The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-14
BILL MAY Be RECALLED
ON CONSTITUTIONALITY
eessemer Court Rilt~may Pass-seS x
Committee VIII Make Favorah5
Report on LoveIady Lo- =
cal Option Bill. %

Montgomery, February 13.-(Special.) y
The biggest fight of the day came in the
senate over the bill to increase the nor
mai school appropriations from $4,000
each to $4,000. It was championed by Mr..
Gardner, Mr. Reese and others, with Mr..
Hammer, Mr.. Barbour and Mr.. Sprag-
ins against it, along with one or two
others. 1t won by a good majority, but not
on a two-thirds vote. and Mr. Spragins
protested that it had not properly passed.
The constitution says that not over 4
per cent of the school fund can be used
for purposes other than teaching, and as
this is more than that Mr.. Spragins
held 1t out of order
Mr. Hammer tried to have the amount
cut down to 2,5O0 but was voted down.
He and the others with him contended
that this was not needed, and that 1t was
hoped to use the amount secured in ex
cess of expenses to erect buildings, which
did not seem just the way to get the
buildings. He was not against the build
ings. but did not want the running school
fund to bear the cost of them. 1t is un-
derstood that the bill will be called up
again tomorrow for better understanding
of the constitutional point made.
Bessemer Court Bill.
1t seems now that the Bessemer court
bill is in a fair way to be made a law
within short time. Bills were presented
today in the senate by Mr.. Miller aad the
other in the house by Mr.. Ragsdale. pro-
vidng for the judge to be elected from
the county as whole, and the jurors
drawn the same way.
The Morrow law is to be repealed, and
all cases retransferred save where both
parties desire that they be kept as they
are
The senate committee on temperance
this evening voted TO report the Lovelady
local option bill favorably. This Is the
bill that created so much talk in the
house, and which the temperance people
have been striving to have passed. 1t
provides for local option with the county
as the unit. Representatives King and
Urquhart made great speeches for the
measure when 1t was on It's passage In the
house 1t is regarded that the bill is the
most drastic that has ever been discussed
by the Alabama legislature.
Provisions of Bill.
By It's provision the country can vote
saloons out of the cities whenever it sees
fit If it has the most votes. There is a
bill of the same nature in the house that
has passed the senate, the Moody dispen-
sary bill. 1t provides for local option with
the county as the unit on the question
of open saloon or dispensaries, except
where there is prohibition, and then 1t
does not apply at all.
Taff 41I hos
ate to make the cities of Montgomery.
Mobile and Birmingham one unit, and
the counties other units, but was voted
down Is to 4. 1t is expected that this is
about the vote by which the local option
bill will pass the house. Representative
Haley has asked that the legislature pass
a bill to make the salaries of the criminal
court Judges of Birmingham the same as
those Of the city court $500 year. They
are now $500 and $4,000. This is interesting
in that the senate has passed a bill TO
have the salaries of the Judges of all the
courts paid out of the state treasury, and
the bill is TO be favorably reported In tho
house.
This will give Birmingham eight Judges
TO be paid in this way If the laws now
half way through pass and are signed by
the governor.
1t has been decided to report favorably
the bills providing for payment of officers
of Walker county for work done In the
courts that were declared Illegal.
Tubercuar Santarium.
The medical men are here in force to
urge the passage of a bill for tubercular
sanitarium for consumptive convcts. OF
the Legislature committee for this pur-
pose of the State Medical society, DIR.
w. II. Blake and DIR. Glenn Andrews are
on the ground. Others who will be here
firna m fifpa Dra
Mohr of Mobile, b. L. Wyman OF Bir-
mingham, $. G.. Gay of Selma. S. W.
Welch of Talladega, r. e. Baldrdge of
Huntsville, A. A. Green of Admission, j. G.
Palmer of Opelika. DR.. Blake who lives
at Sheffield. and was once physician in
spector of the convicts, says this is the
most important move made in years for
the health of the prisoners.
Senator Miller from the committee on
finance and taxation today reported fav-
orably the bill to reorganize the salaries
of officers of the state. The only change
from the bill is that providing for two sec
retaries of the supreme court at the
same salary, $3.50 each, instead of one
| at $500 and one at $500
Adjourn for Friday.
| The senate and house have agreed to
| adjourn over from Thursday to Satur-
| dav in order to work off the great num-
her of bills now before the committees
1t was found that there was no chance
| to make much progress in the legislative
work until this is done. Mr.. Lusk made
| the move in the senate and Mr.. Martin,
| the speaker in the house, and the joint
| resolution was accepted. Among other
things there are large number of court
| bills with the committees and 1t Is very
necessary to get them out and secure
action.
| The legislature got down to work at
| II o'clock this morning after the ride
| home from Mobile Every member of the
party was loud In praise of Mobile and
| the hospitality of its people and joint
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