The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-08-12
POSSIBILITIES OF THE
 RAILROAD SITUATION
Sensational Turn May Develop at Any Tme-Coone E. L. Russes Part in Bringing About Concession the Part of the Southern Lieutenant Governor Henry B.
 Gray, Made Friends in Legislature
BY HERVEY VI. LAIRD.

suits and indictments, all of which would have to be fought with ate ndant loss of money and good will of the people, Also if the road had stopped doing busi- ness in the state it would have sub scribed to the constitutlonality of the act, which 1t was not, along with the others willing to do. Hence, the best thing seemed to be to get a compromise. pending a settlement of the whole mat ter in the courts In this way they have made good with the powers that be- have put themselves In line for any thing that may come out of the litigation and exhibited what the state officers have been pleased to call A eommendable dis position to obey the state laws.
 No Morgan Statue.
 Despite the efforts of the senate to have the remaining nicba set apart in statuary hall in Washington for Alabama taken up by a statue of the late Senator Morgan 1t will not be. The house was either too busy or dsinclned to take it up and 1t went to the coasts of oblivion left on the calendar" There was op- position on the part of one member in the senate to have the statue thus placed, but unanimous vote for it. 1t may be that the next session will complete the work. The other place allotted to the state is taken up by a statue of Dr. ]. l.. M. Curry, once minister to Spain.
 
 devoted most of the productive years Of his life to Alabama and its best needs.
 Friends of the movement. however, ara not altogether disappointed in the out come. They believe that with a short while to discuss the life and work of Sen ator Morgan, the people will more thor oughly appreciate his life and services and make it all the more a response to pop ular demand than 1t Is at this time. Sen ator Reese of Dallas was the leader in the passage of the senate bill which car rled $t5.000 and made the daughter of the dead statesman one of the commissioners for the selection of tine type and design
 Gray Was a Worker.
 Members of the legislature and the citl- zens of the state as a whole have been greatly pleased at the way Bleuten ant Governor Henry E. Gray tended to his job president of the senate. He worked regularly as farm hand, be- ing out of his place less, perhaps than any man filling a like position in any of the states. He took the work as se- rously as he does the running or his bank and gave to the state constant service as he does to that business out of which he makes a living.
 Mir. Gray. who is the only announced candidate for governor evidently took the position that it would be good idea  of q worker for the state, He has taken the position in 1he place. he hoidg that be etate r. just .s mucn entitled to reg ifiar attention to its business as com mereial honsS or a manufaeturlnB enter prise He got out of the chair very few times to work for a special measure, and those only when he desired to further bills that he regarded as essential to the welfare of his own city. His first vote to break a tie resulted in the passage of a bill in the senate to provide indigent school children with books, his last 10 pass the Greater Birmingham bill, upon which so great a fight was made pro and con.
 The Next Session.
 When will the legislature be back? Is question often asked. It can be said upon reliable information that 1t will not be long if the railroad question is not well settled If the juries ndict and there is q conflict with regard to the laws now restrained, and things get mixed up the word of the governor Is out that an extra session will be called in few weeks. If the roads get an agreement with the state ct wait until litigation Is disposed or there will likely be no more of the law makers until next year In any evert they may be looked Tor year or so hence
 Now that the session is over, the distri- button of the increased funds for educa- ton will begin. It Is going to be nara job to get the most out of the money however as several acts that were very much desired were not passed. It is said that at the next session whatever was left at this one will be given. including more money for the equipment of the institute at Auburn It is also expected that q better superlntendence law will come with other good things.