The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-07-24
SIXTY HOURS IS MADE
 LEAGAL WORKING WEEK
House Sets Aside $25,ooo for the Ex- penses of the glslature-Governor Is Given $35oo for Incidental
 Expenses-Municira Code.
BY HERVEY W. LAIRD.

Montgomery, July 23.-(Special)- The storm center of the session today was the house where a bill as out lined in this correspondence last night was passed. The bill provides for a twelve-year minimum for both sexes and sixty hours a week.
 MT. John of Birmingham led the fight for the winning measure, which was a substitute for the one already re- ported. MT. Goodwin of Montgomery and MT Pitts of Perry were against the bill, but were voted down on every amendment they offered. MT. John says 1t is the best bill in the southern states and will protect the children.
 Appropriation bills for the expenses of the legislature and supplies and im- provement were also passed in the house.
 In the senate Mir. Teasley presented a bill to make the Alabama seal bear the imprint of the picture of Emma Sansom. Senate committees favored the oyerton child labor bill and ad- versed the bill to allow the governor to suspend taxes when he thinks the treasury will stand it.
 The bill to improve the capitol by the erection of another wing, was, after a hard fight, taken from the adverse calendar and put upon the calendar of the house.
 The Code Bills.
 In the afternoon the senate adopted the code bills and the house the munf- cipal code. The red light section of the municipal code was stricken out During the discussion, of which MT, John and MT. Gunter at times grew quite personal in their remarks. The bill was otherwise amended to pre- vent the employees of corporations from serving municipalities. It was also af- firmatively shown that aldermen of towns may be elected from the voters of their respective wards also that in cities of s50000 or more, one alderman additional is allowed for each 400O citi- bens.
 Bills for Expenses.
 Among the bills passed by the house today were the following: To set aside $25.000 for the expenses of the legis- lature, with $1,500 for stationary; to ap- pripriate $12,250 for refurnishing the capi- tol, and $3250 for work in the new wing; to give the governor $3500 for incidental expenses; to rearrange some of the insur- ance laws to have all insurance business come under the insurance department, part of 1t now going to the auditor; to provide for sidewalk and other improve ments in towns and cities, and arrange for inclusion in deeds for rural school house lots the mineral rights to lands.
 Speaker Carmichael was the recipient today of fine bunch of flowers from the local members of the State Federation of Womens' clubs, a tribute to his work for education and the betterment of the school interests of the state.
 Star Fight of Day.
 The star fight of the house was that on the child labor bill. When it was called by MT. Bloch. chairman of the min- ing and manufacturing committee, MT. John announced that a substitute would be offered, the main changes being the reduction of the age limit of girls to twelve the same as boys, and making the time sixty hours a week instead of fifty six. MT. John decided that the bill had been held back to the last to meet the desires of the governor or any one else and insisted that the substitute was. un- der the circumstances, the best bill.
 The substitute carried the employment of an assistant inspector and the provision that he could remove children under age from the mills; the penalty is $50 to Sij) for the first offense, increased TOO pr cent in the case of subsequent viola tions with imprisonment added. In the opinion of Mir John this is the best biI of any southern state and any other state for that matter save Massachusetts. He said that all interests had been heard and that the bill was well understood as the substitute would make it.
 Goodwin Amendment. Tyler Goodwin offered an amendment to the substitute to make the minimum age for girls fourteen, as originally re- ported He argued that it was the duty | of the legislature to protect the little chi dren and the duty to look after the girls | is especially pressing. He hoped the age would be put back to fourteen. There | seemed to be others of the same, views | and he was cheered frequently during the course of his address. MT. Pitts of Perry came next in oppo- siton to the substitute and he made a | very vigorous fight. lI The corpulent black belt solon pre- | tented the bill out of which the meas are under discussion grew. He did not | ike the twelve year minimum, agree | ing with MT. Goodwin about that, | neither was he pleased with the sub l ,titute as whole. His bill, he in- sisted. was in line with the views of | nen and women who had studied the | ,uestion and had looked into cond- ions and should become law as it | vas presented. Are we going to turn | ,ur backs upon the white children of | he state?" demanded MT. Pitts, as he i .wept the assembled legislators with | lis eyes and wiped the precipitation | rom his face. Are we?" he continued. | It Is a matter of principle and duty; | duty we owe to the white children 1 vho are not able to protect themselves | rom the men --who would make them |
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