The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-01-19
Administration viii Take Care
of Colleges and Schools
ENTHUSIASM FOR VETERANS
Bill After Bill Goes to Clerks Desks
Appropriating Money for Old Sol
ders, and Crawford Is Com
ina With Another.

/
taken care of by the present session of
the Legislature as well as the common
schools. This is evidenced on every side
by the interest taken on the part of the
governor and his leaders in the present
administration.
At a meeting of the trustees of the
university, held last night, Governor Co
mer attended and showed every interest
in the proceedings and the discussion
He is an ex-officio member of the board
and his attendance did not Indicate that
he had any more interest in the univer-
sity than he has in the other institutions
of like character In the state
| However. he took advantage of the OPP
portunty to post himself thoroughly on
the aims and purposes of the trustees
| of the university, as well as the leaders
in the greater university movement The
| other members of the board, who were
| present were Supt. H. C. Gunnels, Presi-
dent John w. Abercromble, Judge r c.
Mcclellan, e. II. Glenn. M. =. LeGrande
Henry B. Foster, J. II. Johnson, Daniel
Pratt and II. T. Davis.
There has been more or less discussion
| in the public print of the coal lands
owned by the university, and friend
! of the institution said this week that
while they we're valuable possessions In
prospect just now they are somewhat
| of a milestone about the necks OF tho
| trustees. Under the present conditions it
| is not possible to utilize these holdings
to immediate profit and whenever an eff
fort Is made to secure money for the
| Improvement of the Institution. the cry
Is set up by great many people that
| 1t is already wealthy in It's land pos
sessions This must be pointed out that
| while these properties will no doubt be
| vastly productive at some future day,
| just at this time and likely for some
time in the future they are not yielding
anything to speak of The facts in the
case seems to be that until the university
is well supplied with FUNDS to meet the
demands on It, 1t will be impossible to
transact it's business in such way as to
avail itself of this and many other adj
| vantases which will accrue with pros
perity.
Other School Bills.
Bills have now been presented to the
! Legislature looking out for all of the state
| institutions. Both houses are considering
! propositions to give $4,000 a year to the
Deaf and Blind institution at Talladega,
out OF which they will be able to erect
a number of new buildings made nee
essary by the increased demands DR.. j.
Hal Johnson has spent most OF the past
two weeks In Montgomery, comforting
with the governor and legislative leaders
with respect to this movement
| Bills appropriating $4,000 annually to
the Alabama Polytechnic institute at Au-
burn are also being considered by the
| educational committees OF both houses,
and will be up for passage some time
next week. President Thach and several
members Of his board of trustees have
been in touch with the legislative stu
alton for the past ten days, and they have
assurances from the governor and other
leading members of the powers that be,
that attention shall be given to their
needs. The appropriations committees
have also propositions to set aside $4,000
a year to the nine agricultural schools,
and there is enough paper used UP in
bills for relief of the common schools to
wrap up half of the members of the Leg
islature, If It was all in one piece
The fact of the business is that next
to railroad rate legislation the educational
feature is the most popular in the pres
| ent session. Members of the house especi-
ally have tumbed over themselves to get
on the common schools band wagon. and
man who has not a bill of some kind
for the benefit of the rural educational
situation is considered somewhat of a
freak by his fellow members.
For Old Soldiers.
Next to education the popular hobby is
the old soldier. Strong and lusty young
sters, who were not out Of their swad-
ding clothes ten to twelve years after
the war, rise up in their places and shout
for the old soldiers until their threats
are raw Bill after bill has gone to the
clerks desk, appropriating for this cause
big sums of money. and IL the old heroes,
who yet walk upon the earth, get any
thing like as much help as these enthu-
siastic representatives seem to want for
them they will be rounding out their last
years on fowery beds of ease.
Ana 1t seems certain that the present
session Will care substantially for those
men and their widows who stood up so
nobly in defense of the Lost Cause"
There Is a general sentiment in both
houses to take as good care of them as
possible, and it is believed that at least
s2oO,O0 will be appropriated for their fur
Their relief, and that the Soldiers Home
at Mountain Creek win peSprovided with
funds adequate to sustain It.
j. II. Crawford of Walker county will
present an additional bill next week seek
ing TO increase the appropriation for this
cause. and to make 1t available quarterly
instead of annually, as is the case at this
time. He would increase fourth-class pen
sioners from $50 to s4s, thrd-cass $40 to
SGD. second-class $50 to sT5, and first class
$50 to $S4. Mr.. Crawford says that he has
had assurances from many members of
the house that they will support his meas
ure and he expects 1t to pass without
much difficulty.
Joint Legislative Committee.
The joint legislative committee COM
posed of representatives from Birming-
ham, Mobile and Selma which met In tho
city council chamber yesterday after
noon continued its work today
Details of the proposed bill which had
previously not been gone over in con-
N ference, were taken up and discussed.
Among other things 1t was declared to
stipulate In the general bill that the
salaries or mayors of cities of the first
class shall be not less than S2f00, nor
more than $1,000. The legal population of
first-class cities, If the bill becomes n
law, will be reduced from 5000 to 5000,
to be fixed by the city council. A com"
mittee OF Ave, consisting of Mayor
league OF Montgomery, Mayor Ward of
Birmingham City Attorney Mcintyre of
Montgomery and r. d. Smith of Bir-
iningham and J. II. Norville OF Mobile
was appointed to finally pare" the
mea sure down to the prOportiona n is in