The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-01-09
CAUCUSES ARE HELD TO
PERFECT ORGANIZATION
Indications Are That Local Option Law
Will Be One of the Hardest Fought
Measures of the Whole Ses-
sion of the Legislature.
BY HERvEY w. LAIRD.

BY HERVEY w. LAIRD.
Montgomery January S.-(Special)-T
second quadrennial session of the Alabama
legislature. under the new constitution,
was assembled at the capitol at noon to-
day, the senate being called to order by
the retiring lieutenant governor, Dr. R.
NJ. Cunningham of Jefferson, and the
house by the retiring speaker, A. M. Tun-
stall of Hale. Prayer was offered in the
senate by the Rev. DIR. w. B. Crumpton.
secretary of the state board of missions of
the Baptist church, and in the house by
the Rev. R. r. Ellison, pastor of the
Forest Avenue Methodist church.
AS soon as both houses were called
together the rolls were called and the
names of the new members were taken
down by the clerks. Both rolls were GER
titled to by the secretary of state and each
man took the oath of office prior to hav-
ing his name set down on the list. In the
house Gen. William w. Brandon, auditor
elect, was appointed temporary reading
clerk
Practically all the members of the house
responded to the roll call and all in the
senate but Forester of the Thirty-fifth.
AS soon as the rolls were made up and
some other preliminary work done, the
two houses adjourned to noon tomorrow
at which time the work of electing off,
GERS will be gone into.
After the senate caucus tonight Sem
ator Perry Thomas, nominated president,
pro tenn, admitted that he had lost his
fight for the right TO name the senate
committees and said that he would make
no effort to prevent Lieutenant Governor
Gray from performing this service. He
said;
with all the powers of the administra-
tion arrayed against me, / could not pre-
vent men upon whom I depend from
going over to the other side. l am quite
sure tonight that 1 have chance to
win as the matter now stands"
The Thomas senators saw this afternoon
that it was useless to fight longer, and
rather than make trouble for no purpose,
they gave up and acknowledged defeat.
4,ar Thomas has made hard fight and
attracted many friends by the persistency
of the contest. This will leave no pros
pective contest for the opening of the ses-
sion tomorrow.
First Victory for Administration.
1t was evident early this morning that
the fight between Lieut.. Gov. Henry B.
Gray and Senator Perry Thomas. to be
president. pro. tenn. of the senate, had
been won by Mr.. Gray and that he would
have the naming of the senate commit
tees. This fight was made in the name
of the administration and with the sup
the first victory of the men who are now
in power in the state government.
According to the present outlook rule
30 will be abrogated and Mr.. Gray will.
in some way he sees fit, have the names
he desires put on the committees and
they will be adopted by the senate a
whole. This will give him the power to
name the chairmen and to place on the
committees such men as he desires; also
giving the organization of the senate to
the Conner forces entirely. 1t presages
.he control of the senate by the friends
Of Mr.. Conner and II it works out to the
End gives smooth sailing in both houses
FOR the desires of Mr.. Conner and the
demands of the last state platform.
Whisky Lobby Is Strong.
There is to be a strong effort to control
legislation concerns the sale of whisky.
The liquor men have a strong lobby and
are working it to a finish. Several of the
Leading manufacturing concerns of the
country are represented and are keeping
strong eye out to head off any bad
trouble.
The fight is to be made on the local op-
ion bill and the anti-saloon measure, and
both sides seem to have strong support
The liquor men feel that they are up
against the real thing with the legislature
light in the wake of the pure food law,
which is making them no end of trouble
II is expected that the local option bill
will be one of the fights to become law.
Caucus In Lower House.
The lower house of the legislature went
1t once into a caucus of the democratic
members after the preliminary work of
organization this morning, during which
selected the officers that are to serve
or the term and arranged number of
minor matters. The rules of the last house
we're adopted before adjournment
The full list of officers as selected is
IS follows: w. L. Martin, Montgomery,
ipeaker; Cyrus Brown, jefferson, clerk;
~ r. Herbert, Marengo, assistant clerk;
T. ". benson, Chambers, enrolling clerk;
r A. Gamble, Walker, engrossing clerk;
Robert Hasson, Etowah, doorkeeper; T.
". DeYampert, Montgomery. assistant
ioorkeeper.
In the regular session of the house a
committee of nine, by congressional dis
rfcts in the order named, was appointed
o seat the members by districts, as fol-
ows: Lyons of Mobile, Goodwin of Mont
,omery Powell of Bullock, Arnold of Cal
toun Bulger of Tal1apoosa Scale of Sum-
er, Parker of Cullman, Sherrod of Law
erce Haley Of Birmingham was made
hairman.
Maner Of Montgomery announced the
aucus.
After the temporary adjournment of the
louse the caucus was called by Maner
# Montgomery who nominated j. Lee
long of Butler for chairman. Mr.. Long
gas applauded as he took his seat Will
lam w. Brandon and Frank N. Julian
we're made clerks. On motion of Haley
+ Jefferson the officers were elected in
he order named above.
w. l.. Martin was put in nomination for
peaker by his colleague, o. C. Maner
rho is expected to be the house leader for
ne majority When he took fhe chair,
II. Martin expressed his thanks for the