The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-07-26
FORMER ANTS ARE NOW
 LEADING THE MAJORITY
Administration Men Conduct the
 Fight for Delay.
Contest in the Upper House Over Minor Amendment to Pass Bill Devel- ops Into Very Interesting Af- fair Between Leaders of
 Rival Factions.

The Senate will today resume the first insistent, continued filibuster of the session of the Legislature of 1907 --the flibuster over the Blackmon bill, which was conducted throughout prac- tically all of Wednesday until the ad- journing hour at night. And strange to say the flibustering Is being done by the administration people and not by the antis.
 <. The majority on that question has become the minority. but it declined to follow the policy of the antis who were in the minority during the win ter session. The administration Sena- tors have not grown accustomed to the taste of defeat and they take their medicine with bad grace.
 They have staved off a vote on the Blackmon bill as well as they could and so far 1t has been successfully done But ultimately the vote Is com ing and when it comes the Dill Is going to pass The last test vote showed nineteen votes for the bill and twelve against.
 There will be no vote on the meas ure if Senator Lusk and his helpers can prevent. But the will of the ma- jority. which in this instance. strange to say is under the leadership of 
 a vote and to its passage.
 The fight Wednesday was one of the neatest, noisiest and most spectacular of the entire session. It was pro- longed through all of Wednesday af- ternoon and night. The highest brand of oratory of the entire session was brought out and applied to the ques- tion. Nor was that all. The Senate was worked up to its greatest heat du- ring the session.
 And as the hours passed it developed that the administration minority. led by Senator Lusk, was following care fully laid plan of flibustering. Delay was their watchword. In the long ar guments four fifths of the speakers < were administration Senators.
 As the hour of 10 o'clock drew near, Senator Lusk began to speak again .. Majority Senators favoring the bill grew restive and tried to edge in a resolution providing that the Senate should stay in session until the pend- ing question was disposed of but Sen ator Lusk declined to be interrupted. :. He kept up his argument until the savel of the presiding officer fell for the adjournment of the Senate.
 The minority Senators had been res- tive throughout the evening under such a delay. They had been led to expect 1t by the fact that the same
 
 sion. And they knew the cause of the filibuster Time was wanted for the Governor to interview three or four of the Senators and get them straight on the question at issue.
 Governor Sees Senators.
 A majority Senator. a friend of the bill, declared that between the ad- journment for the afternoon session and the beginning of the night session. the Governor had talked with four Senators, in an effort to have them change their positions on the Black mon bill
 These Senators had previously act ed with the Governor in all that had been done in the Legislature. But like others whom the Governor sus- pected of growing week-kneed. he sent for them. to bring them in line.
 The gubernatorial interviews were unsuccessful. The Blackmon bill, ac- cording to the test vote. showed up stronger at the night session than it had shown up during the afternoon session At the afternoon session it had boiled only IT votes. but at the night session is attained a total of 19,
 The filibustering was kept up, in order that an additional day might be given the Governor and his forces to line up the recalcitrant Senators. The minority Senators succeeded in getting the additional day. but the bill Is no nearer defeat than 1t was Wednesday,. Senator Blackmon took notice in his speech at the night session of the Governors call to the Senators who had previously trained with the ad- ministration, but W. 0 will follow It no longer.
 Members of the Legislature have been told by the Chief Executive. that if they did not do what he told them to do, he would go to their counties and tell the people what they had done and demand their retirement" said Senator Blackmon. "I want to say to you Senators who have been supporting the administration that the people of Alabama are growing sick and tired of having one man trying to combine in ono person the executive, the judi ciaI and the Legislative branches of the government. The Governor has lost popularity for many things. but he has lost more. the people have re- sented more this high handed proceed ing"
 The bill over which such a long and protracted a fight is being had is by no means a measure of the greatest importance It does not shape and define any great State policy. It Is only an amending act, but it is an act which delicately touches the politics of the State and one which the Senate is gingerly handling. The bill simply amends the anti-pass law that sheriffs and their deputies will be per mitted to ride on passes It applies also to United States Marshals and their deputies, but this Is considered an unmportant provision of the bill.
 At any rate the fight will be re- newed today The on-lookers will watch with interest to see if the fill busterers have given up the fight or whether the Governor has succeeded in making some of the recalcitrant Senators come across"
 Fight On Child Labor.
 Two other fights are shaping in the Senate for the closing days. The Sen ate Committee on Mining and Manu- featuring prepared the material for one of the fights yesterday afternoon when fl gave a favorable report to the child labor bill. The bill will in all Qrob-