The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-01-27
REVIEWS WORK OF
THE LEGISLATURE
Laird Discusses Progress of
the Session
WHITE IS CONSPICUOUS
Members Seem to Think Captain
White of Birmingham Appears In
Role of Adviser Too
Often.
BY AERvEY w. LAIRD.

one were 70 size up the work for the
first two weeks Of the present session OF
the legislature the conclusion might DO
reached that nothing had been done. APP
parently this is a fact, but there is rea
son to believe that such is not the real
case. and that valuable service has been
rendered. True, few bills have been
passed and little final action taken, but
there has been leveling up that will
make the rest of the time go along with
more results and results final in the
main.
The platform legislation has in the
main originated in the senate, save that
which has to do with appropriations. The
railroad bills have been with the senate
committee on commerce and common car
riers, and have, with one exception been
reported favorably. This exception is the
anti-pass bill. which has been reeommit-
ted for changes in line with the views of
the governor. While there is a disposition
to act independently on this line, the
committee took the view that it was use
less to pass a bill that would not be
signed, especially in view of the evident
impossibility to carry 1t over the head of
the executive.
Look for Fight.
This bill, however, is likely to put up
a fight when 1t comes to a test in the
senate next week. Max Hamburger, Sen
ator from Mobile, has openly announced
that he is going to give it run for its
life He contends that he has as good
right to trade his newspaper space as any
good old farmer lady her eggs for calico,
and he is going to defend those rights 1t
Is pointed out that Senator Morgan,
known to be one of the greatest consti-
tutionaI lawyers in the United States,
has held that no restriction can be put
on the papers, and that they cannot be
held by it. He says that the newspapers
nave space to sell, and it is honorable
and lawful to sell it: that the same thing
is so of the common carriers That being
the case. there can be no law to prevent
honorable exchange, one for the other.
The Alabama Press association is maxi
ing the same sort of a fight. President X
E. L.. Neil has sent out letters TO the
members asking them to work to beat
that feature of the bill which provides
for such exchange. Mr.. Hamburger quot
ed above said further: Here Is the
trouble small weekly gets advertising
In Mobile The editor must go there TO so
licit and to get new copy. He can do this
and keep his business running by getting
transportation for which he pays full
price in advertising. If he cannot get this
transportation he cannot get the busi-
ness without the business many OF tine
editors cannot live. The dailies VIII not
be hurt The railroads will have to ad-
vertise in them. In fact. they will get
more money than now. But many small
enterprise will go out of business
AntiLobby Bill.
The anti-lobby bill introduced IN the
house and favorably reported Is an adj
ministration measure written by Col. 5.
W. John of Birmingham, the admlnistra-
ton leader in the lower section. lie mas
given the matter lot of study, but after
all the bill reported is far less drastic
than the first draft. Where the offense
of lobbying in the last return Is mem
TONED the word "corruptly" has been in
serted. so that the thing done must be
shown to be "corruptly" done to be an
offense There has also been taken out
the prohibition preventing any one from
speaking to or writing to member about
pending legislation.
However. the bill is the work Of Colonel
Iohn and the desire of the administra-
tion. He is anxious to have it passed,
and it very likely will be by the middle
of next week 1t will have comparatively
easy sailing in the senate as 1t looks now,
if there does not bob up something that
is not at this time plain The senate.
| though mainly with the governor, has
been showing a little restiveness under
| the lash. even though laid on with tact
| and llghtness of touch by the governor.
! His position on the anti-pass bill made
| some of the committee on common car
| riers a little bit impatient. one of them
| replying fretfully. when asked why he
back-tracked on the BILL What was the
| use to pass it and have 1t killed?'
Colonel John has also taken up with
his general energy the task of helping TO
| get the new code read. He has read one
| of them and knows what 1t means He
| saws II will take eight weeks to read the
new one, working hard all the time.
Too Much White.
There has been recently rather dlspo-
| sition to criticise the frequent presence
| Of Cant. Frank S. White of Birmingham
| in the conferences of the Legislature
| some seeming to think that they ought
| to be able to know what to do without
| being told what to do by Captain White
| His presence at the meeting of the COM
| mittee on commerce and common carriers
| was spoken of In this way, and the fact
! that the committee voted very much
| against him indicated the presence of the
| feeling This is not to be taken, how
| ever. as disposition to oppose the gov
! ernor, but rather as a desire to deal with
| the executive frst-hand. Neither is it to
| he regarded as showing any lack of es-
| tenn for Captain White. The feeling Is
one of good intention for him. but they
| are asking why 1t is necessary to see
| Frank White so often.
That this does not reflect In opposition
| to the governor is seen in the fact that
| everything that he has asked the MEM
| bers have done. It is said that not a
| single direct request made by the execu-
| tive to the Lawmakers has been refused.
| On the other hand. there seems dispo-
| sition to observe his wishes in most
| everything even before expressed. In a
| word it looks as II Mr.. Conner can con-
| troll in all things. but the plan of doing
| this by proxy Is dangerous.
Governor Making Friends.
| If any man thought that the new duties