The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-11-13
HOUSE PASSES FIVE
tco.t,.ues from Page one,
Alabama and the constitution of the United States.
 sfyindictive LeEislatfon.o

Alabama and the constitution of the United States.
 syindictive Legislatfon.r
 'Twhat is the object of this bill7" asked MT. Gunter. "rhe sole reason for all this vindictive legislation is to prevent a citizen of another State from going into the courts of this county and testing laws that vitally affect him. I am opposed to such methods. and hope the manhood of the members of this House will assert itself. Such legislation is un American" Mir. Bulger challenged tho state ments of MT. Gunter and propounded several questions. as did other mem bers of the House. MT. Gunter said that 1t was not the work of a man to take away the constitutional rights or a free-born American citizen, and he believed that any citizen should always have the right to call on the courts 10 settle questions of law and equity
 The gallery was crowded while MT. Gunter was speaking. and there were freouent outbursts of applause. More tban once the Speaker reminded the spectators that they would nave to keep quiet.
 WhiiN MT. Gunter was still talking. the hour for recess arrived ana au' iournment was taken until ocioch when he resumed.
 After the recess Mir. Gunter resumed
 Addressing the legislators whose minds are not made up, he said ne thought he could substantiate all the charges he had made.
 Compact With Southern. "our honored executive made com nact with the Southern road allowing them to charge a different rate than that established by cur law. NOW where are the Southern and the allied roads, and we find the Louisville ana Nashville and the Central are pushed up in these bills and the southern pushed down. Does this not show vim dictive legislation? .
 He spoke of his pleasant relations with the members of the Legislature. He said:
 you may disagree with me- Then vote with the bill. If you think you are not familiar with it, vote against it, I have the greatest respect for a man who openly differs with me.
 T challenge any of you to show the arguments in favor of this bill and or the bill itself.
 You hear some men talk and it is designated hot air. playing to the galleries. but when see men stand up for bills like these, I like to see logic in their arguments.
 FEcNGnt UUtn8 eO OVsANe
 'HThe bills passed at the first session permit the railroads to protect their rights, and I charge that the object of these bills Is to prevent them from going into courts and protecting their rights.
 This Legislature was called together thirty days ago. Was 1t with the ob- ject of informing the members of the object that these bills were kept in se- cret? c. a
 Did the gentleman from Lee. who introduced the bill.. prepare it? Has he explained to us what is the nature of 1t? I stayed up till 2 o'clock to study 1t and would drop dead in my tracks beforeaI would vote for it.
 "The bill imposes such penalties on a man who tries to protect his rights that no man, firm or corporation could stand it."
 Pitts Talks of Amendment.
 Mir. Pitts then spoke as to his amendment, that the bill should not go into effect for thirty days He thought this time was necessary for the rail- roads to prepare their schedules.
 If the members wanted to pass the bill without his amendment then let them pass it at once and look to the 25,oe0 families in Alabama. whom they would wrong. MT. Long asked whether the gentle man would guarantee that the bill would not be enjoined in the time he asked, and Mir. Pitts replied: T do not propose to bargain with this House for the bread and butter of 25,000 families"
 Mir Tunstall thought the railroads ought to have some time, at least ten days. This time would be necessary. RoL aodpted, to have it become effective December i.
 Mir. Long. of Butler. then took the floor in reply to MT. Gunter's assertion that the proposed legislation was vin- dictive and injurious. He said 1t was not the intention of the administration to throttle industry. He gave some thing of the history of railroad rate legislation. and said that one road had