The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-10
The Possibility Of an Adjourn
ment Next Saturday
Is in Doubt
PROPOSED MINERS LAW
IS A VITAL MEASURE
It Is Said That Its Passage VIII Prove
Ruinous to Small Operators.
Biennial Session Bill
May Pass.

WAY FdSSs
Montgomery, Ala, February 9.-(Spe-
! cial with the prospect of adjourn
ment close at hand. the legislators are
rushing measures through as rapidly
as possible. However, 1t does not seem
at this time as IL the body can adjourn
next Saturday unless more rapid prog
ress is made than has been for the past
ten days. While the administration
measures have been crowded through
| pretty rapidly. still there are several
| of them yet to come, and all have to
be so carefully reviewed and revised
| that they cannot be put on final pas
sage as quickly as would he the case
otherwise.
While those members who will at
tend the Mardi Gras festivities are in
Mobile the subcommittee Of the ways
and means committee of the house will
busy Itself with the general revenue
bills In order that report VIII be made
earlier In the week. These revenue
measures are rather drastic, and 1t is
likely that they may meet some oppo-
sition in the body The corporations
are going to be hit very heavy and IL
II now thought that some OF them will
| undertake to prevent the passage Of
laws that will largely increase their
expenses In the state. At the same
time IT is very evident that such oppo-
stion viii amount TO little and that
i the measures reported will become
statutes. except in such cases as MY
be eonclusivey shown that they arc
without constitutional authority
Governor Conner who is IN thorough
accord with all the provisions Of the
revenue code. says that they are not
only correct, but just, and that the
corporations have not been bearing
their reasonable share of the states
burdens 1t may be rghtfully con
| cuded that so far as the executive is
| concerned that all the Influences and
power that he Wills is behind these
measures and will remain behind them.
New Miners Law.
The new miners law proposed at the in
stance of the mine workers OF the state,
and now with the house esu inittce OH
| mining and manufacturing, lie of the
greatest Importance to the 4aiueral sec
tion, and II il should pass with the pres
to say that it Will mean disaster to prae-
tically all of the smaller enterprises n
this class. TO be sure the miners take a
different view and contend that the law
| is nothing more than Is in operation n
other states with conditions very much
like those in Alabama. The main COM
plant on the part of the operators seems
to be that which provides for liability for
accident and injury
Walter Moore Of Birmingham. one of the
| largest operators In the mineral section,
said this week. ''1he passage Of the bill
will not leave half dozen eo.apanies able
to do business Ia the state, and the little
fellows will be placed at .fch a disad-
vantage that they viii not nij il profit
! able to continue.
Mr. Moore was supported Ia Ills couten-
ton by large number Of niue owners.
who have been at the tapitol off and on
during the week. Among these were Pey
! ton NorVlle OF Jasper, IT, Z. Gibson OF
| Corona, A. J. Riley, Walter Moore. ".
H. Soper. j. II. Adams b. f. Roden
Erskne Ramsey. G. b. Mccormack Of
Birmingham: Jack Moore, John II. Bank
head, Jr. Jasper. j. G. Maben, president
| of the Sloss- Sheffield company. and Jones
Moore. one of the superlntendents Of that
corporation were also here
These and other mine owners have an
engagement with the house committee for
n hearing on next Friday. At that time
they will present evidence to support Their
side OF the situation. w. r. Farley ma
tonal committeeman of the United Mine
Workers, says that the bill Is not at all
drastic, and that IT provides for inspection
and oversight. which could not possibly
be given under the present law
Biennial Sessions.
| It is thought that the house viii concur
IN the senate bill for biennial sessions Of
| the legislature. Senator Jones of Wilcox,
who made the fight for this measure and
| finally succeeded In getting it from he
! adverse calendar of the upper house. has
been feeling the members of the other
house. with view to aseertaning the
prospects Of the bill that side. He is
inclined to believe that 1t Will have enough
support to put IT through
| There does not seem any doubt of the
| popularity of this movement though the
prospects are bright for enough COM
| plications 10 hazard it's final adoption.
One Of these is the disposition on the
| part Of some members Of the house TO
make the bill provide for session of
the legislature In 1903 This idea does not
seem popular and if il is pushed. will
very likely kill the bill Senator Jones
has undertaken to head off this move
ment by an effort to harmonize the DIFF
ferent conditions and to secure for the
measure general support.
The opposition to biennial sessions comes
largely from those gentlemen who were
| members OF the constitutional convention
and feel that that instrument has not
had fair trial. and that 70 ametd II
will be a dangerous proposition While
some OF them seem TO believe that the
necessity is prevalent for meeting every
two years they fear that a start towards
amending the constitution will be bad
business and might be hard to stop.
Others take tse position that the legisla-
ture is passing some laws winch may
be difficult Of administration and il -
necessary that the legislature be called