The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-07-18
OPPONENTS OF MEASURE
 VICTORS AFTER CONTESTS
Stirring Debate in House Over Bill
 and It is Tabled.
Lesislators Opposing Proposed Enact- nent to Stop Freight Trains on the Sabbath Win Their
 Fight by Vote of
 46 to 70.

Before the ink was dry on the mes- sage of Governor Conner urging the Legislature to pass bill forbidding the operation of freight trains in Ala bama. both the House and the Senate hit the proposition deadly blow. AL most simultaneously the House and the Senate refused to pass such bill.
 The bill had been started both in the Senate and in the House. In the Sem ate 1t was introduced by Senator D. M. White. who is not considered an administration man. His bill was the subject of prolonged discussion during the winter session, but the Committee on Commerce and Common. Carrlers adversed the bill.
 He made a fight in the Senate yester- da yto have the bill taken from the adverse calendar, but the Senate would not hear to 1t.
 In the House the bill had been in Long, the floor leader of the admin .stration. MT. Long is also chairman of the Committee on Commerce and Common Carriers and his committee favored the bill. The Senate had hard 1v k'Hed the motion to take up the Sun day freight bill before the House bill was called up on its passage.
 In both houses there was a fight. A lively discussion accompanied the consideration of the measure and in the House the rising vote on the tab ling of the bill was 46 ayes, and nays 40. ., the Senate no vote, except a viva voce vote, was taken.
 Mir. Long gave notice in the House that he would on the next legislative II table.
 Parr of the Moral Wave.
 Tn the Senate Senator D. M. White of Coosa made the motion to take the hill from the adverse calendar as soon as the roll call had been completed.
 "A great moral wave is sweeping over the country said the Senator. "It is right that this moral wave should continue and that the railroad em- ployes of Alabama should get It's ad- vantages. The bill is drawn tc further the cause of morality. Shall we long CT keep upon our statue books an act legalizing the breaking of the Sab Dath?"
 Senator White quoted figures to show that in Georgia. where such a law was In operation. 50 per cent. more 'f the railroad men than in Alabama owned their owE homes.
 Senator Miller. of Jefferson took is- sue with the motion and announced his opposition to the measure. Conditions were different in Alabama from those of Georgia The single city of Ems lev he said. mad more tonnage than the whole State of Georgia The dIs- trict which he represented In the Sem ate had a larger tonnage than the en- tire cotton crop of the South.
 He described the congested condt- tions of the yards in Birmingham ana in the other cities of the mineral dis trict The railroads had found It im- possible to handle the freight with their cars running seven days in the week. Conditions would be much worse if one of those seven days were eliminated.
 Senator Wilson of Blount County warmly supported the bill. He deciar- ed that between men and money ne would always raise his voice in favor of men, He favored the bill for the relief it would give to the trainmen and for the opportunity 1t would giVe them to observe the Sabbath. He de- clared that in England the furnaces were banked on Sunday and no work was done. The Birmingham district, he declared. could do that.
 liable to Handle Freight Now.
 The motion was opposed by Sena- tor Hammer. who said thet according to population the district ne represent ed had the largest tonnage of the state
 "I1uder existing conditions the rais roads are unable to handle our freight. sad Sentor Hammer. If they cannot handle it in seven days, how can they handle it in six? We of the Legis'a- ture should enact laws in the aid ot public morals, but we should pause and give consideration to such far reach- ing bill as this. And should study conditions as they exist. l oppose tne moIlon and I oppose the bill. In the ln- terest of the workingman who may De legisiated out of job.
 The motion and the bill was favored by Senator Moody. The question ln- yoIved, he said, was question of man hood It would result in more efficient work for the railroads by their men. Even a horse could not do its best work if 1t were required to work 365 days of the year.
 Senator Gum, of Clarke said that the bill did not seriously affect his section. but he thought 1t a bit dangerous to the growth of the State Undoubtedly the railroads had not been able to handle the business before them anu undoubtedly the bill would put an ad- ditional handicap upon them and thelr efforts.
 The vote to take the bill from the adverse calenoar was then taken, viva voce, the motion being lost
 Btu Up in the House.
 The bill to prevent the running or trains on the Sabbath day. was called early in the House and on a division vote, the House ordered it to third read- ing. The bill provided that each road could run inc tram each way for per ishable freight only. and only when necessary, on Sunday, and provided fines for violation.
 Mir. Pitts, of Perry. prepared himself for hot argument on the subject and as soon as he gained recognition, ne waded in. He had not proceeded be- yond and n"w l lay me down." the Speaker interrupted him and reminded him that the House rule on length of time permitted to speakers would De rigidly enforced
 There was limit to all things he