The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-01-12
FIGHT MADE AND
WON AS PLANNED
Gray Intended Senate to Ratify
Appointments
LUSK HAD LAW ON SUBJECT
Senator Lusk, Who Led the Fight, Be-
lieves the Rights of Presiding
Officer of the Senate Vested
In Lieutenant Governor.
LUSK HAD LAW ON SUBJECT

Montgomery, January n.-(Special.)-
fight for the appointment of the commit
tees by the lieutenant governor, said to-
day that the contest was made and won
in every detail just as planned and that
it was never the intention of the friends
of Lieutenant Gray or of Mr.. Gray him
self that the committees should be estab-
senate.
However, there Is no doubt in the mind
of Mr.. Lusk as to the right of Mr.. Gray
to make the appointments. He has
studied he law and the constitution and
is fully Hshed that the right of the
presiding cer of the senate is vested in
the lieutenant governor He pointed out
that there was only one exception made,
and that was that he was only to vote in
case of a tie. This special notice of an
exception renders the evidence all the
more convincing that the makers of the
constitution intended to invest him with
all the rights of the president of a legis-
aative body.
Right in Senate.
The right to govern itself, however, is in
the senate, and 1t had "a right to name
every member of the committees or TO saw
who should name them, argues Mr. Lusk
and none of the losing side disputes this
fact. 1t might have picked any member.
Or, for that matter any outsider and had
him name the committees, and, with rati-
tcation, they would have been legal All
legfclativa hodies have the right - 49,
Its committees and to do whatever else
In the government of itself it chooses.
There are many who seem to think that
the protest of the members who did not
believe with Mr.. Gray will form a baSis
for delay in the courts of any law that
the senate may pass Mr.. Lusk does not
think it will have much weight along this
hne-none in fact. He said: TT will be
valuable to litigants, if there be any,
pnly to point out the members of the
senate who thought that way. 1t pro-
Vides no more argument than they had
before it was filed. We have looked to
that carefully. 1t may bring down upon
The members of the protesting crowd the
charge that they are helping to foster liti-
CATION. That would be unfortunate and
fegrettable and not their intention, think.
But there is no comfort in the protest
Tor any who desire to make trouble
Mr.. Thomas Views.
Senator Perry Thomas, president pro
lem of the Senate, argues that the Gray
hen had to concede some points in ref
frence to allowing Lieutenant Governor
Henry b. Gray to name the committees
Vt the Senate instead of the president
,ro tenn. He admits, however, that the
committee has been legally named
Senator Thomas contended 1t would not
De constitutional to allow the lieutenant
Governor to name these committees, but
hat it would be constitutional for the
lieutenant governor or any one else desig-
lated by the Senate to name them, If the
Ienate ratified them. He states this.
point was carried by the Senate ratifying
he appointments made by Mr.. Gray
He also stated that the friends of Mr.
cray wanted to delay the appointment
d the committees till next week when Mr.
Mr.. Gray took charge, but he fought
Igainst this, saying it would be asking
DO much time which belonged to the
people He says he won out on this
point, also.
1.-The committees are all right now" said
lenator Thomas, "as they were ratified by
he Senate.
One-sixth Taxable Values.
State Senator N l.. Miller of jefferson
Dunty, said the other day that he rep
esented one-sixth of the taxable values
the state as the senator from the great
mineral county, ana OLe-elBntn OF It's
population. Some of the fellows called
DIM to proof and he not only was able
show that what he said was true
nut more, /. e., that he represented about
me-half of the industries of the COM
nonwealth. However. he is modest about
! and says little.
Tax Collector George B. Tarrant, of
efferson county, as il TO make good the
Iaims of the senator, makes a showing
DR. the tax collections in December that
ave set the capitol crowd to talking
'or that month his collections were for
he state the sum of s25S. S2665. He turned
s252. o2572 leaving SoS01 as his fees for
he time. The total county collections
sr the month were s2T6.2l6o9 making a
stal for the month o. 5S5,04314. The en-
ire state collections for the state for the
rst three months of the fiscal year was
B7,027.
To Enter State.
The standard Hard Wood Lumber COM
any. of Buffalo, has entered Alabama for
usiness, with offices at Sheffield s. A.
razier being in charge This company
as a capital of s1tJ000.
Another company of interest reported to
ie secretary If state is the Alabama
-nnassee Stone company. OF RUSSELL