The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-01-09
SENATORS ARE wELL BEHAVED.
Organize, Take Oath and Adjourn With
 TDua n0effftY.


 Organize, Take Oath and Adjourn With
 Due DOcility.
 The Senate of Alabama, with tnirty- five of it's members standing with up- lifted hands. repeated in unison the oath prescribed by the new Constitu- ton for it's Incoming ofieers, speaking the word soIemnly in concert, so that 1t was like the recitation of a docile and we'll instructed Sunday School class. Then Lieutenant-Governor R. M. Gun ningham, declared the Senate of Ala bama for the year of 1907, in session.
 There were but few to look on the ceremony. It was known generally that the senators would do nothing but take the oath of office and have their names enrolled. and no more was dore. Senator John A. Lusk, when the brief ceremony was over, as floor lead CT of the Gray forces. took the Secre- tary's stand, as the senators were ris- ing, and announced the Senate caucus would be held at night at o'clock
 Tt is a Democratic caucus" said MT. Lusk. but I believe majority of the members of senators are Democrats"
 The point to this latter remark was in the fact that every one of the thir- ty-six members of the Senate are Dcm- ocrats, But the announcement of the night caucus was the only thing of in- terest in the few minutes the sena- tors assembled in the Senate Cham Der.
 At high noon, as the society reporter would put 1t, Lieutenant- Governor R. M Cunningham called the senators to order Through some oversight, he had been provided with no gavel, and he performed his duty as best as he could. But the Senate. being new to It's duty was very docile and orderly. No gaveI Is specially needed In It's early days. The time for fussing and quarreling is yet to come.
 He called upon Rev. w. B. Crump- ton. Secretary of the State Board of Baptist Missions. to lead In prayer. MT. Crumpton offered brief but ap- pealing prayer. He prayed that the members who had assembled there for the discharge of the grave and impor- tant duties, would be granted Divine guidance. He asked that their duties should be so discharged that the re- sults would rebound to the good of the State and to the good of humanity. He prayed, too, for the protection of the loved ones who had been left at home. All Present But One.
 The Lieutenant Governor then direc- ted the Secretary to call the roll of the Senate. This duty was performed by James A. Kyle, assistant secretary of the last Senate. Since the adjourn ment of the last Senate. it's secretary, Fillmore Garrett of Calhoun County. has died. He would have assumed duties of the office of secretary until his sue cessor had been elected, had he liv- ed - On the call of the roll. two or three senators were not present, but two Of thme came in before the enrolment was completed. Only one senator, Hon. B. A. Forrester of Houston County, failed to sign his name and he did not appear at the session.
 The roll call having been compared with the certified list of the senators, as furnished by Secretary of State. lieutenant Cunningham ad- ministered to the assembled senators. collectively, the oath of office as re- ouired by the Constitution of Ala bama.
 Each senator with uplifted right hand said:
 q solemnly swear that will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Ala bama, so long as I continue citizen thereof: and that I will faithfully and | honestly discharge the du;ies of the | office of which I am about 10 enter to the best of my ability"
 When this had been said, Lieutenant | Governor Cunningham announced: "The Senate of Alabama is now in session."
 Senator John L. Lusk. as a part ot the discharge of his duties as floor | leader, said:
 T suggest that each member of the 1 Senate sign his name to the oath ol office. and thus be enrolled"
 This was done, and It occupied the | larger nart of the Senate's brief ses- sion. When the thirty-five names had been signed. and the Secretary announ-