The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-08-07
BILL IS PASSED
 FOR NEW COUNTY Constitutional Amendment Must
 First Go Through BESSEMER COUNTY SEAT
Only Seven Votes Are Cast Against the Bill In the Senate and Besse- merites Cheer So Loudly They
 Create a Disturbance.


 Montgomery, August (Special)-The senate passed the bill providing for or ganizing new counties by constitutional amendment, which is move to the talk ing off of a part of Jefferson county to provide for a new county of which Bes- semer shall he the county seat. There were only seven votes against the bill. The galleries were filled with citizens of Bessemer, who cheered so loudly when the vote was taken that a motion was pade to clear the galleries.
 A rather surprising contribution to the success of the measure was the following letter from members of the board of rev enue of Jefferson county, which figured in the passage of the amendment:
 "To the Honorable Senators of Alabama: I've. the undersigned members of the board of revenue of Jefferson county, re- speetfully request that you support the bill to amend the constitution so as to allow the people to vote on the proposition to create new counties.
 John T. Reid. Job Going, C. K. Dickey, H. W. Crook, Hugh McGeever."
 Though the house voted down the bien- nial sessions measure, fl agreed to recon sider and take it mp again tomorrow. The dog tax bill went through the sen ate after q fight on q close vote, and, as 1t had been amended, the house got it back and killed it. The dog found mum Der of good friends in both houses and tho bill was up against hard run from the first
 The contract labor bill which passed the senate was characterized as an in- iquitous movement for imprisonment for debt Several senators were bitterly op- posed to it. among them Senator Miller. instated. put on it's final passage and passed. only few days ago the bill was practically killed on q vote to indefinitely postpone. II reached it's success today on motion of Senator Spragins to substitute it for the Rush ion bill that passed the house. It pro- vides for license to carry arms and Is considered a prohibitive measure along Inc lines that have been desired by re- formers of the pistol toting habit.
 Senators Spragins, Reese, Jones and Teasley made pleas for the bill, all holding that it is a necessity for the welfare of the state. Mr. Merritt was not specially for it. being afraid 1t would not accomplish the purpose; also that it would not get through the
 
 e naeasure and hoped to see i, pass. 4 was given large vote in final sue cess. MT. Jones and others said that the bill was greatly needed in the black belt where the negroes carry arms openly and are great dangers to hu- man life
 The dog tax debate kept the senate going for quite a while this morning, many of the senators trying to kill the Mastin bill to tax female dogs sS a year. MT. Gardner made eloquent appeal for the dogs and MT. Merritt said it was a dangerous thing to do Mr. Leith spoke for the dogs and said they are good friends to the men and often take care of the women when they are in danger. Senator Gardner quoted the late Senator Vest on the dog and made quite a hit in his re- marks. The bill was passed
 The election of United States senator took only few moments. Caucus Noml nee Johnston was nominated for the short term by Senator Bales and the long term by Senator McWhorter. Both made eulogistic addresses. The vote was unanimous.
 New County Bill.
 After this came the fight on the new county amendment to the constitution. Senator Miller opposed the bill. He said that it was move to get new county with Bessemer the center. There seemed no use of the movement Bessemer has two car lines to Bir- mngham. two telephones also both of which are local in service. He thought the move a dangerous one and noted that it would provide for only three new counties in the state.
 Senator Wilson was for the bill and showed evidence of the work of the Bessemer lobby when he presented a statement from the Jeffeffrson County Board of Revenue that 1t would be a good thing to divide the county, as 1t is so big that 1t can hardly be admin lstered now.
 MT. Reed thought 1t a bad thing to go fooling with the constitution. MT. Reese, a constitution maker, however, thought it was not bad. He said the members of the constitutional conven- 1ion had Bessemer in mind when they provided for organizing new counties. He though the bill should pass.
 Senator Jones also opposed the bill. He thought it a pretty good plan some one had made up to get some politi- eians job.
 Afternoon Session.
 The following bills were passed
 To refund collections by cities on sol vent credits
 To fix the salaries of the judges of the Montgomery city court.
 To refund collections by cities on sol vent credits.
 To allow circuit and city courts to as- semble grand jures at adjourned terms. To prevent sale of liquors in certain parts of Crenshaw county.
 To confer equity jurisdiction on the cir cult courts of Blount and St. Clair cOun- ties and arrange the court for Blount. The house refused to concur in the sen- ate substitute on the dox tax bill and Lieutenant Governor Gray appointed Messrs. Spraggins, Teasley and Overton committee on conference.
 n~. Leath had passed bill to regulate