The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-01-09
Thomas and Martin Will Lead the Legislature
 Today. LAWMAKERS HOLD FIRST SESSION IN THE CAPITOL Present Gathering of Legislators to Write New Chapter
 in History. Men Elected to ohice Hold Unique Po- sition As Living Protest Against Legislative Past--0pen-
 ing Is auiet In Both
 Branches.

The Legislature of Alabama win meet at noon. In all probability the message of Governor w. D. Jelks will be sent to the House and the Senate. and its reading will furnish the chief interest of today's proceedings.
 Hon. W. L. Martin, of Montgomery, will be elected Speaker of the House. Senator E. P. Thomas, of Barbour. will be elected President pro tenn of the Senate. Then the Legislature will Tn all probability adjourn until next Mon day.
 Such was the program last night It was said that an adjournment of three days would be necessary in order that the speaker and the Lieutenant Governor-elect, may name the commit tees of the two bodies. This program will. moreover. carry out the wishes of the Gray men, that the Committees s of the Senate shouldsnot be named un- til the new Lieutenant- Governor had been inducted into ofice.
 c. B. Brown will be elected Clerk of the House and James A. Kyle. Secre- tary of the Senate. together with the other clerical force at today's ses- sion.
 New Chapter in History.
 In halls where history has been made, among scenes where the storm cradled Nation that fell" was born, Tn halls that for nearly sixty years have witnessed the joys and sorrows, tho hopes and the disappointment of the people of an American State, the Sen sion of the Alabama Legislature Of 1907 met yesterday on the stroke or noon.
 A new chapter in the history of Ala bama is now in the writing. and an important chapter 1t promises to bc. Any session of the Alabama Legisla- ture is of peculiar importance to the people of the State. for the Constitu- ton permits the Legislature to como together only once In four years. Hut the Legislature that assembled yester- day had an added importance.
 It was elected after the most re- markable campaign the Democratic par ty has passed through since the war 1t was elected to carry out definite. certain policy and in the, campaign which resulted in its election, charges were freely and boldly made that all previous Legislatures had been under the domination of the railroad corpo- rations of the State Whatever good previous Legislatures had done, was forgotten in the continued display of the sins of those Legislatures. So the body of men who assembled yester- day to make the laws of Alabama may be said to be a living protest against the legislative past.
 So. whether the Legislature of to- day wins the plaudits or incurs the criticism of the people of Alabama 1t is assured of an important place in the governmental history of the State. Whether 1t fails or succeeds, it will at least make history. because of it's as- serted difference from the Legislatures which have gone before.
 The lawmakers assembled quietly and with but few onlookers. The small number of visitors was remark able, when the general interest in the proceedings of the Legislature is con sidered. The rotunda of the Capitol. which, for the first time since the Capi- toI was built, Is well lighted and at
 
 the noon hour struck. The crowd was mainly made up of candidates. busy among the senators and representa- tives who crossed and re-crossed the rotunda. A few on-lookers stood about and met their friends. but the crowd was smaller than that which has at tended previous first day sessions of the Legislature.
 Ladies Attend Opening.
 The House had large knot of visi- tors in the gallery, with several ladies brightening the upstairs scene. In the Senate. only a fringe of male visitors hung over the railing and discussed the looks of the senators.
 No work was accomplished in either house None was expected to be ac- complished. The Senate was in ses- sion only a few minutes. The House was in session for an hour. The diR- ference in the time was due entirely to the difference in the size of the mem bership. for both houses occupied the larger part of their time in the enroll ment of members. The thirty-six members of the Senate were quickly en- rolled, while the enrolling of the House members took considerably longer. Both adjourned to meet today at noon.
 The House named committee to look after the seating of the members. The Senate does not have much trouble in seating its members, and no action was taken yesterday
 The Senate was called to order by Lieutenant -GaysrpaE B. M' Cunning