The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-02-19
LOCAL SENATOR RESENTS
 ASSIMILATION OF COLLEAGUE
Declares Constituents as Honorable
 as in Marshall.
Warm Controversy Raised When slcas- ure Making Judges of city Court Elective Comes Up--onIy
 Four votes Tn
 Opposition.

Charging that the railroads might concentrate their influence in Mont- gomery and by pouring out the cof- fers of their wealth in debauching the voters of Montgomery, influence tho Judiciary of the county Senator John A. Lusk yesterday vehementiy rougnt the local bill to make the judges of the City Court of Montgomery County eier- tive by the people.
 Without making the charge direct. but by the questions he asked in his argument. Mir. Lusk intimated there might be some uiterior motive back of the proposed change in the method of selecting Judges of the city Court of Montgomery.
 Senator Teasley bitterly resented tho imputation. which he considered to hays been cast upon the people of his comn- ty. direct or implied. that they could be bought and debsuched by railroad money
 He resented the remarks of Senator Luslx as a reflection on the people ot
 
 Montgomery County and as q reficct- ion on him as Senatur from that coun- ty. He reaented the implication that there was any ulterior motive behsnd the bill. and declared Senator Lusk had promised to support the measure.
 No Right To Reflect
 The majority of the Senators In vot- ing on the bill took the position oe Senator Harbour Of DeKaIp. who said
 VI have no right to relfecs en tse sps tegrity of the people of Montgomery County
 Only four Senators voted against the substitute for the original bIli. They were Senators Davis. Horton. Lusk and Mcwhorter.
 There was some warmth on the In cident, and the senatorial atmosphere at one time seemed charged with the possibilities of more serious controver- sies
 The bill came up at the afternoon ses- sion, which had been set aside for the exclusive consideration of local meas ures. At the call Of Senator Teas lev, late in the afternoon, the bill came before the Senate. The original bill had been SO changed that the election of both the judge and tie city judge should bo held in 1910.
 Senator Lusk Immediately entered a protest:
 said Senator Luck, because it's signi9- cameo Is not only local, but 1t embraces in a way the entire State. IL is q matter in which the entlre state is in lltfNr1Nfnm may follow tho reforms instituted bx the people will have to be tried in tho ! Montgomery City Court. I deny 1t Is a local bill"
 "Is 1t not local bill under the ruling and definition of the Supreme courtg% asked Senator Reese.
 Would Debaueh Electorate.
 "In one sense of the word, yes, re piled Senator Lusk. But In other ways 1t Is not local bill It is bill in which the people of every sec ton of the State are interested be- cause before this very court tho laws we have made to carry out the re- forms demanded by the people will be tested. It has been charged again and again throughout the length and breadth of Alabama the railroads have spent hundreds of thousands of dol- lars for the election of State officials. It has been charged they have poured ont their treasury to debauch the electorate of the State. I say tt IS not right to withdraw from the Sem ate, and from the government ana through them, from the people, the right to name a judge who shall pass upon the laws which seek to relieve inc people from the oppressive condi- tions against which they have been crying for so many years
 ''Political conditions may be pecu- liar in Montgomery county. say it is not right to withdraw the rolitcak influence of the railroads from all over Alabama and concentrate here in Montgomery county where they can pour out the coffers of their treas- ury in debauching the electorate for their own selfish ends.
 .swhen that bill was in It's original form and carried the judge of the civil division before which all these cases will be tried over to 1914 by appointment by the Governor, did you not oppose the bill?" asked Senator Teasley.
 q did. because thought the bill in that form was unfair" replied Sem ator Lussz.
 ted a substitute favored by both jud- Res. and making both elections in the same year you would support the bill?" asked Senator Teasley.
 T told you once I would support the hill when 1t was agreeable to both Judges. But I afterward told you would oppose making these judges elective Why has the plan been changed" continued Senator Lusk "All these years, the judges have been appointed by the Governor or named by the Senate. Why this change to an elective judiciary in Montgomery so suddenly"
 TeasIey Resents Attack.
 Senator Teasley, whose deep feeling was evident. took the floor to defefid the people of Montgomry county
 ''rho people of Montgomery county arc quite as patriotic and moro en.