The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-15
There is Strong Competition i1 Many Counties for County
 High Sch'ds
SPECIAL SESSION IS
 ALMOST 4 CERTAINTY
People at the Capital Are Interested In the Outcome of Judge Werfs Charge to the Grand Jury
 at Decatur.

Montgomery, September 14-(Special.)--. Like wave that carries all before ik
 is the educational movement that is swinging over the state at this time Aroused by the adoptio nof the bill to give all the counties high schools, which followed bill to help every district build school houses. it is taking the attention of the people in a wonderful way. If is more than the prohibition revival in volume and general attention and thers. is hardly a hamlet in the state that is not up and doing for new schools.
 The high school act gives to each coun- ty a school of this kind if 1t has noh already some sort of state institution, and to those excepted when the others have been supplied As result anywhere up to three and four towns in each county are going out after It. It takeA good 5000 in value contributed befora a place can be considered and every ons in the running gets this made up before trying As a result, it now seems. almost every place that seeks the school will have new school building whether tho
 
 Gen w W. Brandon. state auditor. who is one of the locating board. said that he believed that this would be almost the universal rule. Money raised will not be turned back. he thinks. but spent in the erection of local buildings far in access of what is now in use. He has visited several of the places contestlng for the schools and finds that the people are simply wild over the subject of edu- cation and are willing to do anything to get better facilities. Superintendent of Education H. C. Gunnells who has also been out over the field. takes the sahe view and is of the opinion that this will be by far the greatest school year in the history of the state.
 lt Is expected that number of those counties which have not done so will vote the special school tax before many more months So far forty-two of them have levied aid in this way. largely enhanc- ing the ability of the local trustees to keep the schools open almost nine months in the year if not, as in most cases. al- together that long It comes to the state officers from every way that the interest m local support is picking up in gratify- ing way.
 The influence of the negro Is always bad thing in educational work of tho state. That and nothing else defeated the bills for free school books 10 tn- digent children and compulsory instrue- tion. IL was feared by the legislators that the two acts would apply in too great measure 10 the negro. and that being the case, not given the needed aid to the whites. Senator Herbert pf Lot the approval of the governor but in some way the measures never got off the house calandar.
 Railroad Situation.
 The prospect of a special session of the legislature are about as bright as anything can be not to be a certainty Governor Conner has said that he will call it about the first of October if tho railroads now fighting the state laws are not inside the list of those willing to give them a trial: President Smith of the Louisville and Nashville has given out the correspondence between himself and the governor, and the three systems yet outside are refusing to sell tickets over the lines that have put the rates In. Hence it looks good for another and livlier time when the solons come back in November
 good story is told on q number of. travelling men. They have had a fash ion of coming over the Georgia Nine att West Point by the Georgia rate, on the Western of Alabama. As the train takes water there they had time To buy tickets and recheck baggage before 1t left. thereby saving on the rate for the. Georgia haul. The officials tumbledl and laid low. Recently a lot of them made the trip under the same plans. The train stopped at the platform, the passengers alighted and got their, tickets, when, To. they saw the train moving away. No stop was made for water and the crowd was left. Now there is no more of it. To make the stop means To lose half a day.
 II Is not expected to return to ths question of legislation, that any move will be made to disturb the railroads until after the first of October. Govern or Conner has given them until that date and will very likely keep his word to allow them to go along as they are to the time. It may be that one of them would come in at the last moment. maybe all. However, there are not many who think the Louisville and Nashville. the Western of Alabama and the Central of Georgia have any idea of coming in. They seem to have lined up for a finish fight. even if the federal, the state and the courts generally should get in the mix up.
 Nothing From Vert.
 There has been intense interest at the capital as to what will be done at De- catur. Judge Vert charged the jury that violations of the enjoined railroad acts were violations just the same and should be looted into. Whether the jury fn- dicted Snyone or not Is yet untold this far down the line of the Louisville and Nashville There was somewhat of af feeling that it might be just as well and out with it.. If some overt act is done there would be an end to the uneeI- tanty and number of railroad men who are fearful that they will get into the