The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-02
Presented and Fought Through
By Mr. Reynolds Of
Bibb Cnuny
BURDEN OF PROOF is
ON THE DEFENDANT
Delegation of Railroad and Business
Men Appear Before Senate Com
mittee to Work Against Sum
day Freight Train Bill.

Montgomery, February 1.-(Special)-
The senate has passed what may be in
many respects the most important meas
ure in the present session for the In
dustrial territory of the state. 1t is a
bill to define and punish vagrancy and
was presented and fought through today
by Mr.. Reynolds of Bibb county. There
was considerable opposition to some fea-
lures of the measure but as a whole the
senate favored it. Strictly speaking"
said Mr.. Reynolds, at ought to be called
a bill for the relief of Jefferson coun-
ty. 1t will add hundreds of aborers to
the supply in that part of the state where
the question of workers is always Sc
rious one.'
There are many improvements in this
bill over the old one. In the first place
1t makes it the business of the defendant
to prove whether or not he or she has any
property. The old measure made this the
work of the state, which it could not do
1t also covers all of the classes that have
from time to time made trouble and has
fixed it so, will when it becomes
law, that the man or woman who re-
fuses to work cannot find any easy places
TO lay their heads. II regard it as one
of the most important measures in the
power of the legislature TO pass" said
Mr.. Reynolds
Both houses agreed to adjourn to II
O'Clock Monday. 1t was reported last night
that this would not he done but the
house finally acqlliaseed villa stlle-laroviso
that the time be II o'clock instead of
u. as was that of the senate resolu-
ton
Invited to Mobile.
The senate and house have been invited
TO Mobile to the Eiardi Gras festivities
and the senate has accepted with thanks.
The resolution of invitation was delivered
In the upper house by Mr. Hamburger
of Mobile and in the house by Mr.. Lyons
of the same city. The invitation went to
the rules committee in the house.
The senate took up the election of
Judge of the city court of Montgomery
and selected Judge William H. Thomas
to succeed himself. he being the only
applicant.
The house bill to pay the First Ma
tional bank of Montgomery SS13i to pay
expenses of quarantine, was passed by
the senate.
The bill providing for a code commits
sion to sit during recess was taken up
and passed by the senate The commission
Is to consist of three from the house and
$40 day with two clerks, one OF whom
must be an expert stenographer, who
will receive not over $S day.
The bill to exempt the Selma Fair from
taxes and licenses was called up by Mr..
Reese and caused ripple 1t was shown
TO provide, with the extension of the city
limits of Selma about to be accomplished,
for the sale of whisky in the grounds for
one week every year without license. 1t
was passed after some discussion.
The bill of Mr.. Lelth to provide for
safety appliances on mine cars was passed
as was that Of Mr., Teasey to divide
MONTGOMERY county into three revenue
districts.
School improvement.
The real work of the morning session
of the house was the passage of the bill
to provide money for the building of
school houses in rural districts. AS intro
duccd and reported back to the body, the
bill carried with 1T $4,000 annually for
this purpose but the house amended so
as to make the amount $4,000, or $1,000 for
each county There is an impression that
the bill in this shape will not meet the
approval of the governor. 1t was present
ell as the will of the state superintendent
of education by Representative Arnold,
and the governor agreed to give his aid
to the m easure asked by the department
but nc more. it is asserted
II will he remembered that when the
bill for the aid of the common schools
passed II carried very much more than
the 100000 asked for by the department
The governor at once indicated his In
tention to reduce the amount to that
asked by the department, and the bill
went back to carry that figure, s300.000
Speaker Martin leading the fight for 1t on
the floor.
Mr.. Goodwin called up the bill giving
the lieutenant governor the power to ap-
Of
senate and had 1t recommitted TO the
cemmittee on revision of laws.
The house set down the maximum rate
hill and the claims bill, both passed by
tho senate for hearing next Monday. The
senate has the bill for increasing the
mowers of the railroad commission set
down for II o'clock Monday
Sunday Freight Bill.
large delegation of railroad and bus
fness men of the state appeared before
the senate committee on commerce and
common carriers today and urged that
the hin TO prevent freight trains on Sun
day he not passed. This bill was pre-
scented TO the senate by Mr.. White of
Coosa. and has been the subject of much
discussion since it was referred
The speakers were Thomas Pound of
Birmingham. for the engineers and con-
ductors. and A. G.. Forbs Of Montgomery,
for the business men Of Montgomery.
Mr.. Pounds pointed out that the bill
would not help any of the railroad men.
On the other hand 1t would hurt them.
q SIT would keep them away from home.
Most of the trains would have to be
stopped where they happened to be on
Sunday. They would be away from the
terminals most of the time and hence
away from the homes of the men who
run them.
Mr.. Pounds also spoke OF the loss of
wages. poipting out that 1t would mean
about so psr month to the conductor and
the engineers. and that meant great