the two houses have pretty
well agreed upon what shall be given Sto
the schools and old soldiers by the pres
ent session of the legislature. The outlook
now is that the increase over last year
will amount to a fraction in excess OF
81 ,00O,0 600, and 1t Is further understood
that there is no difficulty in looking out
in the future and seeing where, not only
this is coming from, but even more from
the prospective resources of the state.
According to this information the APP
preparations are expected to be about as
follows: University, s125,000, schools, $780,
600; rural school buildings, SGT 600; Girls
Industrial school, $4,000; Auburn, $4,000;
Boys Industrial school, $3.50; Deaf
Dumb and Blind, $4,000; Mobile Medical
college, sl3, $50; normal schools, $4,000; ag-
ricultural schools, $4,000; old soldiers,
s275,O00
If these figures are correct, which it is
expected that they are to a large extent,
a total increased appropriations, and
these are increases in every instance, will
be a $50, and this will be provided
for out of what is expected without any
difficulty. 1t will be far more than these
cases have ever gotten and will put the
state on a new and vastly better basis
from standpoint of schools and PEN
sions.
Alabama Plan Recommended.
The Alabama department of archives
and history is in receipt Of Vol. ] of the
publications of the Arkansas Historical
association, a handsome book of 500 pages.
This volume embraces the report of the
Arkansas history commission, created by
an act of the legislature of that state,
dated April 81, 1905. 1t contains an ex-
haustive and elaborate review of the his
torical resources of the state together
with several contributed articles on sub
iects of interest to its history.
The act creating the history commits
sion followed the plan of the state of
Alabama in creating a similar commits
sion some years ago, and whose report
was published in 1901. The work of the
commission appears to be very well done.
and as a result of the publication of
the volume much larger body of his
torlcal material exists for the history or
Arkansas than has been popularity be-
lieved. With the aid of the work, stu
dents can now go forward to an In
telllgent and detailed study of the life Of
the state and it's people
As of particular interest to Alapanlans,
1t is to be noted that the very first
recommendation of the commission is for
the establishment of department Of ar
chives and history, a similar to that or
ganzed and so well conducted In TINS
state Since the creation of the depart
ment of archives and history in Alabama,
In 1901, similar departments or oitlces
have been organized in Mississippi, west
Virginia, Georgia, Virginia, South caro-
lima and Tennessee. In addition to the
recommendation of the Arkansas commits
sion, similar recommendations have been
made by commissioners appointed to in
yestigate archive and public record con-
ditions in the states of North Carolina
and Iowa The value and Importance
of such departments are coming to be
very generally recognized. They are doing
a great work toward preserving the fun
damental sources for history and In the
encouragement of state pride and higher
fc epirit