The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-01-22
HOUSE YIELDS TO WISH OF COMER AND TAKES BACK
 PART OF GIFT TO SCHOOLS

per annum for the schools, and also recouuting the various funds already appropriated to the support of the schools. including the interest from the sale of sixteenth sections. the poll tax and the thrce-min special levy.
 In response to a question by Mir. Pitts of Perry County, Mir. Martin stat ed the only new appropriation for the schools carried by. his substitute bill was the annual sum of $300.000. The same information was given in reply to uestIons by Mir. Tunstall. of Hale. and Mfr. Rattray, of Cherokee.
 At the close of his remarks. the Speaker moved the previous uestion. MT. Bulger. of Tallapoosa, however, asked him to withdraw that motion, saying he did not think the Speaker of the House was really desirous of shutting or all debate
 Bulger Insistent.
 MT. Martin replied he would yield tlle floor to Mr. Bulger, if the latter would promise to renew the demand for the previous question when he was through.
 T will promise to do that. if there is no other gentleman on the floor of this House who desires to be heard" re- torted Bulger.
 T renew my demand for the previ- out question. said Mir. Martin, address ing the temporary Speaker.
 Then l move that the motion of the gentleman from Montgomery be indef- initeiy postponed" was the way tho def was shot back across the aisle from Bulger.
 A threatened parliamentary tanglc as to precedence of the demand for the previous question and the motion to indefinitely postpone, was finally brok- en by Speaker Martin withdrawing his demand. and the flood of oratory was unloosed.
 Mir. Bnlger, by right of his fight for the privilege of talking, was the first speaker against the administration program. Indeed. while Haley of Jef- ferson. Pitts of Perry, Martin of Mont gomery and Rowe of Madison, all spoke in favor of reconsideration. MT. Bull ger was the only orator on the nega- tive side of the question.
 At the beginning of his speech. MT. Bulger stated he had voted for the ap- propriation Friday because he felt the schools needed it. and because he was convinced the treasury was amply In condition to stand 1t. He had heard nothing and had read nothing since that time that would have a tendency to cause him to change his mind. There was only one condition. he said. under which he would vote for reconsider- ation, and that was to make the sum carried by the bill s50o.00o instead of s4Oo.O0o.
 Differs With Conner.
 He referred to the other appropria- tIons in Mir. Martins substitute bill, saying he was glad ali the sums which had been so freely given to the schools of Alabama by the gentleman from Montgomery. were already the prop
 
 tution.
 T hesitate to differ with his Excel iency, the Governor" continued Mfr. Eu1ger, flor l know him to be man familiar with the affairs of the State. have full confidence in his integrity and in his well wishes and his anxiety to serve the interests of the people. There is no question of his patriotism and his desire for the upbuilding of the State, but he has failed. either in his message or In his conversation. to give any good reason why this appro- prIation should be cut down."
 There were school districts tn the State, asserted Mr. Bu1ger. where not over i've months sschool could be had. and the students In the common schools of the State were able to get only about S1 per year from the State, while the students of the colleges each get at,ut $SO. so he said.
 MT. Haley of Jefferson replied to Mir. Bulger. saying he believed in giving every dollar needed. if 1t could possi- bly be done, to every school in Ala bama. But" said he. "the Executive Departments of the State say the schools need $3OO,O0o, and that will help them out Then why should we give an extra s1o0.0OO when even the t, erlx ipo al hfa NirnA and attention to these matters, says $300,O00 is all they need?'
 Will Receive Two Millions.
 Last year the sum given the common schools from the State was over S1.- 0O0. 900, and with the addition of $SOO,- 900 and the increased valuations. he was informed the sum the coming year would reach close to $2.0O0.0o0.
 Speaker Martin resumed the floor at the conclusion of Mir Haley's speech to resent an effort, which, he said, had been made. to induce the House to think he had been endeavoring to mislead it. He regretted. he said. that the gentleman from Tallapoosa was not in his seat at the time he had spet cifically said the appropriations. other than the $300.000 appropriations. pro- vided in his bill, were merely declara- tory of the Constitution. He had stat ed that fact clearly, and there was no room for any thought that he was seeking to Tnislead the House.
 In reply to a question by MT. Bulger, whether he thought the appropriation of $500, 900 would permit school being held in every district in the State for more than six months. he said he was not intimately acquainted with the con dition of tho public schools, but he re- lied upon the authorities in charge or the work. when they said that only S3OO, 900 additional was needed
 The Speaker read the portion of the message of Governor Conner to the relating to the common schools, wherein he recommended an appropriation of $SO0.O0O.
 Mir. Bulger at this point began read ing from the report of the Superin- tendent of Schools, in which attention was called to the importance of the common schools. and the necessity for dealing literally with them.
 Laugh is On DuIger.
 Go on; read the rest of the para graph" said Mir. Martin, when he had concluded.
 '"rhat Is all there Is to that para graph" replied Bulger.
 Read the next one, then" retorted Martin. Just read on for a few lines, and you will see that the Superinten- dent, after that matter you have read. recommended an appropriation of at least $3O0.O00."
 The laughter and applause that fol- lowed would have prevented the read ing of the succeeding paragraph from being heard. had 1t been attempted.